JP7530846B2 - SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a computer-readable recording medium.

Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that performs cleaning and drying processes on the underside of a substrate held by a substrate holding means while rotating the substrate around a vertical axis. The apparatus includes a base member that is disposed opposite the underside of the substrate held by the substrate holding means, a gas outlet that ejects gas into the space between the base member and the underside of the substrate, and a blocking member that is provided to cover the upper part of the gas outlet.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-135178

This disclosure describes a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a computer-readable recording medium that can improve the in-plane uniformity of etching processing.

One example of a substrate processing apparatus includes a support section configured to support a substrate, a base member configured to face the underside of the substrate supported by the support section while being spaced apart from it and having a through hole, a rotation section configured to rotate the base member and the support section, a chemical liquid supply section configured to supply an etching liquid to the upper surface of the substrate supported by the support section, a gas supply section, and a gas rectification section configured to rectify the gas supplied from the gas supply section and discharge the rectified gas into a space between the underside of the substrate supported by the support section and the base member. The gas rectification section includes a rod-shaped member extending in the up-down direction, including a tip section that faces the underside of the substrate supported by the support section and that is disposed within the through hole, and an annular rectification member that is disposed to surround the tip section. The tip section includes an annular folded section that is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the tip section so as to extend downward after protruding outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip section. The straightening member includes an annular bottom wall portion arranged such that its inner peripheral edge is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion, an annular protrusion portion extending upward from the inner peripheral portion of the bottom wall portion so that the tip portion is located between the folded portion and the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion, an annular horizontal straightening portion extending horizontally outboard of the folded portion and above the bottom wall portion while being spaced apart from the bottom wall portion, and a plurality of pillar portions connecting the horizontal straightening portion and the bottom wall portion and aligned along the circumferential direction of the tip portion.

The substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and computer-readable recording medium disclosed herein can improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an example of a gas rectifying section and its vicinity. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the flow guide member taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a main part of a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the controller. FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining an example of the substrate processing. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the flow guide member taken along a horizontal plane. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of another example of the gas rectifying portion.

In the following description, the same elements or elements with the same functions will be designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted. In this specification, when referring to the top, bottom, right, and left of a figure, the reference numerals in the figure will be used as the reference.

[Substrate Processing Apparatus]
1 to 3, an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. The substrate processing apparatus 1 is configured to, for example, supply a processing liquid L to an upper surface Wa of a substrate W to perform an etching process on a film F formed on the upper surface Wa of the substrate W. The film F may be composed of a metal film such as titanium nitride, titanium oxide, titanium, tungsten, tantalum, tantalum nitride, aluminum, aluminum oxide, copper, ruthenium, zirconium oxide, or hafnium oxide.

The substrate W may be disk-shaped or may be a plate-shaped other than circular, such as a polygon. The substrate W may have a cutout portion cut out of a portion. The cutout portion may be, for example, a notch (a U-shaped, V-shaped, or other groove) or a linear portion extending in a straight line (so-called orientation flat). The substrate W may be, for example, a semiconductor substrate (silicon wafer), a glass substrate, a mask substrate, a FPD (Flat Panel Display) substrate, or any other type of substrate. The diameter of the substrate W may be, for example, about 200 mm to 450 mm.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a rotating holder 10, a gas rectifying unit 20, a chemical liquid supply unit 30, a rinsing liquid supply unit 40, a gas supply unit 50, and a controller Ctr (control unit).

The rotating holding unit 10 includes a rotating shaft 11 (rotating unit), a driving mechanism 12 (rotating unit), a base member 13, a plurality of support pins 14 (supporting unit), and a plurality of gripping mechanisms 15 (supporting unit). The rotating shaft 11 is a hollow tubular member extending along the vertical direction. The rotating shaft 11 is configured to be rotatable around a central axis Ax. The driving mechanism 12 is connected to the rotating shaft 11. The driving mechanism 12 is configured to operate based on an operating signal from the controller Ctr and rotate the rotating shaft 11. The driving mechanism 12 may be a power source such as an electric motor.

The base member 13 is, for example, a flat plate having an annular shape and extends horizontally. That is, a through hole 13a is formed in the center of the base member 13. The inner periphery of the base member 13 is connected to the tip of the rotating shaft 11. Therefore, the base member 13 is configured to rotate around the central axis Ax of the rotating shaft 11 in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 11.

The multiple support pins 14 are provided on the base member 13 so as to protrude upward from the upper surface of the base member 13. The number of multiple support pins 14 may be, for example, about 3 to 6. The multiple support pins 14 are configured to support the substrate W approximately horizontally by abutting their tips with the lower surface Wb of the substrate W. The multiple support pins 14 may have, for example, a cylindrical shape or a frustum shape. The multiple support pins 14 may be arranged at approximately equal intervals near the outer periphery of the base member 13 so as to form a circular shape as a whole when viewed from above.

The multiple gripping mechanisms 15 are provided on the base member 13 so as to protrude upward from the base member 13. The number of multiple gripping mechanisms 15 may be, for example, about three. The multiple gripping mechanisms 15 are so-called mechanical chucks and are configured to be able to grip the peripheral edge of the substrate W. The multiple gripping mechanisms 15 may be arranged at approximately equal intervals near the outer periphery of the base member 13 so as to form a circular shape overall when viewed from above.

When the substrate W is supported by the support pins 14 and the gripping mechanism 15, the substrate W is held above the base member 13 while being spaced apart from the base member 13. In other words, when the substrate W is supported by the support pins 14 and the gripping mechanism 15, the lower surface Wb of the substrate W faces the base member 13.

As described above, the multiple support pins 14 and the multiple gripping mechanisms 15 are provided on the base member 13, which is connected to the rotating shaft 11. Therefore, when the drive mechanism 12 drives the rotating shaft 11 to rotate, the base member 13, the multiple support pins 14, and the multiple gripping mechanisms 15 rotate. Therefore, when the drive mechanism 12 drives the rotating shaft 11 to rotate while the substrate W is supported by the multiple support pins 14 and gripped by the multiple gripping mechanisms 15, the substrate W also rotates together with the base member 13, etc.

The gas rectification unit 20 is configured to rectify the gas supplied from the gas supply unit 50 and discharge the rectified gas into the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W supported by the support pins 14 and the gripping mechanism 15 and the base member 13. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gas rectification unit 20 includes a rod-shaped member 100 and a rectification member 200.

The rod-shaped member 100 extends in the up-down direction (vertical direction) within the rotating shaft 11 and the through hole 13a while being spaced apart from the rotating shaft 11 and the through hole 13a. Therefore, as illustrated in detail in FIG. 2, a gap D is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped member 100 and the inner peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 11. The rod-shaped member 100 may have, for example, a cylindrical shape or a cylindrical shape. When the rod-shaped member 100 has a cylindrical shape, a rinse liquid, a gas, etc. may be supplied from the rod-shaped member 100 toward the lower surface Wb of the substrate W.

The rod-shaped member 100 includes a tip portion 101 that faces the lower surface Wb of the substrate W supported by the support pins 14 and the gripping mechanism 15 and is disposed within the through-hole 13a. The upper end of the tip portion 101 may be located above the base member 13. The outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 101 is provided with a folded portion 102 having an annular (e.g., circular) shape.

The folded portion 102 protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion 101 and then extends downward. Therefore, the cross section of the folded portion 102 is approximately J-shaped. The combination of the tip portion 101 and the folded portion 102 forms an annular recess with a bottom that is closed at the top and open toward the bottom.

The flow straightening member 200 has an annular (e.g., circular) shape as a whole, and is arranged to surround the tip 101. In the example of FIG. 2, the flow straightening member 200 is separate from the rod-shaped member 100 (tip 101). As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the flow straightening member 200 includes a bottom wall portion 201, a protruding portion 202, a horizontal flow straightening portion 203, and a plurality of pillar portions 204.

The bottom wall portion 201 is a plate-like body extending in the horizontal direction, and has an annular (e.g., circular) shape with a through hole in the center. The inner peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 201 is spaced from the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 101. The outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 201 is attached to the through hole 13a of the base member 13. Therefore, the bottom wall portion 201 is disposed between the tip portion 101 and the base member 13.

The protrusion 202 is a tubular body extending upward from the inner periphery (near the inner periphery) of the bottom wall 201. Therefore, the protrusion 202 has an annular (e.g., cylindrical) shape. The tip (upper end) of the protrusion 202 is located in the space (bottomed recess) between the outer periphery of the tip 101 and the inner periphery of the folded back portion 102. Therefore, the tip 101, the folded back portion 102, the bottom wall 201, and the protrusion 202 form a flow path FL that communicates with the gap D. After the flow path FL extends upward from the gap D (see arrow Ar1 in FIG. 2), it turns around approximately 180° and heads downward (see arrow Ar2 in FIG. 2), and changes course by approximately 90° toward the gap between the bottom wall 201 and the folded back portion 102 (see arrow Ar3 in FIG. 2).

The horizontal rectification section 203 is a plate-like body extending horizontally above the bottom wall section 201 while being spaced apart from the bottom wall section 201, and has an annular (e.g., circular) shape with a through hole in the center. The horizontal rectification section 203 is located outward from the turn-back section 102 in the horizontal direction. Therefore, an annular opening OP that opens upward is formed between the horizontal rectification section 203 and the turn-back section 102. Therefore, a portion of the gas discharged from the flow path FL (see arrow Ar3 in FIG. 2) forms a vortex at this opening OP (see arrow Ar4 in FIG. 2). The distance between the horizontal rectification section 203 and the turn-back section 102 may be, for example, about 2 mm to 10 mm, or about 4 mm to 8 mm.

The multiple pillars 204 extend in the up-down direction (vertical direction) so as to connect the bottom wall 201 and the horizontal rectification section 203. The number of multiple pillars 204 may be, for example, about 3 to 12. The multiple pillars 204 may be arranged in a circumferential direction of the tip 101. In this case, the bottom wall 201, the horizontal rectification section 203, and the multiple pillars 204 form multiple through holes 204a surrounded by them. Another part (part that does not form a vortex) of the gas discharged from the flow path FL (see arrow Ar3 in FIG. 2) is discharged in the horizontal direction through the multiple through holes 204a into the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13 (see arrow Ar5 in FIG. 2).

The multiple pillars 204 may have, for example, a prismatic shape, a cylindrical shape, a frustum shape, or a shape with a concave central portion in the vertical direction. The multiple pillars 204 may be arranged at approximately equal intervals near the outer periphery of the base member 13 so as to form a circular shape as a whole when viewed from above.

The chemical liquid supply unit 30 is configured to supply an etching liquid L1 to the substrate W. The etching liquid L1 may contain, for example, an alkaline or acidic chemical liquid for removing a film F on the upper surface Wa of the substrate W. The alkaline chemical liquid may contain, for example, an SC-1 liquid (a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and pure water). The acidic chemical liquid may contain, for example, an SC-2 liquid (a mixture of hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and pure water), SPM (a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide), HF/ _HNO3 liquid (a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid), or the like.

The chemical liquid supply unit 30 includes a liquid source 31, a pump 32, a valve 33, a nozzle 34, a pipe 35, and a drive source 36 (drive unit). The liquid source 31 is a supply source of the etching liquid L1. The pump 32 operates based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr, and is configured to pump the etching liquid L1 sucked from the liquid source 31 to the nozzle 34 via the pipe 35 and the valve 33.

The valve 33 is configured to operate based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr and transition between an open state that allows the flow of fluid through the piping 35 and a closed state that prevents the flow of fluid through the piping 35. The nozzle 34 is disposed above the substrate W such that the outlet faces the upper surface Wa of the substrate W. The nozzle 34 is configured to eject the etching liquid L1 pumped out from the pump 32 from the outlet toward the upper surface Wa of the substrate W.

The pipe 35 connects, in order from the upstream side, the liquid source 31, the pump 32, the valve 33, and the nozzle 34. The drive source 36 is directly or indirectly connected to the nozzle 34. The drive source 36 operates based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr, and is configured to move the nozzle 34 in the horizontal or vertical direction above the substrate W.

The rinsing liquid supply unit 40 is configured to supply a rinsing liquid L2 to the substrate W. The rinsing liquid L2 is a liquid for removing (washing away) the etching liquid L1 supplied to the upper surface Wa of the substrate W and components of the film F dissolved by the etching liquid L1 from the substrate W. The rinsing liquid L2 may contain, for example, deionized water (DIW), ozone water, carbonated water ( _CO2 water), ammonia water, or the like.

The rinsing liquid supply unit 40 includes a liquid source 41, a pump 42, a valve 43, a nozzle 44, a pipe 45, and a drive source 46. The liquid source 41 is a supply source of rinsing liquid L2. The pump 42 operates based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr, and is configured to pump the rinsing liquid L2 sucked from the liquid source 41 to the nozzle 44 via the pipe 45 and the valve 43.

The valve 43 is configured to operate based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr and transition between an open state that allows the flow of fluid in the pipe 45 and a closed state that prevents the flow of fluid in the pipe 45. The nozzle 44 is disposed above the substrate W so that the outlet faces the upper surface Wa of the substrate W. Like the nozzle 34, the nozzle 44 is configured to eject the rinsing liquid L2 pumped out from the pump 42 from the outlet toward the upper surface Wa of the substrate W.

The pipe 45 connects, in order from the upstream side, the liquid source 41, the pump 42, the valve 43, and the nozzle 44. The drive source 46 is directly or indirectly connected to the nozzle 44. The drive source 46 operates based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr, and is configured to move the nozzle 44 in the horizontal or vertical direction above the substrate W.

The gas supply unit 50 includes a gas source 51, a flow rate adjustment unit 52, and a pipe 53. The gas source 51 stores an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen gas), dry air, etc., and functions as a gas supply source. The flow rate adjustment unit 52 is provided on the pipe 53 that extends from the gas source 51 to the gap D. The flow rate adjustment unit 52 operates based on an operation signal from the controller Ctr, and is configured to open and close the pipe 53 and adjust the opening degree.

As shown in FIG. 4, the controller Ctr has the following functional modules: a reading unit M1, a memory unit M2, a processing unit M3, and an instruction unit M4. These functional modules are merely a division of the functions of the controller Ctr into multiple modules for convenience, and do not necessarily mean that the hardware constituting the controller Ctr is divided into such modules. Each functional module is not limited to being realized by the execution of a program, but may be realized by a dedicated electric circuit (e.g., a logic circuit) or an integrated circuit (ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that integrates these.

The reading unit M1 is configured to read a program from a computer-readable recording medium RM. The recording medium RM records a program for operating each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The recording medium RM may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, an optical recording disk, a magnetic recording disk, or a magneto-optical recording disk. In the following, each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1 may include a spinning holder 10, a chemical liquid supply unit 30, a rinsing liquid supply unit 40, a gas supply unit 50, etc.

The memory unit M2 is configured to store various data. For example, the memory unit M2 may store a program read from the recording medium RM by the reading unit M1, setting data input by an operator via an external input device (not shown), etc.

Processing unit M3 is configured to process various data. Processing unit M3 may be configured to generate operation signals for operating each unit of substrate processing apparatus 1, for example, based on the various data stored in memory unit M2.

The instruction unit M4 is configured to transmit the operation signal generated in the processing unit M3 to each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

The hardware of the controller Ctr may be configured, for example, by one or more control computers. As shown in FIG. 5, the controller Ctr may include a circuit C1 as a hardware configuration. The circuit C1 may be configured by electric circuit elements. The circuit C1 may include, for example, a processor C2, a memory C3, a storage C4, a driver C5, and an input/output port C6.

The processor C2 may be configured to execute a program in cooperation with at least one of the memory C3 and the storage C4, and to implement each of the functional modules described above by performing input and output of signals via the input and output port C6. The memory C3 and the storage C4 may function as a memory unit M2. The driver C5 may be a circuit configured to drive each of the parts of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The input and output port C6 may be configured to mediate the input and output of signals between the driver C5 and each of the parts of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 may include one controller Ctr, or may include a controller group (controller) composed of multiple controllers Ctr. When the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a controller group, each of the above-mentioned functional modules may be realized by one controller Ctr, or may be realized by a combination of two or more controllers Ctr. When the controller Ctr is composed of multiple computers (circuits C1), each of the above-mentioned functional modules may be realized by one computer (circuit C1), or may be realized by a combination of two or more computers (circuits C1). The controller Ctr may have multiple processors C2. In this case, each of the above-mentioned functional modules may be realized by one processor C2, or may be realized by a combination of two or more processors C2.

[Substrate Processing Method]
Next, a method for etching the film F formed on the upper surface Wa of the substrate W by the substrate processing apparatus 1 (substrate processing method) will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the substrate W is placed on the support pins 14 by a transport mechanism (not shown). In this state, the controller Ctr controls the gripping mechanism 15, which grips the peripheral edge of the substrate W. As a result, the substrate W is supported by the support pins 14 and the gripping mechanism 15 (see step S11 in FIG. 6).

Next, the controller Ctr controls the drive mechanism 12 to rotate the rotating shaft 11 at a predetermined rotation speed. At this time, the substrate W also rotates together with the rotating shaft 11, the base member 13, the support pins 14, and the gripping mechanism 15 (see step S12 in FIG. 6).

Next, the controller Ctr controls the chemical liquid supply unit 30 to supply the etching liquid L1 toward the upper surface Wa of the rotating substrate W (see step S13 in FIG. 6). As a result, the etching liquid L1 flows along the upper surface Wa toward the outer periphery of the substrate W due to centrifugal force, and is then thrown off outward from the outer periphery of the substrate W. As a result, the etching process of the film F formed on the upper surface Wa of the substrate W progresses.

When the etching liquid L1 is supplied, the controller Ctr also controls the gas supply unit 50 to supply gas from the gas rectifying unit 20 (rectifying member 200) through the gap D and the flow path FL to the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13. At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the gas flows from the gap D into the flow path FL (see arrow Ar1 in FIG. 2), it turns around by about 180 degrees (see arrow Ar2 in FIG. 2), and then turns around by about 90 degrees (see arrow Ar3 in FIG. 2). Then, a part of the gas forms a vortex at the opening OP (see arrow Ar4 in FIG. 2). Meanwhile, another part of the gas is discharged along the horizontal direction through the multiple through holes 204a toward the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13 (see arrow Ar5 in FIG. 2), and flows until it reaches the outer periphery of the substrate W.

Next, the controller Ctr controls the rinsing liquid supply unit 40 to supply rinsing liquid L2 toward the upper surface Wa of the rotating substrate W (see step S14 in FIG. 6). As a result, the rinsing liquid L2 flows along the upper surface Wa toward the outer periphery of the substrate W due to centrifugal force, and is then spun outward from the outer periphery of the substrate W. As a result, the etching liquid L1 and dissolved film F are washed away from the upper surface Wa of the substrate W. At this time, the controller Ctr may also control the gas supply unit 50 to supply gas from the gas straightening unit 20 (straightening member 200) to the space V.

Next, the controller Ctr controls the drive mechanism 12 to maintain the rotation of the substrate W. This causes the rinsing liquid L2 to be shaken off from the substrate W, and the substrate W is dried (see step S15 in FIG. 6). This completes the processing of the substrate W. Note that, in order to prevent the occurrence of watermarks, etc., after the supply of the rinsing liquid L2 to the substrate W, an organic solvent (e.g., isopropyl alcohol, etc.) may be supplied to the upper surface Wa of the substrate W, and then the substrate W may be dried.

[Action]
According to the above example, the other part of the gas is discharged through the multiple through holes 204a in the horizontal direction toward the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13 (see arrow Ar5 in FIG. 2). That is, the other part of the gas changes direction multiple times, making it easier for it to flow mainly in the horizontal direction. This makes it difficult for the gas to flow toward the lower surface Wb of the substrate W, making it difficult for the substrate W to be locally cooled by the gas. As a result, it is possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

According to the above example, the portion of the gas forms a vortex at the opening OP. This causes the gas to flow in the portion of the space V between the underside Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13 above the flow straightening member 200, and the gas is supplied to a wide area of the space V. This makes it possible to improve the in-surface uniformity of the etching process while suppressing adhesion of foreign matter to the underside Wb of the substrate W and intrusion of the etching liquid onto the underside Wb of the substrate W.

According to the above example, the horizontal distance between the turning portion 102 and the horizontal straightening portion 203 can be set to about 2 mm to 10 mm. If the distance is 2 mm or more, gas is less likely to be ejected upward from the opening OP, and a gas vortex tends to form more easily at the opening OP. If the distance is 10 mm or less, the gas vortex formed at the opening OP is less likely to expand in diameter, and partial cooling of the substrate W due to the vortex tends to be suppressed.

According to the above example, the through hole 13a is provided in the center of the base member 13, and the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion 201 is connected to the through hole 13a. Therefore, the straightening member 200 rotates together with the base member 13, the support pins 14, the gripping mechanism 15, and the substrate W. That is, the straightening member 200 is in a stationary state relative to the substrate W. Therefore, the gas blown out from the gas straightening section 20 into the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13 tends to flow radially on the lower surface Wb of the substrate W. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to the lower surface Wb of the substrate W.

[Modification]
The disclosure in this specification should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. Various omissions, substitutions, modifications, etc. may be made to the above examples without departing from the scope and gist of the claims.

(1) The through hole 13a may be provided at a position eccentric to the center of the base member 13.

(2) The outer periphery of the bottom wall portion 201 may not be connected to the through hole 13a, and the inner periphery of the bottom wall portion 201 may be connected to the rod-shaped member 100. In other words, the flow straightening member 200 does not have to rotate.

(3) As illustrated in FIG. 7, the plurality of pillars 204 may extend obliquely with respect to both the circumferential direction and the radial direction of the rotation axis of the straightening member 200 when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis. In this case, the gas is straightened by the plurality of pillars 204, and the gas is easily discharged to the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13. This makes it possible to further suppress adhesion of foreign matter to the lower surface Wb of the substrate W. The pillars 204 may be wing-shaped as in the example shown in FIG. 7, or may be flat. In other words, the straightening member 200 may have a structure similar to a sirocco fan or a turbo fan.

(4) As illustrated in FIG. 8, the straightening member 200 may further include an annular cover portion 205 provided on one of the folded portion 102 and the horizontal straightening portion 203 so as to be positioned between them. In this case, the size of the opening OP can be adjusted by the cover portion 205. In other words, it is possible to adjust the diameter of the vortex formed at the opening OP. The cover portion 205 may be configured to be detachable from one of the folded portion 102 and the horizontal straightening portion 203, or may be fixedly attached.

(5) In step S13 of FIG. 6, the controller Ctr may control the gas supply unit 50 to adjust the amount of gas supplied from the gas supply unit 50 according to the discharge position of the etching liquid L1 onto the substrate W. Specifically, the drive source 36 and the gas supply unit 50 may be controlled so that the amount of gas supplied from the gas supply unit 50 when the etching liquid L1 is discharged from the nozzle 34 to the center of the substrate W is less than the amount of gas supplied from the gas supply unit 50 when the etching liquid L1 is discharged from the nozzle 34 to the outer periphery of the substrate W. In this case, the amount of gas supplied when the center of the substrate W is being etched is relatively small, so that the degree of progress of the etching process becomes closer between the center and the outer periphery of the substrate W. This makes it possible to further improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process. The "center" of the substrate W may be, for example, a radius from the center of the substrate W in the range of 60 mm to 90 mm.

(6) In step S13 of FIG. 6, the controller Ctr may control the chemical liquid supply unit 30 to supply the etching liquid L1 between the vicinity of the center of the substrate W and the peripheral edge of the substrate while moving the nozzle 34 back and forth. In this case, the etching liquid L1 is more likely to be supplied uniformly over the entire substrate. This makes it possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

(7) In step S13 of FIG. 6, the controller Ctr may control the chemical liquid supply unit 30 to set the movement speed of the nozzle 34 when ejecting the etching liquid L1 from the nozzle 34 to 150 mm/sec or less. In this case, compared to a general processing recipe, the movement speed of the nozzle 34 when the central portion of the substrate W is being etched is relatively small, so that the central portion of the substrate W is etched for a relatively long time. Therefore, the progress of the etching process becomes closer near the center of the substrate W to the outer periphery. This makes it possible to further improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

(8) In step S13 of FIG. 6, the controller Ctr may control the gas supply unit 50 to adjust the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit 20 according to the rotation speed of the substrate W. In this case, for example, the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit 20 is set to be smaller as the rotation speed of the substrate W is smaller. When the rotation speed of the substrate W is small, the negative pressure generated in the space V between the lower surface Wb of the substrate W and the base member 13 is smaller, and foreign matter is less likely to be sucked into the space V, so that even if the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit 20 is small, the adhesion of foreign matter to the lower surface Wb of the substrate W tends to be suppressed. Moreover, when the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit 20 is small, the substrate W is less likely to be cooled by the gas. Therefore, the in-plane uniformity of the etching process also tends to be improved. For example, when the rotation speed of the substrate W is about 250 rpm, the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit 20 may be about 20 m/min. When the rotation speed of the substrate W is about 1000 rpm, the gas supply rate to the gas rectification unit 20 may be about 40 m/min. In other words, the rotation speed of the substrate W and the gas supply rate may have an exponential correspondence relationship.

[Other examples]
Example 1. An example of a substrate processing apparatus includes a support configured to support a substrate having a film formed on its upper surface, a base member configured to face the lower surface of the substrate supported by the support while being spaced apart from it and having a through hole, a rotation unit configured to rotate the base member and the support, a chemical liquid supply unit configured to supply an etching liquid to the upper surface of the substrate supported by the support, a gas supply unit, and a gas rectification unit configured to rectify the gas supplied from the gas supply unit and discharge the rectified gas into a space between the lower surface of the substrate supported by the support and the base member. The gas rectification unit includes a rod-shaped member extending in the up-down direction, including a tip portion facing the lower surface of the substrate supported by the support and disposed in the through hole, and an annular rectification member disposed to surround the tip portion. The tip portion includes an annular folded portion provided on the outer circumferential surface so as to extend downward after protruding outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion. The straightening member includes an annular bottom wall portion arranged so that its inner peripheral edge is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion, an annular protrusion extending upward from the inner peripheral portion of the bottom wall portion so that the tip portion is located between the folded portion and the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion, an annular horizontal straightening portion extending along the horizontal direction outboard of the folded portion and above the bottom wall portion and spaced apart from the bottom wall portion, and a plurality of pillar portions connecting the horizontal straightening portion and the bottom wall portion and aligned circumferentially of the tip portion.

During etching, gas may be supplied to the space between the underside of the substrate and the base member in order to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the underside of the substrate and to prevent the etching solution from adhering to the underside by wrapping around the periphery of the substrate. If gas is supplied to the space between the underside of the substrate and the base member without the above-mentioned straightening member, the airflow may become biased on the underside of the substrate due to factors such as the accuracy of the machining of the device. If an etching solution is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate in this state to etch the film on the upper surface of the substrate, the progress of the chemical reaction of the etching solution may also become biased, which may affect the uniformity of the film thickness after etching within the surface of the substrate.

However, in the case of Example 1, the gas supplied from the gas supply unit to the gas rectification unit passes through the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the tip and the protruding portion, then changes its direction, passes through the gap between the protruding portion and the folded portion, and then changes its direction to the horizontal direction. Therefore, a portion of the gas that has been changed to the horizontal direction passes through the gap between the horizontal rectification unit and the bottom wall portion, and is then discharged into the space between the bottom surface of the substrate and the base member. Therefore, by changing direction multiple times, the gas discharged from the gas rectification unit tends to flow mainly in the horizontal direction. This makes it difficult for the gas to flow toward the bottom surface of the substrate, and therefore makes it difficult for the substrate to be locally cooled by the gas. As a result, it is possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

In addition, in the case of Example 1, the horizontal rectification section is located outward from the folded-back section. Therefore, the gas rectification section has an annular opening that opens upward between the horizontal rectification section and the folded-back section. Therefore, another part of the gas that has been redirected horizontally forms a vortex at this opening. As a result, gas also flows in the part of the space between the underside of the substrate and the base member above the rectification member, so that gas is supplied to a wide area of the space. Therefore, it is possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process while suppressing the adhesion of foreign matter to the underside of the substrate and the intrusion of the etching solution around the underside of the substrate.

Example 2. In the device of Example 1, the horizontal separation distance between the folding portion and the horizontal straightening portion may be 2 mm to 10 mm. If the separation distance is 2 mm or more, gas is less likely to be ejected upward from the opening of the gas straightening portion, and a gas vortex tends to form more easily at the opening of the gas straightening portion. If the separation distance is 10 mm or less, the gas vortex formed at the opening of the gas straightening portion is less likely to expand in diameter, and partial cooling of the substrate due to the vortex tends to be suppressed.

Example 3. In the device of Example 1 or Example 2, the straightening member may further include an annular cover portion provided on one of the folded portion and the horizontal straightening portion so as to be located between them. In this case, it is possible to adjust the size of the opening of the gas straightening portion by the cover portion.

Example 4. In any of the devices of Examples 1 to 3, the through hole may be provided in the center of the base member, and the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion may be connected to the through hole. In this case, the straightening member rotates together with the base member, the support portion, and the substrate. That is, the straightening member is in a stationary state relative to the substrate. Therefore, the gas blown out from the gas straightening portion into the space between the underside of the substrate and the base member tends to flow radially on the underside of the substrate. This makes it possible to further suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to the underside of the substrate.

Example 5. In the device of Example 4, the multiple pillars may extend obliquely in both the circumferential and radial directions of the rotation axis when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis of the straightening member. In this case, the gas is straightened by the multiple pillars, and the gas is easily discharged into the space between the underside of the substrate and the base member. This makes it possible to further suppress adhesion of foreign matter to the underside of the substrate.

Example 6. The device of any one of Examples 1 to 5 further includes a control unit, and the chemical supply unit includes a nozzle configured to discharge the etching liquid and a drive unit configured to move the nozzle along a horizontal direction above the substrate supported by the support unit. The control unit may be configured to control the drive unit and the gas supply unit to execute a process of adjusting the amount of gas supplied from the gas supply unit according to the discharge position of the etching liquid onto the substrate so that the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the center of the substrate is less than the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the outer periphery of the substrate. However, there may be a difference between the degree to which the vicinity of the center of the substrate is cooled by the vortex generated at the opening of the gas rectification unit and the degree to which the outer periphery of the substrate is cooled by the gas blown out from the gap between the horizontal rectification unit and the bottom wall unit. However, according to Example 7, the amount of gas supplied when the center of the substrate is being etched is relatively small, so that the degree of progress of the etching process becomes closer between the vicinity of the center of the substrate and the outer periphery. This makes it possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

Example 7. In the apparatus of Example 6, the central portion may have a radius of 60 mm to 90 mm from the center of the substrate.

Example 8. In the apparatus of Example 6 or Example 7, the control unit may be configured to control the drive unit to execute a process of supplying the etching liquid between the vicinity of the center of the substrate and the peripheral portion of the substrate by moving the nozzle back and forth. In this case, the etching liquid is more likely to be supplied uniformly over the entire substrate. This makes it possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

Example 9. In any of the devices of Examples 6 to 8, the control unit may be configured to control the drive unit to execute a process in which the nozzle movement speed when ejecting the etching solution from the nozzle to the center of the substrate is 150 mm/sec or less. As described in Example 6, there may be a difference between the degree to which the vicinity of the center of the substrate is cooled and the degree to which the outer periphery of the substrate is cooled. However, according to Example 9, since the nozzle movement speed when the center of the substrate is being etched is relatively small, the center of the substrate is etched for a relatively long time. Therefore, the progress of the etching process becomes closer between the vicinity of the center of the substrate and the outer periphery. This makes it possible to further improve the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

Example 10. In any of the devices of Examples 6 to 9, the control unit may be configured to control the gas supply unit to execute a process of adjusting the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit according to the rotation speed of the substrate. In this case, for example, the smaller the rotation speed of the substrate, the smaller the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit. When the rotation speed of the substrate is low, the negative pressure generated in the space between the bottom surface of the substrate and the base member is small, making it difficult for foreign matter to be sucked into the space, so that even if the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit is small, the adhesion of foreign matter to the bottom surface of the substrate tends to be suppressed. Moreover, when the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit is small, the substrate is difficult to cool by the gas. Therefore, the in-plane uniformity of the etching process also tends to increase.

Example 11. An example of a substrate processing method includes a first step of supporting a substrate with a support part so that the underside of the substrate, on which a film is formed, faces the base member while being spaced apart from each other; a second step of rotating the substrate by rotating the base member and the support part; and a third step of supplying an etching solution to the upper surface of the rotating substrate while supplying gas to the gas rectification part, thereby discharging the gas rectified by the gas rectification part into the space between the underside of the substrate, on whose upper surface the etching solution has been supplied, and the base member. The gas rectification part includes a rod-shaped member extending in the up-down direction, including a tip part that faces the underside of the substrate supported by the support part and that is disposed in a through hole provided in the base member, and an annular rectification member that is disposed so as to surround the tip part. The tip part includes an annular folded part that is provided on the outer circumferential surface so as to extend downward after protruding outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip part. The straightening member includes an annular bottom wall portion arranged so that the inner peripheral edge is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion, an annular protruding portion extending upward from the inner peripheral portion of the bottom wall portion so that the tip portion is located between the folded portion and the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion, an annular horizontal straightening portion extending horizontally outward from the folded portion and above the bottom wall portion while being spaced apart from the bottom wall portion, and a plurality of pillar portions connecting the horizontal straightening portion and the bottom wall portion and aligned along the circumferential direction of the tip portion. In this case, the same effect as the device of Example 1 can be obtained.

Example 12. In the method of Example 11, the horizontal distance between the folding portion and the horizontal straightening portion may be 2 mm to 10 mm. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 2 can be obtained.

Example 13. In the method of Example 11 or Example 12, the straightening member may further include an annular cover portion provided on one of the folded portion and the horizontal straightening portion so as to be located between them. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 3 can be obtained.

Example 14. In any of the methods of Examples 11 to 13, the through hole may be provided in the center of the base member, and the outer periphery of the bottom wall may be connected to the through hole. In this case, the same effect as the device of Example 4 can be obtained.

Example 15. In the method of Example 14, the plurality of pillars may extend obliquely with respect to both the circumferential direction and the radial direction of the rotation shaft when viewed from the direction of the rotation shaft of the straightening member. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 5 can be obtained.

Example 16. In any of the methods of Examples 11 to 15, the third step may include making the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the center of the substrate smaller than the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the outer periphery of the substrate. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 6 can be obtained.

Example 17. In the method of Example 16, the central portion may have a radius of 60 mm to 90 mm from the center of the substrate.

Example 18. In the method of Example 16 or Example 17, the third step may include supplying the etching liquid to between the vicinity of the center of the substrate and the peripheral edge of the substrate by moving the nozzle back and forth. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 8 can be obtained.

Example 19. In any of the methods of Examples 16 to 18, the third step may include setting the nozzle movement speed when ejecting the etching solution from the nozzle onto the center of the substrate to 150 mm/sec or less. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 9 can be obtained.

Example 20. In any of the methods of Examples 16 to 19, the third step may include adjusting the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit in accordance with the rotation speed of the substrate. In this case, the same effect as that of the device of Example 10 can be obtained.

Example 21. An example of a computer-readable recording medium may have a program recorded thereon for causing a substrate processing apparatus to execute any one of the methods of Examples 11 to 20. In this case, the same effect as that of the apparatus of Example 1 can be obtained. In this specification, a computer-readable recording medium may include a non-transitory computer recording medium (e.g., various primary or secondary storage devices) or a transitory computer recording medium (e.g., a data signal that can be provided via a network).

1...substrate processing apparatus, 10...rotary holding unit, 11...rotating shaft (rotating unit), 12...driving mechanism (rotating unit), 13...base member, 13a...through hole, 14...support pin (supporting unit), 15...gripping mechanism (supporting unit), 20...gas rectifying unit, 30...chemical liquid supply unit, 34...nozzle, 36...driving source (driving unit), 50...gas supply unit, 100...rod-shaped member, 101...tip, 102...folded portion, 200...rectifying member, 201...bottom wall, 202...projection, 203...horizontal rectifying unit, 204...column, 205...cover, Ctr...controller (control unit), D...gap, F...film, FL...flow path, L1...etching solution, OP...opening, RM...recording medium, V...space, W...substrate, Wa...upper surface, Wb...lower surface.

Claims (21)

a support configured to support a substrate having a film formed thereon;
a base member configured to face and be spaced apart from a lower surface of the substrate supported by the support portion, the base member having a through hole;
a rotating portion configured to rotate the base member and the support portion;
a chemical solution supply unit configured to supply an etching solution to an upper surface of the substrate supported by the support unit;
A gas supply unit;
a gas rectification unit configured to rectify the gas supplied from the gas supply unit and discharge the rectified gas into a space between the lower surface of the substrate supported by the support unit and the base member,
The gas rectification unit includes:
a rod-shaped member extending in a vertical direction and including a tip portion disposed within the through hole and facing a lower surface of the substrate supported by the support portion;
an annular flow straightening member disposed so as to surround the tip portion,
The tip portion includes an annular folded portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion so as to protrude outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion and then extend downward,
The flow straightening member is
An annular bottom wall portion having an inner peripheral edge spaced apart from an outer peripheral surface of the tip portion;
an annular protrusion extending upward from an inner periphery of the bottom wall portion such that a tip portion is located between the folded portion and an outer periphery of the tip portion;
a ring-shaped horizontal straightening portion extending along a horizontal direction outward from the folded portion and above the bottom wall portion while being spaced apart from the bottom wall portion;
the horizontal straightening portion and the bottom wall portion are connected to each other, and the plurality of pillar portions are arranged along a circumferential direction of the tip portion. The device according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal distance between the folding section and the horizontal straightening section is 2 mm to 10 mm. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the straightening member further includes an annular cover portion provided on one of the folded portion and the horizontal straightening portion so as to be positioned between them. The through hole is provided in a central portion of the base member,
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion is connected to the through hole. The device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of columns extend obliquely with respect to both the circumferential direction and the radial direction of the rotation shaft when viewed from the direction of the rotation shaft of the straightening member. A control unit is further provided.
The chemical supply unit includes:
a nozzle configured to dispense the etching solution;
a drive unit configured to move the nozzle along a horizontal direction above the substrate supported by the support unit,
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive unit and the gas supply unit to execute a process of adjusting the amount of gas supplied from the gas supply unit in accordance with a position at which the etching liquid is discharged onto the substrate, so that the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle onto the central part of the substrate is less than the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle onto the outer periphery of the substrate. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the central portion has a radius from the center of the substrate in the range of 60 mm to 90 mm. The apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive unit to perform a process of supplying the etching liquid to the area between the vicinity of the center of the substrate and the peripheral edge of the substrate by moving the nozzle back and forth. The apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive unit to execute a process to set the nozzle movement speed at 150 mm/sec or less when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle onto the center of the substrate. The apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the control unit is configured to control the gas supply unit to execute a process of adjusting the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit in accordance with the rotation speed of the substrate. a first step of supporting a substrate having a film formed on an upper surface thereof with a support portion such that a lower surface of the substrate faces a base member while being spaced apart from the lower surface;
a second step of rotating the substrate by rotating the base member and the support;
a third step of supplying a gas to a gas rectification unit while supplying an etching liquid to the upper surface of the rotating substrate, thereby discharging the gas rectified by the gas rectification unit into a space between the lower surface of the substrate, the upper surface of which has been supplied with the etching liquid, and the base member;
The gas rectification unit includes:
a rod-shaped member extending in a vertical direction, the rod-shaped member including a tip portion disposed in a through hole provided in the base member and facing a lower surface of the substrate supported by the support portion;
an annular flow straightening member disposed so as to surround the tip portion,
The tip portion includes an annular folded portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion so as to protrude outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion and then extend downward,
The flow straightening member is
An annular bottom wall portion having an inner peripheral edge spaced apart from an outer peripheral surface of the tip portion;
an annular protrusion extending upward from an inner periphery of the bottom wall portion such that a tip portion is located between the folded portion and an outer periphery of the tip portion;
a ring-shaped horizontal straightening portion extending along a horizontal direction outward from the folded portion and above the bottom wall portion while being spaced apart from the bottom wall portion;
a plurality of pillar portions connecting the horizontal straightening portion and the bottom wall portion and aligned along a circumferential direction of the tip portion. The method according to claim 11, wherein the horizontal distance between the folded portion and the horizontal straightening portion is 2 mm to 10 mm. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the straightening member further includes an annular cover portion provided on one of the folded portion and the horizontal straightening portion so as to be located between them. The through hole is provided in a central portion of the base member,
The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion is connected to the through hole. The method according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of columns extend obliquely with respect to both the circumferential direction and the radial direction of the rotation shaft when viewed from the direction of the rotation shaft of the straightening member. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the third step includes making the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the central part of the substrate smaller than the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit when the etching liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the outer periphery of the substrate. The method of claim 16, wherein the central portion has a radius of 60 mm to 90 mm from the center of the substrate. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the third step includes supplying the etching liquid to between the vicinity of the center of the substrate and the peripheral edge of the substrate by reciprocating the nozzle. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the third step includes setting the nozzle movement speed when ejecting the etching solution from the nozzle onto the center of the substrate to 150 mm/sec or less. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the third step includes adjusting the amount of gas supplied to the gas rectification unit in accordance with the rotation speed of the substrate. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a substrate processing apparatus to execute the method according to any one of claims 11 to 20.

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