KR102277546B1 - Apparatus for treating substrate and method for teating substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. According to an embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing container having a processing space therein; a substrate support unit for supporting a substrate in the processing space; and a liquid supply unit supplying a processing liquid on a substrate supported by the substrate support unit, wherein the processing container is formed with a coating layer to which a liquid is applied.

Description

A substrate processing apparatus and a method of cleaning a substrate processing apparatus {APPARATUS FOR TREATING SUBSTRATE AND METHOD FOR TEATING SUBSTRATE}

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a method of cleaning the substrate processing apparatus.

In order to manufacture a semiconductor device, various processes such as cleaning, deposition, photography, etching, and ion implantation are performed. Among these processes, the photographic process sequentially performs application, exposure, and development steps. The coating process is a process of applying a photosensitive liquid such as a resist to the surface of the substrate. The exposure process is a process of exposing a circuit pattern on a substrate on which a photosensitive film is formed. The developing process is a process of selectively developing an exposed region of a substrate.

In general, a coating process and a developing process are processes for treating a substrate with a liquid, and a process for supplying a process liquid on the substrate is performed. The liquid treatment process of the substrate is performed in a treatment vessel, and the used treatment liquid is recovered through the treatment vessel.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a general liquid processing apparatus used in a coating process. Referring to FIG. 1 , in the liquid processing apparatus, a substrate W is positioned in a processing container 2 , and a photoresist X is supplied onto the substrate W. The photosensitive liquid (X) is a viscous liquid, and a large amount adheres to the recovery path. The photosensitive liquids X adhering to the recovery path of the processing vessel 2 may contaminate peripheral devices and may adversely affect the operator. Accordingly, the processing vessel in which the photoresists X remain requires periodic cleaning.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process of cleaning a processing vessel in the apparatus of FIG. 1 . Referring to FIG. 2 , in the cleaning process of the processing container 2 , a cleaning jig 1 is prepared instead of a substrate, and a cleaning liquid Y is sprayed toward the cleaning jig 1 from the upper and lower portions of the cleaning jig 1 . supply The cleaning liquid Y is scattered from the cleaning jig 1 and is recovered through a recovery path, and the residual photoresist is cleaned. However, the cleaning jig 1 requires a separate time and configuration for introducing the cleaning jig 1 into the chamber.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of cleaning a liquid remaining in a processing container and a method for cleaning the substrate processing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus cleaning method capable of reducing a processing time by cleaning the processing apparatus.

The object of the present invention is not limited thereto, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate. In an embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing container having a processing space therein; a substrate support unit for supporting a substrate in the processing space; and a liquid supply unit supplying a processing liquid on a substrate supported by the substrate support unit, wherein the processing container is formed with a coating layer to which a liquid is applied.

In an embodiment, the coating layer may include a surface on which a plurality of posts are formed, and the liquid may be provided to occupy the space between the posts.

In one embodiment, the post may be provided in a nanoscale.

In one embodiment, the processing container, the cup-shaped outer cup with an open top; It may include an inner cup provided on the inside of the outer cup and having an open top cup shape.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises a blowing unit for removing the processing liquid remaining in the processing container, wherein the blowing unit includes: a supply pipe; and a distribution pipe connected to the supply pipe and provided around an inner uppermost end of the outer cup, wherein the distribution pipe may supply an inert gas to the inner surface of the outer cup.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises a blowing unit for removing the processing liquid remaining in the processing container, wherein the blowing unit includes: a supply pipe; and a distribution pipe connected to the supply pipe and provided around the uppermost end of the inner cup, wherein the distribution pipe may supply an inert gas to the outer surface of the inner cup.

In an embodiment, the inert gas by the distribution pipe may be supplied while the substrate is being processed.

In an embodiment, the inert gas through the distribution pipe may be supplied at any point in time before one substrate is processed and the other substrate is supplied.

The present invention provides a method of processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the substrate processing method, the liquid processing step of processing the substrate; and a container cleaning step of cleaning the processing container, wherein a coating layer to which a liquid is applied is formed on the processing container, and in the container cleaning step, an inert gas is supplied to the surface of the processing container.

In an embodiment, the coating layer may include a surface on which a plurality of posts are formed, and the liquid may be provided to occupy the space between the posts.

In one embodiment, the post may be provided in a nanoscale.

In one embodiment, the container cleaning step may be performed simultaneously while the liquid treatment step is in progress.

In an embodiment, the cleaning of the container may be performed at any point in time after the liquid treatment on one substrate and before the other substrate is supplied.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the liquid remaining in the processing container may be cleaned.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to shorten the processing time by the cleaning of the processing apparatus.

Effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the present specification and accompanying drawings.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a general liquid processing apparatus used in a coating process.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process of cleaning a processing vessel in the apparatus of FIG. 1 .
3 is a view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 viewed from above.
FIG. 4 is a view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 as viewed from the direction AA.
FIG. 5 is a view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 as viewed from the BB direction.
FIG. 6 is a view showing a cross-section of the processing unit of FIG. 3 ;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the processing vessel shown in FIG. 6 .
8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coating of the surface of the outer cup 521 or the inner cup 522 according to an embodiment.
9 is a plan view of the coated side of the outer cup 521 or inner cup 522 .
10 is a diagram illustrating a method of cleaning an apparatus using the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following embodiments. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the shapes of elements in the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

The substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment is used to perform a photolithography process on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a flat panel display panel. In particular, the substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment is used to perform a coating process and a developing process on a substrate.

3 to 5 are views schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 as viewed from above, FIG. 4 is a view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 as viewed from the AA direction, and FIG. 5 is the substrate processing apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 , BB This is the view from the direction.

3 to 5 , the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a load port 100 , an index module 200 , a buffer module 300 , a process processor 400 , an interface module 700 , and a purge module 800 . ) is included. The load port 100 , the index module 200 , the buffer module 300 , the processing unit 400 , and the interface module 700 are sequentially arranged in a line in one direction. The purge module 800 may be provided in the interface module 700 . Contrary to this, the purge module 800 may be provided at various locations, such as a location to which an exposure apparatus at the rear end of the interface module 700 is connected or a side of the interface module 700 .

Hereinafter, the direction in which the load port 100 , the index module 200 , the first buffer module 300 , the processing unit 400 , and the interface module 700 are arranged is referred to as a first direction 12 , and is viewed from the top. When viewed, a direction perpendicular to the first direction 12 is referred to as a second direction 14 , and a direction perpendicular to the first direction 12 and the second direction 14 is referred to as a third direction 16 .

The substrate W is moved while being accommodated in the cassette 20 . The cassette 20 has a structure that can be sealed from the outside. For example, as the cassette 20, a Front Open Unified Pod (FOUP) having a door at the front may be used.

The load port 100 has a mounting table 120 on which the cassette 20 in which the substrates W are accommodated is placed. A plurality of mounting tables 120 are provided. The mounting tables 120 are arranged in a line along the second direction 14 . 4 shows an example in which four mounting tables 120 are provided. However, the mounting table 120 may be provided in a different number depending on the process and needs.

The index module 200 transfers the substrate W between the cassette 20 placed on the mounting table 120 of the load port 100 and the buffer module 300 .

The index module 200 includes a frame 210 , an index robot 220 , and a guide rail 230 . The frame 210 is provided in the shape of a substantially hollow rectangular parallelepiped, and is disposed between the load port 100 and the buffer module 300 . The frame 210 of the index module 200 may be provided at a lower height than the frame 310 of the buffer module 300 to be described later. The index robot 220 and the guide rail 230 are disposed in the frame 210 . The index robot 220 is provided such that a hand 221 for directly handling the substrate W is movable and rotatable in the first direction 12 , the second direction 14 , and the third direction 16 .

The index robot 220 includes a hand 221 , an arm 222 , a support 223 , and a pedestal 224 . The hand 221 is fixedly installed on the arm 222 . The arm 222 is provided in a telescoping structure and a rotatable structure. The support 223 is disposed along the third direction 16 in its longitudinal direction. The arm 222 is coupled to the support 223 to be movable along the support 223 . The support 223 is fixedly coupled to the support 224 . The guide rail 230 is provided such that its longitudinal direction is disposed along the second direction 14 . The pedestal 224 is coupled to the guide rail 230 so as to be linearly movable along the guide rail 230 . Also, although not shown, a door opener for opening and closing the door of the cassette 20 is further provided in the frame 210 .

The buffer module 300 includes a frame 310 , a first buffer 320 , a second buffer 330 , a cooling chamber 350 , and a first buffer robot 360 . The frame 310 is provided in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with an empty interior. The frame 310 is disposed between the index module 200 and the processing unit 400 . The first buffer 320 , the second buffer 330 , the cooling chamber 350 , and the first buffer robot 360 are positioned in the frame 310 . The cooling chamber 350 , the second buffer 330 , and the first buffer 320 are sequentially disposed along the third direction 16 from the bottom. The first buffer 320 is located at a height corresponding to the first application unit 401 of the processing unit 400 to be described later. The second buffer 330 and the cooling chamber 350 are provided at a height corresponding to the second applicator 402 of the processing unit 400 to be described later. The first buffer robot 360 is positioned to be spaced apart from the second buffer 330 , the cooling chamber 350 , and the first buffer 320 by a predetermined distance in the second direction 14 .

The first buffer 320 and the second buffer 330 temporarily store the plurality of substrates W, respectively. The second buffer 330 has a housing 331 and a plurality of supports 332 . The supports 332 are disposed in the housing 331 and are provided to be spaced apart from each other in the third direction 16 . One substrate W is placed on each support 332 . The housing 331 has a direction and a direction in which the index robot 220 is provided so that the index robot 220 and the first buffer robot 360 can load or unload the substrate W to or from the support 332 in the housing 331 . 1 The buffer robot 360 has an opening (not shown) in the provided direction. The first buffer 320 has a structure substantially similar to that of the second buffer 330 . However, the housing 321 of the first buffer 320 has an opening in the direction in which the first buffer robot 360 is provided and the direction in which the applicator robot 432 positioned in the first applicator 401 is provided. The number of supports 322 provided in the first buffer 320 and the number of supports 332 provided in the second buffer 330 may be the same or different. According to an example, the number of supports 332 provided in the second buffer 330 may be greater than the number of supports 322 provided in the first buffer 320 .

The first buffer robot 360 transfers the substrate W between the first buffer 320 and the second buffer 330 . The first buffer robot 360 includes a hand 361 , an arm 362 , and a support 363 . The hand 361 is fixedly installed on the arm 362 . The arm 362 is provided with a telescoping structure, so that the hand 361 is movable along the second direction 14 .

The arm 362 is coupled to the support 363 so as to be linearly movable in the third direction 16 along the support 363 . The support 363 has a length extending from a position corresponding to the second buffer 330 to a position corresponding to the first buffer 320 . The support 363 may be provided longer in an upper or lower direction than this. The first buffer robot 360 may be provided such that the hand 361 is only driven by two axes in the second direction 14 and the third direction 16 .

The cooling chamber 350 cools the substrate W, respectively. The cooling chamber 350 includes a housing 351 and a cooling plate 352 . The cooling plate 352 has an upper surface on which the substrate W is placed and cooling means 353 for cooling the substrate W. As the cooling means 353 , various methods such as cooling by cooling water or cooling using a thermoelectric element may be used. In addition, a lift pin assembly for positioning the substrate W on the cooling plate 352 may be provided in the cooling chamber 350 . The housing 351 has a direction in which the index robot 220 is provided so that the developing unit robot provided in the index robot 220 and the second applicator 402 can bring the substrate W into or out of the cooling plate 352 , and The developing unit robot has an opening in the provided direction. In addition, the cooling chamber 350 may be provided with a plurality of doors for opening and closing the aforementioned openings.

The first coating unit 401 includes a process of applying a photoresist such as a photoresist to the substrate W and a heat treatment process such as heating and cooling on the substrate W before and after the resist application process. The first applicator 401 has a processing unit 500 , a bake chamber 420 , and a transfer chamber 430 . The processing unit 500 , the transfer chamber 430 , and the bake chamber 420 are sequentially disposed along the second direction 14 . Accordingly, the processing unit 500 and the bake chamber 420 are spaced apart from each other in the second direction 14 with the transfer chamber 430 interposed therebetween. A plurality of processing units 500 are provided, and a plurality of processing units are provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16 . In the figure, an example in which six processing units 500 are provided is shown. A plurality of bake chambers 420 are provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16 . In the drawing, an example in which six bake chambers 420 are provided is shown. However, alternatively, a larger number of bake chambers 420 may be provided.

The transfer chamber 430 is positioned in parallel with the first buffer 320 and the first direction 12 of the first buffer module 300 . An applicator robot 432 and a guide rail 433 are positioned in the transfer chamber 430 . The transfer chamber 430 has a generally rectangular shape. The applicator robot 432 transfers the substrate W between one or more bake chambers 420 , one or more processing units 500 , and the first buffer 320 of the first buffer module 300 . The guide rail 433 is disposed so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the first direction 12 . The guide rail 433 guides the applicator robot 432 to move linearly in the first direction 12 . The applicator robot 432 has a hand 434 , an arm 435 , a support 436 , and a pedestal 437 . The hand 434 is fixedly installed on the arm 435 . The arm 435 is provided in a telescoping structure so that the hand 434 is movable in the horizontal direction. The support 436 is provided such that its longitudinal direction is disposed along the third direction 16 . The arm 435 is coupled to the support 436 so as to be linearly movable in the third direction 16 along the support 436 . The support 436 is fixedly coupled to the pedestal 437 , and the pedestal 437 is coupled to the guide rail 433 to be movable along the guide rail 433 .

The bake chamber 420 heat-treats the substrate W. For example, the one or more bake chambers 420 heat the substrate W to a predetermined temperature before applying the photoresist to remove organic matter or moisture from the surface of the substrate W or apply the photoresist to the substrate. A soft bake process, etc. performed after coating on the W is performed, and a cooling process of cooling the substrate W is performed after each heating process. The bake chamber 420 has a cooling plate 421 or a heating plate 422 . The cooling plate 421 is provided with cooling means 423 such as cooling water or a thermoelectric element. The heating plate 422 is also provided with heating means 424 such as a hot wire or thermoelectric element. The cooling plate 421 and the heating plate 422 may be provided in one bake chamber 420 , respectively. Optionally, some of the one or more bake chambers 420 may include only the cooling plate 421 and other portions may include only the heating plate 422 .

The second coating unit 402 includes a developing process of removing a part of the photoresist by supplying a developer to obtain a pattern on the substrate W, and heating and cooling performed on the substrate W before and after the developing process. heat treatment process. The second applicator 402 includes a development chamber 460 , a bake chamber 470 , and a transfer chamber 480 .

The development chamber 460 , the bake chamber 470 , and the transfer chamber 480 are sequentially disposed along the second direction 14 . Accordingly, the development chamber 460 and the bake chamber 470 are spaced apart from each other in the second direction 14 with the transfer chamber 480 interposed therebetween. A plurality of development chambers 460 are provided, and a plurality of development chambers 460 are provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16 .

The transfer chamber 480 is positioned in parallel with the second buffer 330 of the first buffer module 300 in the first direction 12 . A developing unit robot 482 and a guide rail 483 are positioned in the transfer chamber 480 . The transfer chamber 480 has a generally rectangular shape. The developing unit robot 482 transfers the substrate W between one or more bake chambers 470 , one or more developing chambers 460 , and the second buffer 330 and the cooling chamber 350 of the first buffer module 300 . transport The guide rail 483 is disposed so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the first direction 12 . The guide rail 483 guides the developing unit robot 482 to move linearly in the first direction 12 . The developing unit robot 482 has a hand 484 , an arm 485 , a support 486 , and a pedestal 487 . The hand 484 is fixedly installed on the arm 485 . The arm 485 is provided in a telescoping structure so that the hand 484 is movable in the horizontal direction. The support 486 is provided so that its longitudinal direction is disposed along the third direction 16 . The arm 485 is coupled to the support 486 so as to be linearly movable in the third direction 16 along the support 486 . The support 486 is fixedly coupled to the support 487 . The pedestal 487 is coupled to the guide rail 483 so as to be movable along the guide rail 483 .

The plurality of developing chambers 460 all have the same structure. However, the type of developer used in each developing chamber 460 may be different from each other. The developing chamber 460 removes a region irradiated with light from the photoresist on it. At this time, the region irradiated with light among the protective film is also removed. Only a region to which light is not irradiated among regions of the photoresist and the plurality of passivation layers may be removed according to the type of photoresist selectively used.

The developing chamber 460 has a housing 461 , a support plate 462 , and a nozzle 463 . The housing 461 has a cup shape with an open top. The support plate 462 is located in the housing 461 and supports the . The support plate 462 is provided rotatably. The nozzle 463 supplies the developer onto the phase placed on the support plate 462 . The nozzle 463 has a circular tubular shape, and can supply the developer to the center of . Optionally, the nozzle 463 may have a length corresponding to the diameter of , and the outlet of the nozzle 463 may be provided as a slit. In addition, a nozzle 464 for supplying a cleaning solution such as deionized water to clean the surface to which the developer is additionally supplied may be further provided in the developing chamber 460 .

The bake chamber 470 heat-treats the substrate. For example, the one or more bake chambers 470 include a post-bake process for heating the substrate before the development process is performed, a hard bake process for heating the substrate after the development process is performed, and cooling the heated wafer after each bake process. A cooling process and the like are performed. The bake chamber 470 has a cooling plate 471 or a heating plate 472 . The cooling plate 471 is provided with cooling means 473 such as cooling water or a thermoelectric element. Alternatively, the heating plate 472 is provided with a heating means 474 such as a heating wire or a thermoelectric element. Some of the one or more bake chambers 470 may include only a cooling plate 471 , and others may include only a heating plate 472 . Optionally, the cooling plate 471 and the heating plate 472 may each be provided in one bake chamber 470 .

As described above, in the processing unit 400 , the first applicator 401 and the second applicator 402 are provided to be separated from each other. Also, when viewed from above, the first applicator 401 and the second applicator 402 may have the same chamber arrangement.

The interface module 700 transfers the substrate. The interface module 700 includes a frame 710 , a first buffer 720 , a second buffer 730 , and an interface robot 740 . The first buffer 720 , the second buffer 730 , and the interface robot 740 are positioned in the frame 710 . The first buffer 720 and the second buffer 730 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and are stacked on each other. The first buffer 720 is disposed higher than the second buffer 730 .

The interface robot 740 is positioned to be spaced apart from the first buffer 720 and the second buffer 730 in the second direction 14 . The interface robot 740 transfers the substrate between the first buffer 720 , the second buffer 730 , and the exposure apparatus 900 .

The first buffer 720 temporarily stores one or more substrates that have been processed before being moved to the exposure apparatus 900 . In addition, the second buffer 730 temporarily stores the substrates before the one or more substrates that have been processed in the exposure apparatus 900 are moved. The first buffer 720 has a housing 721 and one or more plurality of supports 722 . One or more supports 722 are disposed within the housing 721 and are provided to be spaced apart from each other along the third direction 16 . One tooth is placed on each support 722 . The housing 721 is provided with an interface robot 740 and a pretreatment robot 632 provided so that the interface robot 740 and the preprocessing robot 632 can bring in or out of the support 722 into the housing 721. have an opening in the direction. The second buffer 730 has a structure similar to that of the first buffer 720 . The interface module may only be provided with one or more buffers and a robot as described above without providing a chamber for performing a predetermined process on the wafer.

The purge module 800 may be disposed in the interface module 700 . Specifically, the purge module 800 may be disposed at a position facing the first buffer 720 with the interface robot 740 as a center. Contrary to this, the purge module 800 may be provided at various locations such as a location where the exposure apparatus 900 at the rear end of the interface module 700 is connected or a side of the interface module 700 . The purge module 800 performs a gas purge process and a rinse process on the wafer on which a protective film for protecting the photoresist is applied in the pre-exposure processing module 600 .

The one or more processing units 500 all have the same structure. However, the types of photoresists used in each processing unit 500 may be different from each other. As an example, a chemical amplification resist may be used as the photoresist.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the processing unit of FIG. 3 , and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the processing vessel illustrated in FIG. 6 . 6 and 7 , the processing unit 500 includes a chamber 510 , a processing vessel 520 , a support unit 530 , a liquid supply unit 550 , an airflow providing unit 560 , and an exhaust means ( ). 580) may be included.

The chamber 510 has a space therein. The chamber 510 is provided in a rectangular shape when viewed from the top. The chamber 510 is provided in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. An opening (not shown) may be formed at one side of the chamber 510 . The opening functions as an inlet through which the substrate W flows in or out. A door (not shown) may be installed in the opening. The door opens and closes the opening. The door seals the inner space of the chamber 510 by blocking the opening when the substrate processing process is in progress.

The processing vessel 520 is located in the interior space of the chamber 510 . The processing vessel 520 provides a processing space 501 therein. The processing container 520 has a cup shape with an open top. The processing vessel 520 includes an inner cup 521 and an outer cup 522 .

The inner cup 521 is provided in a shape surrounding the support unit 530 . The inner cup 521 is provided in a circular plate shape. When viewed from above, the inner cup 521 is positioned to overlap the inner vent 515 . When viewed from above, the upper surface of the inner cup 521 is provided such that the outer and inner regions thereof are inclined at different angles from each other.

According to an example, the outer region of the inner cup 521 is provided to face a downwardly inclined direction as it goes away from the support unit 530 . The inner region of the inner cup 521 is provided to face an upwardly inclined direction as it goes away from the support unit 530 .

A point where the outer region and the inner region of the inner cup 521 meet each other is provided to correspond to the side end of the substrate W in the vertical direction. An area outside the upper surface of the inner cup 521 is provided to be rounded. The upper surface outer region of the inner cup 521 is provided concave downwards. An area outside the upper surface of the inner cup 521 may be provided as an area through which the treatment liquid flows.

The outer cup 522 is provided to surround the support unit 530 and the inner cup 521 . The outer cup 852 has a cup shape. The outer cup 522 has a bottom wall 524 , a side wall 525 and an inclined wall 527 .

The bottom wall 524 has a circular plate shape having a hollow. A recovery line 529 is formed on the bottom wall 524 . The recovery line 529 recovers the processing liquid supplied on the substrate W. The treatment liquid recovered by the recovery line 529 may be reused by an external liquid recovery system. The side wall 525 has a circular cylindrical shape surrounding the support unit 530 . The side wall 525 extends in a direction perpendicular to the side end of the bottom wall 524 . Sidewall 525 extends upwardly from bottom wall 524 .

The inclined wall 527 extends from the top of the side wall 525 in the inward direction of the outer cup 522 . The inclined wall 527 is provided so as to approach the support unit 530 as it goes upward. The inclined wall 527 is provided to have a ring shape. The upper end of the inclined wall 527 is positioned higher than the substrate W supported by the support unit 530 .

The support unit 530 is located in the processing space of the processing vessel 520 . The support unit 530 supports the substrate W. The support unit 530 may rotate the substrate W. The support unit 530 includes a spin chuck 531 , a rotation shaft 533 , and a driver 535 .

The spin chuck 531 is provided as a substrate support member supporting the . The spin chuck 531 has a circular plate shape. The substrate W is in contact with the upper surface of the spin chuck 531 . The spin chuck 531 may have a smaller diameter than the substrate W. According to an example, the spin chuck 531 may chuck the substrate W by vacuum sucking the substrate W. Optionally, the spin chuck 531 may be provided as an electrostatic chuck for supporting the substrate W using static electricity. Also, the spin chuck 531 may chuck or unchuck the substrate W through a chuck pin provided thereunder.

The rotation shaft 533 and the driver 535 rotate the spin chuck 531 . The rotating shaft 533 supports the spin chuck 531 under the spin chuck 531 . The rotation shaft 533 is provided so that the longitudinal direction thereof faces the vertical direction. The rotating shaft 533 is provided to be rotatable about its central axis. The actuator 535 provides a driving force to rotate the rotation shaft 533 . For example, the driver 535 may be a motor capable of varying the rotational speed of the rotating shaft.

The liquid supply unit 550 supplies the processing liquid on the substrate W. The liquid supply unit 550 includes a nozzle 555 .

The nozzle 555 supplies the processing liquid onto the substrate W. For example, the treatment liquid may be a photoresist such as a photoresist. The nozzle 555 is connected to a supply pipe (not shown) provided inside the nozzle arm 553 . The nozzle 555 receives the processing liquid from the supply pipe and supplies the processing liquid on the substrate.

The nozzle 555 supplies the processing liquid to the central position of the substrate W. The nozzle 555 is provided so that its discharge port faces vertically downward. Here, the central position is a position where the supply position of the processing liquid corresponds to the center of the substrate W.

The airflow providing unit 560 forms a descending airflow in the inner space of the housing 510 . The airflow providing unit 560 includes an airflow supplying line 562 , a fan 564 , and a filter 566 . Airflow supply line 562 is connected to housing 810 . The air flow supply line 562 supplies external air to the housing 810 . The filter 566 filters 566 the air provided from the airflow supply line 562 . The filter 566 removes impurities contained in the air. The fan 564 is installed on the upper surface of the housing 810 . A fan 564 is located in a central region on the top surface of the housing 510 . The fan 564 forms a downdraft in the interior space of the housing 810 . When air is supplied to the fan 564 from the airflow supply line 562 , the fan 564 supplies air in a downward direction.

The exhaust means 580 comprises one or more exhaust pipes 582 . The exhaust pipe 582 is installed on the bottom wall 524 of the processing vessel 520 . The exhaust pipes 582 are used as passages for exhausting gaseous contaminants (hereinafter referred to as fume) generated during the process of applying the photoresist material to the outside of the processing vessel 520 . The exhaust pipes 582 are disposed to face each other with respect to the center of the processing vessel.

The exhaust pipe 582 may be connected to an exhaust branch pipe (not shown). In the exhaust branch pipe (not shown), gaseous pollutants that are connected to the lower ends of the exhaust pipes and exhausted through the exhaust pipes are collected, and this may be exhausted to the main exhaust line (not shown).

The blowing unit 590 supplies wind to the surface of the processing vessel 520 . In one example, the blowing unit 590 includes a first supply pipe 591 , a second supply pipe 596 , a first distribution pipe 592 , and a second distribution pipe 597 .

The first distribution pipe 592 is connected to the first supply pipe 591 , and may be coupled to the inner uppermost end of the inclined portion 527 of the inner cup 522 . For example, the first distribution pipe 592 may function as a protrusion on the upper end of the inclined portion 527 of the inner cup 522 . For example, the first distribution pipe 592 may be provided around the uppermost end of the outer cup 521 . The first supply pipe 591 may be connected to a supply source (not shown) to supply an inert gas. According to an example, the first supply pipe 591 supplies an inert gas to the inner surface of the outer cup. The inert gas may be air or N2 or Ar.

The second distribution pipe 597 may be connected to the second supply pipe 596 and coupled to the uppermost end of the inner cup 522 . For example, the second distribution pipe 597 may be provided as a protrusion provided adjacent to the periphery of the substrate in the inner cup 522 to function as a configuration for controlling the flow of the photoresist and the flow of the air flow. The second supply pipe 596 may be connected to a supply source (not shown) to supply an inert gas. According to one example, the second supply pipe 596 supplies an inert gas to the outer surface of the inner cup. The inert gas may be air or N2 or Ar.

The supplied inert gas may be supplied from the first supply pipe 591 or the second supply pipe 596 to blow the surface of the inner cup 522 or the outer cup 521 . In one example, the processing container 520 is in a state of being contaminated by a photoresist. The photoresist can be removed from the processing vessel wall by blowing before the photoresist is cured.

8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coating of the surface of the outer cup 521 or the inner cup 522 according to an embodiment. 9 is a plan view of the coated side of the outer cup 521 or inner cup 522 .

8 and 9 , the surface 1010 of the outer cup 521 or inner cup 522 has a plurality of posts 1011 . In one embodiment, the posts 1011 are provided on a nanoscale. In an embodiment, the post 1011 may have a width (a), a width (b) or a height (h) of less than about 100 μm, less than about 10 μm, less than about 1 μm, or less than about 100 nm. Although the post 1011 is illustrated to have a quadrangular prism, any shape such as a cylinder, a cone, a quadrangular pyramid, or a hemispherical shape may be applied. In one embodiment, the posts 1011 may be introduced to the surface using any conventional method including mechanical and/or chemical methods such as lithography, self-assembly and deposition.

The space c between the posts 1011 is occupied by the liquid 1020 . The liquid 1020 is provided equal to or higher than the top end of the post 1011 .

In one example, liquid 1020 is provided to be hydrophobic. In one example, surface 1010 and posts 1011 may be provided of any hydrophobic material. For example, surface 1010 and posts 1011 may include ceramics, polymeric materials, fluorine materials, intermetallics, and composite materials.

Liquid 1020 can be any type of liquid capable of providing the desired hydrophobic properties. In one example, liquid 1020 has a low vapor pressure (eg, less than 0.1 mmHg, less than 0.001 mmHg, less than 0.00001 mmHg, or less than 0.000001 mmHg) to minimize evaporation of liquid 1020 from surface 1010 . It can be provided as having.

Liquid 1020 may be introduced to surface 1010 using any conventional technique for applying liquid to a solid. According to an embodiment, a coating process such as dip coating, blade coating, or roller coating may be used to apply the liquid 1020 .

As the surface to which the liquid 1020 is applied is atomically smooth and has low surface energy, it exhibits super water repellency or super oil repellency.

10 is a diagram illustrating a method of cleaning an apparatus using the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

According to an embodiment, the present invention includes a liquid treatment step of liquid-treating a substrate, and a container cleaning step of cleaning a processing vessel. The container cleaning step may be performed simultaneously while the liquid treatment step is in progress. Alternatively, after the liquid processing step for one substrate and the substrate unloading step, the process may be performed at any time before the other substrate is supplied.

In the vessel cleaning step, the inert gas is supplied through the first supply pipe 591 and the second supply pipe 596 , and the inert gas is distributed through the first distribution pipe 592 and the second distribution pipe 597 while the processing vessel The surface of 520 is treated. In one example, the surfaces to be treated are the inner surface of the outer cup 521 and the outer surface of the inner cup 522 .

Since the surface of the processing container 520 is a surface coated according to the above-described embodiment, as it has a predetermined adhesive force to the container, the photoresist does not contaminate the entire device due to the rebound of the chemical solution, and the photoresist is transferred to the processing container 520 . ) and can be sufficiently removed only by blowing.

The processing method of this invention can be based on a downdraft. According to an embodiment, it may be removed by a strong downdraft formed by the airflow providing unit 560 .

The above detailed description is illustrative of the present invention. In addition, the above description shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, changes or modifications are possible within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed herein, the scope equivalent to the written disclosure, and/or within the scope of skill or knowledge in the art. The written embodiment describes the best state for implementing the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes required in the specific application field and use of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the detailed description of the present invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the disclosed embodiments. Also, the appended claims should be construed to include other embodiments.

1: substrate processing apparatus 500: processing unit
510: chamber 520: processing vessel
530: support unit 550: liquid supply unit
560: airflow providing unit 590: blowing unit

Claims (13)

An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a processing vessel having a processing space therein;
a substrate support unit for supporting a substrate in the processing space;
a liquid supply unit for supplying a processing liquid on the substrate supported by the substrate support unit;
The processing vessel,
A coating layer with a liquid applied to the surface is formed,
The coating layer is
a surface having a plurality of posts formed thereon;
and the liquid is provided so as to occupy a space between the posts. delete According to claim 1,
The post is a substrate processing apparatus provided in a nanoscale. According to claim 1,
The processing vessel,
an outer cup in the shape of a cup with an open top;
and an inner cup provided inside the outer cup and having an open top cup shape. 5. The method of claim 4,
Further comprising a blowing unit for removing the processing liquid remaining in the processing container,
The blowing unit is
supply pipe;
and a distribution pipe connected to the supply pipe and provided around an inner uppermost end of the outer cup, wherein the distribution pipe supplies an inert gas to an inner surface of the outer cup. 5. The method of claim 4,
Further comprising a blowing unit for removing the processing liquid remaining in the processing container,
The blowing unit is
supply pipe;
It is connected to the supply pipe and includes a distribution pipe provided around the uppermost end of the inner cup,
The distribution pipe supplies an inert gas to an outer surface of the inner cup. 7. The method according to claim 5 or 6,
The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inert gas by the distribution pipe is supplied while the substrate is being processed. 7. The method according to claim 5 or 6,
The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inert gas by the distribution pipe is supplied at a time point before one substrate is processed and the other substrate is supplied. A method for cleaning a processing vessel of a substrate processing apparatus, the method comprising:
a liquid processing step of liquid processing the substrate;
a vessel cleaning step of cleaning the processing vessel;
The processing vessel,
A coating layer to which a liquid is applied is formed,
The coating layer is
a surface having a plurality of posts formed thereon;
The liquid is provided to occupy the space between the posts,
The container cleaning step,
and supplying an inert gas to the surface of the processing vessel. delete 10. The method of claim 9,
The post is a substrate processing apparatus cleaning method provided in a nanoscale. 10. The method of claim 9,
The vessel cleaning step is a substrate processing apparatus cleaning method that is simultaneously performed while the liquid processing step is in progress. 10. The method of claim 9,
The container cleaning step is
A method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus that is performed after the liquid treatment on one substrate and before the other substrate is supplied.

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