Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with rinsing liquid

Abstract

A pure water supplier is connected with an inlet of the nitrogen dissolving unit. Further, there is another inlet formed in the nitrogen dissolving unit, and this inlet is connected with a nitrogen gas supply source. Nitrogen gas from the nitrogen gas supply source is dissolved in pure water supplied from the pure water supplier, thereby producing nitrogen-rich pure water. Thus nitrogen-rich rinsing liquid is produced immediately prior to rinsing. This reduces the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the rinsing liquid. This also slows down an increase of the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the rinsing liquid which has been discharged at a nozzle.

1 . A substrate processing method, comprising: 
 a wet processing step of supplying processing liquid to a substrate and subjecting said substrate to predetermined wet processing;    a rinsing liquid producing step of adding nitrogen to pure water and producing rinsing liquid; and    a rinsing step of supplying said rinsing liquid to said substrate after said wet processing step and rinsing said substrate with said rinsing liquid.    
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing method of  claim 1 , further comprising a deaeration step of deaerating said pure water immediately before said rinsing liquid producing step.  
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing method of  claim 1 , wherein said rinsing step is performed in an inert gas atmosphere.  
   
   
       4 . A substrate processing apparatus in which rinsing liquid is supplied to a substrate and rinses said substrate, said apparatus comprising: 
 a rinsing liquid producer which adds nitrogen to pure water and produces nitrogen-rich rinsing liquid; and    a rinsing unit, including a nozzle, which discharges said rinsing liquid supplied from said rinsing liquid producer toward said substrate, thus supplies said rinsing liquid to said substrate and rinses said substrate.    
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a processing unit main section, wherein 
 said rinsing liquid producer and said rinsing unit are disposed within said processing unit main section.    
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim of  5 , further comprising a deaerator which deaerates pure water within said processing unit main section, wherein 
 said rinsing liquid producer adds nitrogen to said pure water which has been deaerated by said deaerator and produces said rinsing liquid.    
   
   
       7 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim of  5 , further comprising a deaerator which deaerates said pure water outside said processing unit main section, wherein 
 said rinsing liquid producer adds nitrogen to said pure water which has been deaerated by said deaerator and produces said rinsing liquid.    
   
   
       8 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a processing unit main section, wherein 
 said rinsing unit is disposed within said processing unit main section while said rinsing liquid producer is disposed outside said processing unit main section.    
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim of  8 , further comprising a deaerator which deaerates said pure water outside said processing unit main section, wherein 
 said rinsing liquid producer adds nitrogen to said pure water which has been deaerated by said deaerator and produces said rinsing liquid.    
   
   
       10 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said rinsing liquid producer is disposed such that the capacity of said rinsing liquid remaining in a rinsing liquid path from said rinsing liquid producer to an outlet of said nozzle will be 200 liters or less.  
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim of  4 , further comprising a deaerator which deaerates said pure water, wherein 
 said rinsing liquid producer adds nitrogen to said pure water which has been deaerated by said deaerator and produces said rinsing liquid, and    said deaerator is disposed such that the capacity of said rinsing liquid remaining in a rinsing liquid path from said deaerator to an outlet of said nozzle will be 200 liters or less.    
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim of  4 , further comprising atmosphere blocker which is disposed with a distance from said substrate while facing said substrate to which said rinsing liquid is supplied; and 
 inert gas supplier which supplies inert gas into a space which is created between said atmosphere blocker and said substrate.