TWI827061B - Substrate processing device and substrate processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to prevent the nozzle guard that is lowered integrally with the slit nozzle from stepping on the protrusion and adversely affecting the application of the processing liquid to the substrate. The present invention is characterized by including: a slit nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port; a moving mechanism that moves the slit nozzle relatively relative to the substrate; and a nozzle guard that moves the slit nozzle relatively relative to the substrate through the moving mechanism. The traveling nozzle is arranged in front of the slit nozzle in the direction of travel and moves integrally with the slit nozzle; a lifting mechanism that integrally lifts the slit nozzle and the nozzle guard; and a collision detection section that detects the movement of the slit nozzle that has been lowered by the lifting mechanism. The front end of the nozzle guard protrudes upward on the surface side of the substrate and collides with a protrusion that blocks application of the treatment liquid.

Description

Substrate processing device and substrate processing method

The present invention relates to a glass substrate for a flat panel display (FPD) such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL display device, a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a color filter substrate, and a recording disk from a slit nozzle. Substrate processing technology that supplies and applies a processing liquid to substrates, substrates for precision electronic devices such as substrates for solar cells and substrates for electronic paper, and substrates for semiconductor packages (hereinafter referred to as "substrates").

There is known a substrate processing apparatus that ejects the processing liquid from the slit nozzle while relatively moving a slit nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge opening with respect to the substrate, thereby applying the processing liquid to the substrate. For example, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the processing liquid is applied by moving the slit nozzle above the platform surface while holding the substrate on the platform surface. On the other hand, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, the substrate is moved in a so-called floating manner with the slit nozzle positioned at a predetermined coating position above the platform surface of the platform. More specifically, the pressure gas layer formed on the platform surface by the gas flow passing through the gas hole provided on the platform surface is used to float the substrate, and at the same time, the substrate is clamped by the slit nozzle and the platform surface. Move the coating area to apply the treatment liquid. In this way, although the substrate transportation method is different, the nozzle guard is provided in any device. This is because foreign matter, protrusions, etc. may sometimes protrude upward on the surface side of the substrate. That is, if the application of the treatment liquid is performed in the presence of these protrusions, the slit nozzle will collide with the protrusions, thereby hindering the application of the treatment liquid. That is, the collision may have an adverse effect on the applied processing liquid or the slit nozzle. Therefore, in the conventional apparatus, the nozzle guard is arranged on the front side of the slit nozzle in the nozzle traveling direction in which the slit nozzle travels relatively to the substrate. [Prior art documents]

[Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-102609 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-212544

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In the substrate processing apparatus, before the slit nozzle is relatively moved relative to the substrate to perform the coating process, the slit nozzle is lowered from a position upwardly distant from the substrate to the coating position so that the discharge port is located near the surface of the substrate. At this time, the nozzle guard that is raised and lowered integrally with the slit nozzle is also lowered integrally with the slit nozzle, and the front end (lower end) of the nozzle guard is located near the surface of the substrate. If there is a protruding object such as a foreign object or a bulge directly below the nozzle guard, the nozzle guard may collide with and step on the protruding object from above.

However, in the prior art, detection of such stepping is not considered. That is, there is a situation where the presence of the protrusion cannot be detected, and the nozzle guard may move relative to the substrate integrally with the slit nozzle while the protrusion is stepped on. As a result, there may be adverse effects on the substrate or the slit nozzle.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can prevent in advance a nozzle guard that is lowered integrally with a slit nozzle from stepping on a protrusion and injecting the processing liquid into the substrate. The coating of the substrate may have adverse effects. [Technical means to solve problems]

One aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing apparatus that applies a processing liquid on a surface of a substrate, and the substrate processing apparatus is characterized by including: a slit nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port; and moving a mechanism to relatively move the slit nozzle relative to the substrate; a nozzle guard (nozzle guard) disposed on the front side of the slit nozzle in the nozzle traveling direction in which the slit nozzle relatively travels relative to the substrate by the moving mechanism, and moves integrally with the slit nozzle; a lift mechanism that lifts the slit nozzle and the nozzle guard integrally; and a collision detector that detects the front end of the nozzle guard lowered by the lift mechanism on the surface of the substrate The side protrudes upward and collides with a protrusion that hinders the application of the treatment liquid.

Another aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing method in which the slit nozzle is relatively moved relative to the substrate while discharging the processing liquid from the discharge port in a state where the discharge port of the slit nozzle is brought close to the surface of the substrate. The processing liquid is applied on the surface of the substrate, and the substrate processing method is characterized by including: a step of lowering the slit nozzle and disposing the slit nozzle in a nozzle traveling direction in which the slit nozzle travels relatively to the substrate. The nozzle guard on the front side is lowered integrally so that the discharge port is close to the surface of the substrate; and a collision detection step detects whether the front end of the nozzle guard protrudes upward on the surface side of the substrate and blocks the application of the treatment liquid during the lowering step. collision of protrusions.

In the invention thus configured, the nozzle guard also lowers integrally during the lowering process of the slit nozzle. Here, if there is a protrusion on the lower side of the nozzle guard, the front end of the nozzle guard will collide with the protrusion and step on it. The term "protrusion" as used in this specification refers to foreign matter adhering to the surface of the substrate or a protrusion on a part of the substrate that bulges upward, and means that if the application of the processing liquid continues with the nozzle guard stepping on them, , becomes the main cause of hindering the coating of the treatment liquid. Therefore, in the present invention, it is configured to detect the collision of the front end of the nozzle guard with the protrusion protruding upward on the surface side of the substrate during the descending process. [Effects of the invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the nozzle guard that is lowered integrally with the slit nozzle from stepping on the protrusion and adversely affecting the application of the processing liquid to the substrate.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall structure of a coating device as a first embodiment of the substrate processing device of the present invention. The coating device 1 is a slit coater that applies a coating liquid to the surface Sf of the substrate S conveyed in a horizontal posture from the left-hand side to the right-hand side in FIG. 1 . For example, for the purpose of applying various processing liquids such as a coating liquid containing a resist film material, a coating liquid containing an electrode material, and the like to form a uniform coating film on the surface Sf of various substrates S such as a glass substrate or a semiconductor substrate, The coating device 1 can be suitably utilized.

In addition, in each of the following figures, in order to clarify the arrangement relationship of each part of the device, right-hand XYZ orthogonal coordinates are set as shown in FIG. 1 . Let the conveyance direction of the substrate S be called the "X direction", the horizontal direction from the left-hand side to the right-hand side in FIG. 1 be called the "+X direction", and the opposite direction be called the "-X direction". In addition, among the horizontal directions Y orthogonal to the X direction, the front side of the device (the front side in the figure) is called the “-Y direction”, and the back side of the device is called the “+Y direction”. Furthermore, the upper direction and the lower direction in the vertical direction Z are called "+Z direction" and "-Z direction" respectively.

First, an outline of the structure and operation of the coating device 1 will be described using FIG. 1 , and then the structure and operation of the collision detection unit including the technical features of the present invention will be described. In the coating device 1, the input conveyor 100, the input transfer part 2, the floating part 3, the output transfer part 4, and the output conveyor 110 are along the transport direction Dt of the substrate S, that is, (+X direction), as follows Arranged in close proximity in sequence, as will be described in detail below, these members form a conveyance path for the substrate S extending in a substantially horizontal direction.

The substrate S to be processed is carried into the input conveyor 100 from the left hand side in FIG. 1 . The input conveyor 100 includes a roller conveyor 101 and a rotation drive mechanism 102 for rotationally driving the roller conveyor 101. The rotation of the roller conveyor 101 moves the substrate S in a horizontal posture toward the downstream side. That is, transportation in the (+X) direction. The input transfer unit 2 includes a roller conveyor 21 and a rotation/lifting drive mechanism 22 that has a function of rotationally driving the roller conveyor 21 and a function of raising and lowering the roller conveyor 21 . The substrate S is further conveyed in the (+X) direction by rotating the roller conveyor 21 . In addition, the vertical position of the substrate S is changed by lifting and lowering the roller conveyor 21 . The substrate S is transferred from the input conveyor 100 to the floating part 3 by the input transfer part 2 configured in this way.

FIG. 2A is a plan view of the floating part, and FIG. 2B is a side view schematically showing the relationship between the floating part and the coating mechanism. In addition, in these drawings, the entire center floating platform 3B among the three platforms constituting the floating part 3 and part of the upstream floating platform 3A and the downstream floating platform 3C are schematically shown.

Both the upstream floating platform 3A and the downstream floating platform 3C have a plurality of air ejection holes 31 formed in a matrix dispersed across the entire surface of a plate-shaped platform surface 33. Then, by supplying compressed air to each of the ejection holes 31 , the substrate S is floated using a gas flow generated by the ejection of the compressed air from each of the ejection holes 31 . Thereby, in the upstream floating platform 3A and the downstream floating platform 3C, the substrate S is raised from the platform surface 33 by a predetermined floating height, for example, 10 μm to 500 μm. In order to supply compressed air to each discharge hole 31, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2B, a floating control mechanism 35 is provided. The floating control mechanism 35 will be described after describing the three floating platforms 3A to 3C.

In addition, although illustration of FIGS. 2A and 2B is omitted, the downstream floating platform 3C has a plurality of lifting pins in addition to the ejection holes 31 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 2B , a lift pin drive mechanism 34 is provided in order to raise and lower the lift pin. The plurality of lift pins are provided to face the entire back surface Sb of the substrate S at predetermined intervals so as to separate the gap between the ejection holes 31 . Furthermore, the lift pin is driven up and down in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by a lift pin driving mechanism 34 provided below the platform surface 33 . That is, when descending, the tip of the lift pin descends toward the (-Z) direction side of the platform surface 33 of the downstream floating platform 3C, and when ascending, the tip of the lift pin rises to the point where the substrate S is transferred to the transfer robot (illustration omitted) s position. Since the lower surface of the substrate S is supported and lifted by the lifting pins raised in this way, the substrate S rises from the platform surface 33 of the downstream floating platform 3C. Thereby, the substrate S can be unloaded from the coating device 1 using the transfer robot.

On the other hand, the center floating platform 3B is configured as follows and has higher floating accuracy than the upstream floating platform 3A and the downstream floating platform 3C. That is, the center floating platform 3B has a rectangular plate-shaped platform surface 33 . The platform surface 33 is provided with a plurality of holes dispersed in a matrix at a narrower pitch than the ejection holes 31 provided on the upstream floating platform 3A and the downstream floating platform 3C. In addition, unlike the upstream floating platform 3A and the downstream floating platform 3C, in the central floating platform 3B, half of the holes function as the compressed air ejection hole 34a, and the other half functions as the suction hole 34b. That is, the compressed air is ejected from the ejection hole 34 a toward the back surface Sb of the substrate S, and the compressed air is sent into the space SP ( FIG. 2B ) between the platform surface 33 and the back surface Sb of the substrate S. On the other hand, it is configured to suck air from the space SP via the suction hole 34b. By blowing and sucking air into the space SP as described above, in the space SP, after the gas flow of the compressed air jetted from each jet hole 34a expands in the horizontal direction, it flows from the jet hole 34a to the space SP. The suction hole 34b adjacent to 34a is sucked, and the pressure balance in the air layer (pressure gas layer) extending into the space SP becomes more stable, so that the floating height of the substrate S can be controlled with high precision and stability. In addition, the supply of compressed air to each discharge hole 34a and the suction of air from the suction hole 34b are controlled by the floating control mechanism 35 described below.

The floating control mechanism 35 has a supply flow path and a suction flow path for air in the three floating platforms 3A to 3C. As shown in FIG. 2B , after the air compressed by a compression mechanism 351 such as a compressor reaches a predetermined temperature by the temperature control unit 352 , the air supply flow path is branched into three and supplied to the floating platforms 3A to 3A respectively. 3C. The temperature adjustment unit 352 sets the air to a predetermined temperature in order to maintain the air in a constant temperature state regardless of the outside air temperature. The branched air is pressure-fed to the floating platforms 3A to 3C via the upstream air supply part 353A, the central air supply part 353B, and the downstream air supply part 353C. These three air supply parts 353A to 353C have the same structure, but are individually controlled by the control unit 9 . That is, the air supply parts 353A to 353C are purified by the screening program 353a, and after the pressure is adjusted by the needle valve 353b, the air is purified by the flow meter 353c, the pressure meter 353d, and the air operation valve (air operation valve) 353e. It is pressure-fed to the discharge hole 34a. The supply of air is started and stopped by opening and closing the pneumatic valve 353e using a command signal from the control unit 9 (Fig. 1). In each of the air supply parts 353A to 353C, the pressure in the supply flow path can be measured by the pressure gauge 353d. Furthermore, the control unit 9 controls the pressure of the compressed air based on the measurement result of the pressure gauge 353d.

In addition, the floating control mechanism 35 is provided with an air suction portion 354 in order to suck air from the suction hole 34b. In the air suction unit 354, a blower 354a is used as an air suction member, and a drive motor (not shown) is inverter controlled. A pressure gauge 354b is provided in the suction flow path from the suction hole 34b provided in the platform surface 33 of the central floating platform 3B, and can measure the pressure in the suction flow path. In addition, a release valve 354c is provided in the suction flow path. Accordingly, when the pressure in the suction flow path is higher than the suction pressure obtained by the rotation of the blower 354a, the air in the suction flow path can be released from the release valve 354c to the outside, thereby making it possible to perform the process of removing the suction pressure. The pressure in the suction flow path is maintained at a certain fine adjustment.

Return to Figure 1 to continue the explanation. The substrate S loaded into the floating unit 3 via the input transfer unit 2 is given a propulsive force in the (+X) direction by the rotation of the roller conveyor 21 and is transported to the upstream floating platform 3A. The upstream floating platform 3A, the central floating platform 3B, and the downstream floating platform 3C support the substrate S in a floating state, but do not have the function of moving the substrate S in the horizontal direction. The substrate S is transported in the floating unit 3 by the substrate transport unit 5 disposed below the upstream floating platform 3A, the central floating platform 3B, and the downstream floating platform 3C.

The substrate transport unit 5 includes: a chuck mechanism 51 that partially abuts the lower surface edge of the substrate S to support the substrate S from below; and an adsorption/travel control mechanism 52 that has an upper end of the chuck mechanism 51. The adsorption pad (not shown) of the adsorption member has the function of adsorbing and holding the substrate S by applying negative pressure, and the function of causing the chuck mechanism 51 to reciprocate in the X direction. When the chuck mechanism 51 holds the substrate S, the back surface Sb of the substrate S is located higher than the surface of each platform of the floating portion 3 . Therefore, the edge portion of the substrate S is adsorbed and held by the chuck mechanism 51 , and the overall horizontal posture is maintained by the buoyancy force provided by the floating portion 3 . In addition, in order to detect the vertical position of the surface of the substrate S when the back surface Sb of the substrate S is partially held by the chuck mechanism 51 , a sensor for measuring the plate thickness is arranged near the roller conveyor 21 61. The chuck (not shown) that does not hold the substrate S is located directly below the sensor 61 , so that the sensor 61 can detect the surface of the adsorption member, that is, the vertical position of the adsorption surface.

The chuck mechanism 51 holds the substrate S carried from the input transfer unit 2 to the floating unit 3 . In this state, the chuck mechanism 51 moves in the (+X) direction, thereby lifting the substrate S from the upstream side of the floating platform 3A. The upper part is conveyed to the upper part of the downstream floating platform 3C via the upper part of the central floating platform 3B. The conveyed substrate S is transferred to the output transfer unit 4 arranged on the (+X) side of the downstream floating platform 3C.

The output transfer unit 4 includes a roller conveyor 41 and a rotation/lifting drive mechanism 42 that has a function of rotationally driving the roller conveyor 41 and a function of raising and lowering the roller conveyor 41 . The roller conveyor 41 rotates, thereby imparting a propelling force in the (+X) direction to the substrate S, and further conveying the substrate S along the conveyance direction Dt. In addition, the roller conveyor 41 moves up and down, thereby changing the vertical position of the substrate S. The substrate S is transferred to the output conveyor 110 from above the downstream floating platform 3C by the output transfer unit 4 .

The output conveyor 110 includes a roller conveyor 111 and a rotation drive mechanism 112 for rotationally driving the roller conveyor 111. The substrate S is further transported in the (+X) direction by the rotation of the roller conveyor 111, and finally to the coating layer. discharged from device 1. In addition, the input conveyor 100 and the output conveyor 110 may be provided as a part of the structure of the coating device 1, or they may be separated from the coating device 1. In addition, for example, a substrate discharge mechanism of another unit provided on the upstream side of the coating device 1 may be used as the input conveyor 100 . In addition, a substrate receiving mechanism of another unit provided on the downstream side of the coating device 1 may be used as the output conveyor 110 .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a slit nozzle and a nozzle guard used in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 . Fig. 4 is a side view of the slit nozzle and the nozzle guard viewed from the width direction. The coating mechanism 7 for applying the coating liquid to the surface Sf of the substrate S is disposed on the transport path of the substrate S transported as described above. The coating mechanism 7 has a slit nozzle 71 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 , a nozzle driving mechanism 8 is connected to the slit nozzle 71 , and the slit nozzle 71 is positioned at a coating position above the central floating platform 3B by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (in FIGS. 1 and 4 The position Pc shown by the middle solid line), the upper position away from the coating position (the position shown by the single-dot chain line in Figure 4), or the maintenance position. Furthermore, a coating liquid supply mechanism (not shown) is connected to the slit nozzle 71 . The coating liquid is supplied from the coating liquid supply mechanism, and the coating liquid is discharged as a treatment liquid from the discharge port 711 opening downward at the lower part of the nozzle.

The discharge port 711 of the slit nozzle 71 extends in the Y direction and is supported by a nozzle support portion (not shown) so as to be able to discharge the coating liquid vertically downward (-Z side). The nozzle support part is connected to the nozzle driving mechanism 8 . In particular, when the slit nozzle 71 supplies the coating liquid to the surface Sf of the substrate S, the slit nozzle 71 moves to a position above the coating position Pc after the discharge port 711 moves as shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 4 , and decreases until the distance (gap) between the discharge port 711 and the substrate S reaches a predetermined value. Thereby, the slit nozzle 71 is positioned at the coating position Pc. Thereafter, in the positioning state, the coating liquid is discharged from the discharge port 711 toward the surface Sf of the substrate S, while the substrate S is conveyed in the (+X) direction. That is, the slit nozzle 71 moves relatively to the (-X) direction with respect to the substrate S to perform the coating process. That is, in this embodiment, the (-X) direction corresponds to the "nozzle traveling direction" in the present invention.

In order to perform predetermined maintenance on the slit nozzle 71 configured in this way, as shown in FIG. 1 , the coating mechanism 7 is provided with a nozzle cleaning standby unit 79 . The nozzle cleaning standby unit 79 mainly includes a roller 791, a cleaning part 792, a roller bar 793, and the like. Furthermore, with the slit nozzle 71 positioned at the maintenance position, nozzle cleaning or preparatory discharge processing is appropriately performed using these components, and the discharge port of the slit nozzle 71 is adjusted to a state suitable for the next coating process.

During the coating process, as mentioned above, if foreign matter or protrusions such as bumps existing on the surface side of the substrate S move to the coating position Pc along with the substrate transportation and reach the slit nozzle 71 , the coating may be damaged. Liquid or slit nozzle 71 may have adverse effects. Therefore, the nozzle guard 72 is attached to the slit nozzle 71 .

Here, as the nozzle guard 72, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a nozzle guard equipped in the device described in Patent Document 1 can be used. That is, the nozzle guard 72 is made of a strip-shaped non-transparent material that is longer than the dimension of the substrate S in the Y direction and is non-flexible. For example, the nozzle guard 72 is relatively hard enough to not be damaged even if it comes into contact with a protrusion of metal, ceramic, or the like. Components of material. As shown in FIG. 5 , the nozzle guard 72 is supported by a guard support portion 73 extending in the (-X) direction from the slit nozzle 71 . More specifically, the nozzle guard 72 is supported relative to the guard support portion 73 via the support shaft 74 so as to be swingable on the XZ plane with the support shaft 74 along the Y direction as the center. That is, the position where the support shaft 74 is installed corresponds to the "axial fulcrum" in the present invention.

In addition, the rear end portion of the nozzle guard 72 , that is, the portion above the support shaft 74 is biased toward the (-X) direction side by the spring 75 , and the front end portion of the nozzle guard 72 , that is, the portion below the support shaft 74 is biased by the spring 75 . The stopper 76 restricts rotation to the (-X) direction side. Thereby, the front end of the nozzle guard 72 is configured to be rotatable in the (+X) direction only on the (-X) direction side (the front side of the slit nozzle 71 in the nozzle traveling direction of the slit nozzle 71 during the coating process). . Therefore, in the non-contact state between the nozzle guard 72 and the protrusion PS2, the nozzle guard 72 is maintained in a state along the vertical direction Z by the urging force generated by the spring 75. On the other hand, when the nozzle guard 72 comes into contact with the protrusion PS2 during the coating process, the front end of the nozzle guard 72 opposes the biasing force generated by the spring 75 and faces the (+X) direction side with respect to the slit nozzle 71 Rotation movement. By detecting the rotational movement using a rotation detection sensor (not shown), the presence of the protrusion PS1 can be detected before the protrusion PS1 reaches the slit nozzle 71 .

However, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 5 , if the protrusion PS2 exists at or near the coating position Pc, the above-mentioned problem may occur. That is, when the slit nozzle 71 is lowered until the distance (gap) between the discharge port 711 and the substrate S reaches a predetermined value, the nozzle guard 72 is also lowered, and its tip may collide with the protrusion PS2 from above and be stepped on. However, in the existing structure shown in Figure 5, the stepping cannot be detected.

Therefore, in this embodiment, compared with the conventional structure shown in FIG. 5 , the nozzle guard 72 is additionally equipped with a stress detector such as a load cell as an example of the "collision detection part" of the present invention. Sensor 701. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , when the tip of the nozzle guard 72 collides with the protrusion PS2 while being lowered integrally with the slit nozzle 71 , the stress detection sensor 701 detects the stress applied to the nozzle guard 72 stress, and outputs a signal indicating that the protrusion PS2 has been stepped on to the control unit 9 . In addition, regarding the protrusion PS1 ( FIG. 5 ) existing at a position far away from the coating position Pc, a signal indicating that the protrusion PS1 is detected is output from the rotation detection sensor to the control unit 9 in the same manner as in the related art.

In order to control each part of the coating device 1 configured as described above, a control unit 9 is provided. As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 9 is configured as a computing unit 91 (for example, a central processing unit (CPU), etc.) that performs various computing processes, and a storage unit 92 (for example, a central processing unit (CPU)) that stores basic programs and various information. , a general computer system in which read-only memory (Read Only Memory, ROM) or random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM, etc.) is connected to the bus. The bus is also connected to a fixed disk 93 (for example, a hard disk drive, etc.) that stores coating programs, a display unit 94 (for example, a monitor, etc.) that displays various information, and an input unit 95 that accepts input from an operator (for example, keyboard and mouse, etc.). In addition, for example, a touch screen display in which the functions of the display unit 94 and the input unit 95 are integrated may be used. Furthermore, after receiving the signal sent from the stress detection sensor 701 or the rotation detection sensor through an interface (not shown), the calculation unit 91 of the control unit 9 controls each part of the device according to the coating program to execute the following explanation. Coating treatment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a coating operation performed by the coating device shown in FIG. 1 . In the coating device 1 , the slit nozzle 71 used in the coating process is moved to the maintenance position to perform preliminary discharge processing. In addition, preparations are made so that the loaded substrate S can be floated by starting the ejection and suction of compressed air in the lifting unit 3 (step S1 ). In addition, the cleaning process of the slit nozzle 71 may be performed before the preliminary discharge process.

Next, loading of the substrate S into the coating device 1 is started (step S2). The substrate S to be processed is placed on the input conveyor 100 by other processing units on the upstream side, a transfer robot, etc., and the substrate S is transported in the (+X) direction by rotation of the roller conveyor 101 . The input conveyor 100 cooperates with the input transfer section 2 whose upper surface is positioned at the same height as the roller conveyor 101 of the input conveyor 100 , so that the substrate S is transferred to the The upper part of the upstream floating platform 3A that gives buoyancy to the substrate S. When the substrate S is carried into the upstream floating platform 3A, the lifting pin provided on the upstream floating platform 3A is positioned so that its upper end protrudes upward from the upper surface of the upstream floating platform 3A by the lifting pin driving mechanism 34 Location. Thereby, the board|substrate S, more specifically, the Y-direction both ends of the board|substrate S which the lift pin contacts are lifted.

Then, the chuck mechanism 51 moves in the (-X) direction and moves to the transfer start position directly below the substrate S (step S3). Immediately afterwards, the substrate S is transferred to the chuck mechanism 51 . Immediately afterwards, the chuck mechanism 51 adsorbs and holds the edge portion of the substrate S, and moves in the (+X) direction in this state. Thereby, the substrate S is conveyed to the coating position Pc (step S4). In addition, in parallel with this, the movement positioning of the slit nozzle 71 from the preliminary discharge position to the coating position Pc is performed (step S5). More specifically, as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 4 , the slit nozzle 71 is moved to a position above the coating position Pc by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (step S51 ). Immediately thereafter, the lowering of the slit nozzle 71 is started (step S52). Then, in step S53 , the stepping of the protrusion PS2 by the nozzle guard 72 that is lowered integrally with the slit nozzle 71 is monitored while the slit nozzle 71 does not reach the coating position (NO in step S54 ). ), return to step S53, and continue the descent of the slit nozzle 71.

When the collision of the nozzle guard 72 with the protrusion PS2 during the descent of the slit nozzle 71 is detected by the stress detection sensor 701, a signal associated therewith is sent to the control unit 9. The arithmetic unit 91 of the control unit 9 that has received the signal determines that the nozzle guard 72 has stepped on the protrusion PS2 (YES in step S53), and forcibly stops at the time point. Coating process (step S6). That is, the discharge of the coating liquid from the slit nozzle 71 and the lifting and conveying of the substrate S are stopped. Furthermore, as an alarm, a warning screen indicating that the protrusion PS2 is detected near the coating position is displayed on the display unit 94 of the control unit 9 (step S7 ).

On the other hand, at the time when the determination in step S54 is "YES", the slit nozzle 71 is positioned at the coating position. Furthermore, before being positioned, a signal indicating a collision is not input from the stress detection sensor 701 (NO in step S53 ), thereby confirming that the protrusion PS2 has not been stepped on. That is, the slit nozzle 71 is appropriately positioned at the coating position without the protrusion PS2 being stepped on by the nozzle guard 72 . Therefore, the coating operation is started (step S8). That is, the coating liquid discharged from the discharge port 711 of the slit nozzle 71 adheres to the surface Sf of the substrate S. In addition, the chuck mechanism 51 conveys the substrate S at a constant speed so as to pass through the coating area sandwiched by the nozzle guard 72 and the slit nozzle 71 and the table surface 33, thereby causing the slit nozzle 71 to apply the coating liquid to the substrate S. The coating operation on the surface Sf forms a coating film of a certain thickness obtained from the coating liquid on the surface Sf of the substrate S. Furthermore, when the rotation detection sensor detects the protrusion PS1 while the coating operation is being performed, the coating process is forcibly stopped in the same manner as when the stress detection sensor 701 detects the protrusion PS2. Then, the discharge of the coating liquid from the slit nozzle 71 is stopped, the floating transport of the substrate S is stopped, and the warning screen is displayed.

The coating operation is continued until the substrate S is conveyed to the end position where coating should be completed (step S9). When the substrate S reaches the end position (YES in step S8 ), the slit nozzle 71 is separated from the coating position and returned to the maintenance position, and the preliminary discharge process is executed again. In addition, when the chuck mechanism 51 reaches the transfer end position where the downstream end of the substrate S is located on the output transfer unit 4, the movement of the chuck mechanism 51 stops and the suction holding is released. Then, the substrate S is carried out in the (+X) direction via the downstream floating platform 3C and the output transfer unit 4 (step S10 ), and is finally sent to the downstream unit. If there is a next substrate to be processed (YES in step S11 ), the same process as described above is repeated. If not (NO in step S11 ), the process ends.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, by providing the nozzle guard 72, not only the protrusion PS1 but also the protrusion PS2 existing at or near the coating position Pc at the start time of the coating operation can be reliably detected. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the protrusion PS2 from being stepped on and adversely affecting the application of the coating liquid (processing liquid) to the substrate S. That is, the coating process can be forcibly stopped at the detection time of the protrusion PS2, and the coating operation can be reliably prevented from being hindered by the protrusion PS2 by continuing the coating operation while dragging the protrusion PS2 stepped on by the nozzle guard 72. The liquid is applied to the substrate S.

Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, both the protrusion PS2 existing at the descent destination of the nozzle guard 72 and the protrusion PS1 existing on the (-X) direction side of the descent destination can be reliably detected. , it is possible to prevent adverse effects of protrusions on the coating process in advance with higher accuracy than the conventional technology.

In the first embodiment, the adsorption/running control mechanism 52 corresponds to an example of the "moving mechanism" of the present invention. The (-X) direction side corresponds to an example of the "front side of the slit nozzle" in the present invention. The nozzle driving mechanism 8 corresponds to an example of the "elevating mechanism" of the present invention. The stress detection sensor 701 corresponds to an example of the "collision detection unit". Steps S52 and S53 respectively correspond to examples of the "descending step" and the "collision detection step" of the present invention.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the stress acting on the nozzle guard 72 is directly detected by the stress detection sensor 701, but the installation position of the stress detection sensor 701 is not limited to this. That is, the stress generated when the nozzle guard 72 steps on the protrusion PS2 is propagated to the guard support portion 73 or the slit nozzle 71 . Therefore, the stress detection sensor 701 may also be installed on the guard support part 73 or the slit nozzle 71 to indirectly detect the stress.

<Second Embodiment> Due to the collision when the nozzle guard 72 steps on the protrusion PS2, the nozzle guard 72, the guard support portion 73, and the slit nozzle 71 vibrate in the up-down direction Z as a whole. Therefore, instead of the stress detection sensor 701 , a vibration sensor that detects vertical vibration may be attached to any one of the nozzle guard 72 , the guard support part 73 , and the slit nozzle 71 .

FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of the second embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. The second embodiment is greatly different from the first embodiment in that a vibration sensor 702 is installed on the slit nozzle 71 instead of the stress detection sensor 701 . Other structures are the same as the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the movement positioning of the slit nozzle 71 from the preliminary discharge position to the coating position Pc is performed in two stages. That is, the slit nozzle 71 is moved to a position above the coating position Pc by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (step S51). Immediately thereafter, the slit nozzle 71 and the nozzle guard 72 are lowered integrally (step S52). During the descending process, it is assumed that if the nozzle guard 72 collides with the protrusion PS2, the slit nozzle 71 will vibrate in the up-down direction Z accordingly. The vibration sensor 702 detects the vibration and sends a signal associated therewith to the control unit 9 . The arithmetic unit 91 of the control unit 9 having received the signal determines that the nozzle guard 72 has stepped on the protrusion PS2 (YES in step S53), and forcibly stops the coating process at the time point ( Step S6).

As described above, in the second embodiment, the vibration sensor 702 corresponds to an example of the “collision detection unit” of the present invention, and has the same functions and effects as those in the first embodiment. That is, by detecting the vertical vibration using the vibration sensor 702, it is possible to prevent the protrusion PS2 from being stepped on and adversely affecting the application of the coating liquid (processing liquid) to the substrate S. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the protrusion PS2 from blocking the application of the coating liquid to the substrate S by continuing the coating operation while dragging the protrusion PS2 stepped on by the nozzle guard 72 .

Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the vibration sensor 702 is provided instead of the stress detection sensor 701, but these two sensors may be used in combination.

<Third Embodiment> FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of the third embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. The third embodiment is significantly different from the first embodiment in that it is configured to detect the up and down movement of the nozzle guard 72 accompanying the impact instead of detecting the impact with the stress detection sensor 701 . That is, in the third embodiment, the nozzle guard 72 is slidably attached to the guard support portion 73 along the elongated hole 721 extending in the up-down direction Z. In addition, a position sensor 703 for detecting the displacement amount of the nozzle guard 72 in the up-down direction Z is provided. Other structures are the same as the first embodiment.

In the third embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the movement positioning of the slit nozzle 71 from the preliminary discharge position to the coating position Pc is performed in two stages. That is, the slit nozzle 71 is moved to a position above the coating position Pc by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (step S51). Immediately thereafter, the slit nozzle 71 and the nozzle guard 72 are lowered integrally (step S52). During the lowering process, it is assumed that the nozzle guard 72 collides with the protrusion PS2 and restricts the lowering action. Therefore, the relative position of the nozzle guard 72 with respect to the slit nozzle 71 in the up-down direction Z is displaced, and a signal corresponding to the amount of displacement is sent from the position sensor 703 to the control unit 9 . The arithmetic unit 91 of the control unit 9 having received the signal determines that the nozzle guard 72 has stepped on the protrusion PS2 (YES in step S53), and forcibly stops the coating process at the time point ( Step S6).

As described above, in the third embodiment, the position sensor 703 corresponds to an example of the “collision detection unit” of the present invention, and has the same functions and effects as those in the first embodiment. That is, by using the position sensor 703 to detect the relative positional displacement of the nozzle guard 72 with respect to the slit nozzle 71 , it is possible to prevent the protrusion PS2 from being stepped on and adversely affecting the application of the coating liquid (processing liquid) to the substrate S in advance. situation. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the protrusion PS2 from blocking the application of the coating liquid to the substrate S by continuing the coating operation while dragging the protrusion PS2 stepped on by the nozzle guard 72 .

<Fourth Embodiment> 9A and 9B are partial enlarged views of the fourth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is significantly different from the first embodiment in that the nozzle guard 72 is installed in a pre-tilted state on the guard support 73 and is provided with a rotary encoder that detects the amount of rotation of the nozzle guard 72 The equal angle detection sensor 704 replaces the stress detection sensor 701 . Other structures are the same as the first embodiment.

In the fourth embodiment, the front end of the nozzle guard 72 is located on the (+X) direction side of the support shaft 74 (axial fulcrum), and the rear end of the nozzle guard 72 is tilted at an angle θa. That is, the portion above the support shaft 74 is biased toward the (+Z) direction side by the spring 75 and is restricted from rotating toward the (+X) direction side by the stopper 76 . Thereby, as shown in FIG. 9A , when the slit nozzle 71 is located above the coating position Pc, the nozzle guard 72 maintains the tilted posture at the angle θa. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9B , when the nozzle guard 72 is lowered together with the slit nozzle 71 , the nozzle guard 72 swings with the support shaft 74 as the swing center based on the contact of the front end with the protrusion PS2. As a result, , swings counterclockwise on the paper in Figure 9B and the tilt angle expands to the angle θb. The angle detection sensor 704 can detect the angle change and send a signal corresponding thereto to the control unit 9 .

In the fourth embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the movement positioning of the slit nozzle 71 from the preliminary discharge position to the coating position Pc is performed in two stages. That is, the slit nozzle 71 is moved to a position above the coating position Pc by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (step S51). Immediately thereafter, the slit nozzle 71 and the nozzle guard 72 are lowered integrally (step S52). During the lowering process, the nozzle guard 72 maintains the tilted posture at the angle θa. Here, after the nozzle guard 72 collides with the protrusion PS2, when the descent of the slit nozzle 71 further proceeds, the nozzle guard 72 swings by the amount so that the inclination angle of the nozzle guard 72 changes from the angle θa to the angle θb. The angle detection sensor 704 detects the angular displacement and sends a signal associated therewith to the control unit 9 . The arithmetic unit 91 of the control unit 9 having received the signal determines that the nozzle guard 72 has stepped on the protrusion PS2 (YES in step S53), and forcibly stops the coating process at the time point ( Step S6).

As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the angle detection sensor 704 corresponds to an example of the “collision detection unit” of the present invention, and has the same functions and effects as those in the first embodiment. That is, by detecting the swing of the nozzle guard 72 using the angle detection sensor 704, it is possible to prevent the protrusion PS2 from being stepped on and adversely affecting the application of the coating liquid (processing liquid) to the substrate S. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the protrusion PS2 from blocking the application of the coating liquid to the substrate S by continuing the coating operation while dragging the protrusion PS2 stepped on by the nozzle guard 72 .

<Fifth Embodiment> In addition, in the floating coating device 1, while the substrate S is transported by a predetermined floating amount from the table surface 33, the processing liquid is supplied to the surface Sf of the substrate S and is coated. Furthermore, when the nozzle guard 72 steps on the protrusion PS2, the floating amount in the coating area is reduced. Therefore, the collision between the nozzle guard 72 and the protrusion PS2 can also be detected based on the change in the floating amount (fifth embodiment).

FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the fifth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is significantly different from the first embodiment in that a lifting amount measuring unit 705 that measures the lifting amount of the substrate S in the coating area from the platform surface 33 is provided instead of the stress detection sensor 701 . Other structures are the same as the first embodiment.

In the fifth embodiment, the floating amount measurement unit 705 includes a displacement meter 705a that is attached to the slit nozzle 71 and measures the distance to the surface Sf of the substrate S, and a displacement meter 705a that is fixedly arranged below the center floating platform 3B and measures the distance to the surface Sf of the substrate S. The displacement meter 705b measures the distance from the back surface Sb of the substrate S. A signal associated with the distance measured using these displacement meters 705a, 705b is sent to the control unit 9.

In the fifth embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the movement positioning of the slit nozzle 71 from the preliminary discharge position to the coating position Pc is performed in two stages. That is, the slit nozzle 71 is moved to a position above the coating position Pc by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (step S51). Immediately thereafter, the slit nozzle 71 and the nozzle guard 72 are lowered integrally (step S52). During the descent of the slit nozzle 71, when the nozzle guard 72 collides with and steps on the protrusion PS2, as shown in FIG. The floating amount of the substrate S is reduced, and a signal reflecting the measurement results obtained by the displacement meters 705a and 705b is sent to the control unit 9. The arithmetic unit 91 of the control unit 9 having received the signal determines that the nozzle guard 72 has stepped on the protrusion PS2 (YES in step S53), and forcibly stops the coating process at the time point ( Step S6).

As described above, in the fifth embodiment, the floating amount measurement unit 705 corresponds to an example of the “collision detection unit” of the present invention, and has the same functions and effects as those in the first embodiment. That is, by detecting the change in the floating amount by the floating amount measuring unit 705 , it is possible to prevent the protrusion PS2 from being stepped on and adversely affecting the application of the coating liquid (processing liquid) to the substrate S. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the protrusion PS2 from blocking the application of the coating liquid to the substrate S by continuing the coating operation while dragging the protrusion PS2 stepped on by the nozzle guard 72 .

In addition, in the fifth embodiment, the floating amount measuring unit 705 is composed of two types of displacement meters 705a that measure distances from above and 705b that measure distances from below, but other distances may be added. A displacement meter that measures, for example, the distance from the slit nozzle 71 to the platform surface 33 . On the contrary, the floating amount measuring unit 705 may be composed of only the displacement meter 705b.

In addition, in the fifth embodiment, the displacement meter 705a and the displacement meter 705b are used to detect the change in the floating amount. However, the change in the floating amount may also be detected based on other methods, such as taking an image of the coating area from the Y direction.

<Sixth Embodiment> In addition, in the floating-type coating device 1 , the substrate S is heated by using the pressure gas layer formed on the platform surface 33 by the gas flow passing through the gas holes (the ejection holes 34 a and the suction holes 34 b ) provided on the platform surface 33 . float. Therefore, when the nozzle guard 72 steps on the protrusion PS2, the thickness of the pressure gas layer in the coating area decreases and turbulence occurs in the gas flow. Reflecting this, the pressures measured by the pressure gauges 353d and 354b change. Therefore, the collision between the nozzle guard 72 and the protrusion PS2 can also be detected based on the output changes of the pressure gauges 353d and 354b (sixth embodiment).

FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view of the sixth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. The sixth embodiment differs greatly from the first embodiment in that a signal associated with the pressure measured by the pressure gauges 353d, 354b is sent to the control unit 9 instead of the stress detection sensor 701. Other structures are the same as the first embodiment.

In the sixth embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the movement positioning of the slit nozzle 71 from the preliminary discharge position to the coating position Pc is performed in two stages. That is, the slit nozzle 71 is moved to a position above the coating position Pc by the nozzle driving mechanism 8 (step S51). Immediately thereafter, the slit nozzle 71 and the nozzle guard 72 are lowered integrally (step S52). During the lowering of the slit nozzle 71, when the nozzle guard 72 collides with and steps on the protrusion PS2, as shown in FIG. The substrate S is pushed downward, and the floating amount changes. At this time, turbulence occurs in the gas flow constituting the pressure gas layer. Accordingly, signals reflecting the measurement results obtained by the pressure gauges 353d and 354b are sent to the control unit 9. The arithmetic unit 91 of the control unit 9 having received the signal determines that the nozzle guard 72 has stepped on the protrusion PS2 (YES in step S53), and forcibly stops the coating process at the time point ( Step S6).

As described above, in the sixth embodiment, the pressure gauge 353d and the pressure gauge 354b correspond to an example of the "collision detection part" and the "pressure measurement part" of the present invention, and have the same functions and effects as those in the first embodiment. That is, by detecting pressure changes using the pressure gauges 353d and 354b, it is possible to prevent the protrusion PS2 from being stepped on and adversely affecting the application of the coating liquid (processing liquid) to the substrate S. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the protrusion PS2 from blocking the application of the coating liquid to the substrate S by continuing the coating operation while dragging the protrusion PS2 stepped on by the nozzle guard 72 .

In the sixth embodiment, the pressure gauge 353d of the ejection system and the pressure gauge 354b of the suction system are used as the "collision detection unit" of the present invention, but only one of them may be used as the "collision detection unit".

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes other than those described above can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, in the first to fourth embodiments, the present invention is applied to a so-called floating type substrate processing apparatus. However, the application object of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the invention described in Patent Document 1 is applied. The present invention can also be applied to a substrate processing apparatus, that is, a substrate processing apparatus that discharges a processing liquid from the slit nozzle while moving the slit nozzle relative to the substrate.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the nozzle guard 72 is made of a long and non-flexible non-transparent material that is longer than the dimension of the substrate S in the Y direction. However, as described in Patent Document 1, the nozzle guard 72 may also be made of a non-transparent material that is long and non-flexible. A member consisting of a plurality of short strip-shaped members arranged in the Y direction. In this case, it is appropriate to provide the stress detection sensor 701, the position sensor 703, the angle detection sensor 704, etc. for each member. [Industrial availability]

The present invention is applicable to all substrate processing technologies in which a processing liquid is supplied from a slit nozzle to a substrate and applied.

1: Coating device (substrate processing device) 2: Input transfer part 3: Floating part 3A: Upstream floating platform (floating platform) 3B: Central floating platform (floating platform) 3C: Downstream floating platform (floating platform) 4:Output transfer part 5:Substrate transport department 7: Coating mechanism 8:Nozzle driving mechanism 9:Control unit 21, 41, 101, 111: roller conveyor 22, 42: Rotation/lifting drive mechanism 31, 34a: Blowout hole (gas hole) 33:Platform surface 34: Lift pin driving mechanism 34b: Suction hole (gas hole) 35: Floating control mechanism 51:Clamp mechanism 52: Adsorption/walking control mechanism (moving mechanism) 61: Sensor 71: Slit nozzle 72:Nozzle guard 73: Protective piece support part 74:Support shaft 75:Spring 76:stop 79: Nozzle cleaning standby unit 91:Operation Department 92:Storage Department 93:Fixed disk 94:Display part 95:Input part 100:Input conveyor 102, 112: Rotary drive mechanism 110:Output conveyor 351:Compression mechanism 352:Temperature regulating unit 353A: Air supply part (upstream air supply part) 353a:Screening program 353B: Air supply department (central air supply department) 353b: Needle valve 353C: Air supply part (downstream air supply part) 353c: Flowmeter 353d, 354b: Pressure gauge (collision detection part, pressure measurement part) 353e:Pneumatic valve 354:Air suction part 354a: Blower 354c:Release valve 701: Stress detection sensor (collision detection part) 702: Vibration sensor (collision detection part) 703: Position sensor (collision detection part) 704: Angle detection sensor (collision detection part) 705: Floating amount measurement part (collision detection part) 705a, 705b: Displacement meter (collision detection part) 711: Discharge port (of slit nozzle) 721: long hole 791:Roller 792:Cleaning Department 793:Roller Dt:Transportation direction Pc: Coating position (position) PS1, PS2: protrusions S:Substrate S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S11, S51, S52, S53, S54: Steps Sb: back Sf: surface (of substrate) SP:space X: direction Y: horizontal direction (direction) Z: Up and down direction θa, θb: angle

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall structure of a coating device as a first embodiment of the substrate processing device of the present invention. Fig. 2A is a plan view of the floating portion. FIG. 2B is a side view schematically showing the relationship between the floating portion and the coating mechanism. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a slit nozzle and a nozzle guard used in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 . Fig. 4 is a side view of the slit nozzle and the nozzle guard viewed from the width direction. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional technology of a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a coating operation performed by the coating device shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of the second embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of the third embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 9A is a partially enlarged view of the fourth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. 9B is a partially enlarged view of the fourth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the fifth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view of the sixth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention.

3: Floating part

3A: Upstream floating platform (floating platform)

3B: Central floating platform (floating platform)

3C: Downstream floating platform (floating platform)

7: Coating mechanism

71: Slit nozzle

72:Nozzle guard

73: Protective piece support part

74:Support shaft

75:Spring

76:stop

701: Stress detection sensor (collision detection part)

711: (Slit nozzle) discharge port

Pc: Coating position (position)

PS2: Protrusion

S:Substrate

Sf: Surface (of substrate)

X: direction

Y: horizontal direction (direction)

Z: up and down direction

Claims (11)

A substrate processing device that applies a processing liquid on the surface of a substrate. The substrate processing device includes: a slit nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port; and a moving mechanism to move the slit nozzle relative to the substrate. Movement; a nozzle guard disposed on the slit in the nozzle traveling direction in which the slit nozzle moves relative to the substrate by the moving mechanism before the slit nozzle starts to apply the processing liquid. the front side of the slit nozzle and moves integrally with the slit nozzle; a lifting mechanism that integrally lifts the slit nozzle and the nozzle guard; and a collision detection section that detects all objects lowered by the lifting mechanism The front end of the nozzle guard protrudes upward on the surface side of the substrate and collides with a protrusion that blocks application of the treatment liquid. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collision detection section detects at least one of the nozzle guard and the slit nozzle when the front end of the nozzle guard collides with the protrusion. One of them applies stress or vibration in the up and down direction to detect the collision between the nozzle guard and the protrusion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the collision detection part has a load cell, and the load cell is installed on at least one of the nozzle guard and the slit nozzle. and detect upward added stress. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the collision detection part has a vibration sensor, and the vibration sensor is installed on at least one of the nozzle guard and the slit nozzle. Detects vibrations in the up and down directions. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guard support portion supporting a rear end portion of the nozzle guard relative to the slit nozzle, the nozzle guard according to the The front end of the nozzle guard collides with the protrusion while the slit nozzle is lowered integrally, and is movably supported by the guard support part, and the collision detection part is based on the nozzle guard The collision between the nozzle guard and the protrusion is detected by upward displacement. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle guard is supported by the guard support part so as to be slidable in the up and down direction, and the collision detection part has a position sensor, and the position sensor The device detects the upward displacement of the nozzle guard based on the collision of the front end of the nozzle guard with the protrusion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle guard is rotatably supported on the guard by the rear end portion. The fulcrum of the nozzle support part is swingably supported by the guard support part as the center. The collision detection part has an angle detection sensor. The angle detection sensor is based on the front end of the nozzle guard and the angle detection sensor. The protrusions collide to detect the swing angle of the nozzle guard around the pivot point. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a floating part that uses a pressure gas layer formed on the platform surface by a gas flow passing through a gas hole provided on the platform surface. The substrate is floated, the slit nozzle is arranged above the platform surface, and the moving mechanism allows the substrate floated from the platform surface by the floating part to pass through the slit nozzle and The nozzle guard moves in the manner of the coating area sandwiched between the platform surface, and the collision detection unit detects the nozzle guard and the coating area based on changes in the floating amount of the substrate in the coating area. Collision of protrusions. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the collision detection part has a lifting amount measuring part that measures the floating amount, and detects based on the collision of the front end of the nozzle guard with the protrusion. Change in the floating amount measured by the floating amount measuring unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the collision detection section has a pressure measurement section that measures the pressure of the gas flow, and detects a collision between the front end of the nozzle guard and the protrusion. The change in the floating amount corresponds to the change in the pressure measured by the pressure measuring part. A substrate processing method in which a processing liquid is discharged from the discharge port of a slit nozzle while being brought close to the surface of the substrate, and the slit nozzle is relatively moved relative to the substrate, whereby the slit nozzle is disposed relative to the substrate. The processing liquid is coated on the surface of the substrate, and the substrate processing method includes: a lowering step of making the slit nozzle face the slit nozzle before starting to apply the processing liquid. The nozzle guard disposed on the front side of the slit nozzle is lowered integrally in the nozzle traveling direction in which the substrate relatively travels so that the discharge port is close to the surface of the substrate; and a collision detection step of detecting the position of the slit nozzle. In the lowering step, whether the front end of the nozzle guard protrudes upward on the surface side of the substrate and collides with a protrusion that hinders the application of the processing liquid.