Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method drying substrate by spraying gas

Abstract

A first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle are fixedly provided in the vicinity of the forward end of a nozzle arm. The nozzle arm is rotated along a locus R while a substrate rinsed with deionized water is rotated, for discharging nitrogen gas from the first and second gas nozzles. Visible moisture is loosely expelled from the upper surface of the substrate by spraying the nitrogen gas from the first gas nozzle, and moisture slightly remaining on a fine pattern or the like can also be completely removed by spraying the nitrogen gas from the second gas nozzle to the same region of the substrate as that sprayed with the nitrogen gas by the first gas nozzle. Consequently, the surface of the substrate can be stably and reliably dried. Thus, a substrate processing apparatus capable of stably and reliably drying the surface of the substrate is provided.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A substrate processing method spraying gas to a substrate completely cleaned with deionized water for drying said substrate, comprising steps of: 
 (a) spraying said gas to the surface of said substrate wet with said deionized water; and    (b) further spraying said gas to the same region as the region on said substrate already sprayed with said gas in said step a).    
   
   
       14 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 the flow rate of said gas sprayed to said substrate in said step b) is larger than the flow rate of said gas sprayed to said substrate in said step a).    
   
   
       15 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 said gas is inert gas.    
   
   
       16 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 said steps a) and b) are performed while rotating said substrate.    
   
   
       17 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: 
 c) after said steps a) and b), rotating said substrate a number of revolutions higher than the numbers of revolutions of said substrate in said steps a) and b).    
   
   
       18 . The substrate method according to  claim 16 , wherein 
 arrival points of said gas sprayed in said steps a) and b) are moved to draw loci directed from a rotation center of said substrate toward an edge.    
   
   
       19 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the spray of said gas to said rotation center of said substrate is started in step b) while said deionized water is fed from said rotation center of said substrate toward said edge in said step a).    
   
   
       20 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the spray of said gas to said rotation center of said substrate is started in step b) immediately after said deionized water is fed from said rotation center of said substrate toward said edge and the arrival point of said gas sprayed to said substrate reaches said edge in said step a).    
   
   
       21 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 d) forming a paddle of said deionized water in the upper surface of said substrate prior to said step a).    
   
   
       22 . A substrate processing apparatus spraying gas to a substrate completely cleaned with deionized water for drying said substrate, comprising: 
 a first gas discharge element spraying said gas to the surface of said substrate wet with said deionized water; and    a second gas discharge element further spraying said gas to the same region as the region already sprayed with said gas by said first gas discharge element,    wherein the flow rate of said gas sprayed from said second gas discharge element to said substrate is larger than the flow rate of said gas sprayed from said first gas discharge element to said substrate, further comprising a rotation element rotating said substrate substantially in a horizontal plane, wherein,    said first gas discharge element comprises:    a first nozzle discharging said gas, and    a first nozzle moving element moving said first nozzle substantially in a horizontal plane,    said second gas discharge element comprises:    a second nozzle discharging said gas, and    a second nozzle moving element moving said nozzle substantially in a horizontal plane, and    said first nozzle moving element and said second nozzle moving element move the respective ones of said first nozzle and said second nozzle so that arrival points of said gas discharged from the respective ones of said first nozzle and said second nozzle draw loci directed from the rotation center of rotated said substrate toward the edge.    
   
   
       23 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 said gas is inert gas.    
   
   
       24 . A substrate processing apparatus spraying gas to a substrate completely cleaned with deionized water for drying said substrate, comprising: 
 a nozzle spraying said gas to the surface of said substrate wet with said deionized water;    a nozzle arm fixedly provided with said nozzle; and    a moving element moving said nozzle arm in a plane substantially parallel to said substrate, wherein    said moving element moves said nozzle arm to re-spray said gas by said nozzle to the same region as the region on said substrate sprayed with gas by said nozzle.    
   
   
       25 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein 
 the flow rate of said gas re-sprayed from said nozzle to said substrate is larger than the flow rate of said gas precedently sprayed from said nozzle to said substrate.    
   
   
       26 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 25 , further comprising a rotation element rotating said substrate substantially in a horizontal plane, wherein 
 said moving element moves said nozzle arm substantially in a horizontal plane so that arrival points of said gas precedently and subsequently discharged from said nozzle draw loci directed from the rotation center of rotated said substrate toward the edge.    
   
   
       27 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein 
 said gas is inert gas.