Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus processes a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer by supplying a processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder ( 1 ) for holding and rotating a substrate (W), a lower surface processing unit ( 2 ) for processing a lower surface of the substrate (W) by supplying a processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate (W), and an outer circumferential edge processing unit ( 3 ) for processing an outer circumferential edge of the substrate (W) by supplying the processing liquid to the outer circumferential edge of the substrate (W). The substrate processing apparatus further includes a gas supply unit ( 5 ) for supplying a gas to an upper surface of the substrate (W).

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate holder for holding and rotating a substrate;    a lower surface processing unit for processing a lower surface of the substrate by supplying a processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder;    an outer circumferential edge processing unit for processing an outer circumferential edge of the substrate by supplying the processing liquid to an outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder; and    a gas supply unit for supplying a gas to an upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder.    
     
     
         2 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid supply unit for supplying the processing liquid to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit.    
     
     
         3 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said substrate holder comprises a plurality of rotating rollers for contacting an outer circumferential surface of the substrate, and an actuator for rotating at least one of said rotating rollers.  
     
     
         4 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said lower surface processing unit comprises a first facing member having a flat surface facing the lower surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a processing liquid passage formed in said first facing member so as to be open at said flat surface of said first facing member.  
     
     
         5 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said first facing member and the substrate held by said substrate holder are spaced from each other by a distance ranging from 0.5 to 4 mm.  
     
     
         6 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit is movable toward and away from the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         7 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit comprises a rotatable processing roller having a groove defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof for surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         8 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said processing liquid supply unit comprises a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquid therein, a heating device for heating the processing liquid supplied from said processing liquid container, and a circulating device for circulating the processing liquid between said processing liquid container and said heating device.  
     
     
         9 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         10 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said second facing member is circular in shape and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said substrate.  
     
     
         11 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said second facing member and the substrate held by said substrate holder are spaced from each other by a distance ranging from 0.5 to 5 mm.  
     
     
         12 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         13 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing liquid comprises an etching liquid.  
     
     
         14 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said substrate holder comprises a plurality of rotating rollers for contacting an outer circumferential surface of the substrate, and an actuator for rotating at least one of said rotating rollers.  
     
     
         15 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said lower surface processing unit comprises a first facing member having a flat surface facing the lower surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a processing liquid passage formed in said first facing member so as to be open at said flat surface of said first facing member.  
     
     
         16 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said lower surface processing unit comprises a first facing member having a flat surface facing the lower surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a processing liquid passage formed in said first facing member so as to be open at said flat surface of said first facing member.  
     
     
         17 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 2 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit is movable toward and away from the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         18 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 3 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit is movable toward and away from the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         19 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 4 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit is movable toward and away from the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         20 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 5 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit is movable toward and away from the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         21 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit comprises a rotatable processing roller having a groove defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof for surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         22 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit comprises a rotatable processing roller having a groove defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof for surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         23 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit comprises a rotatable processing roller having a groove defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof for surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         24 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit comprises a rotatable processing roller having a groove defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof for surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         25 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said outer circumferential edge processing unit comprises a rotatable processing roller having a groove defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof for surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the substrate held by said substrate holder.  
     
     
         26 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said processing liquid supply unit comprises a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquid therein, a heating device for heating the processing liquid supplied from said processing liquid container, and a circulating device for circulating the processing liquid between said processing liquid container and said heating device.  
     
     
         27 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said processing liquid supply unit comprises a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquid therein, a heating device for heating the processing liquid supplied from said processing liquid container, and a circulating device for circulating the processing liquid between said processing liquid container and said heating device.  
     
     
         28 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said processing liquid supply unit comprises a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquid therein, a heating device for heating the processing liquid supplied from said processing liquid container, and a circulating device for circulating the processing liquid between said processing liquid container and said heating device.  
     
     
         29 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said processing liquid supply unit comprises a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquid therein, a heating device for heating the processing liquid supplied from said processing liquid container, and a circulating device for circulating the processing liquid between said processing liquid container and said heating device.  
     
     
         30 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said processing liquid supply unit comprises a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquid therein, a heating device for heating the processing liquid supplied from said processing liquid container, and a circulating device for circulating the processing liquid between said processing liquid container and said heating device.  
     
     
         31 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         32 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         33 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         34 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         35 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         36 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         37 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said gas supply unit comprises a second facing member disposed so as to face the upper surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a gas supply device for supplying the gas into a space defined between the substrate held by said substrate holder and a lower surface of said second facing member.  
     
     
         38 . A substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said second facing member and the substrate held by said substrate holder are spaced from each other by a distance ranging from 0.5 to 5 mm.  
     
     
         39 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         40 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         41 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         42 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         43 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         44 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         45 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         46 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.    
     
     
         47 . A substrate processing apparatus according  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a processing liquid recovery unit for recovering the processing liquid which has been supplied to said lower surface processing unit and said outer circumferential edge processing unit, and supplying the recovered processing liquid to said processing liquid supply unit.