Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

In a substrate processing apparatus, with an internal space of a chamber brought into a reduced pressure atmosphere, a first processing liquid is supplied onto an upper surface of a substrate while the substrate is rotated, and the first processing liquid is thereby quickly spread from a center portion toward a peripheral portion on the upper surface of the substrate. It is thereby possible to coat the upper surface of the substrate with the first processing liquid in a shorter time as compared with under normal pressure. Further, by sucking the first processing liquid from the vicinity of an edge of the substrate, it is possible to coat the upper surface of the substrate with the first processing liquid in a still shorter time. As a result, it is possible to shorten the time required for the processing of the substrate.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
 a substrate holding part for holding a substrate with a main surface thereof directed upward;   a processing liquid supply part for supplying a processing liquid onto a center portion of said main surface of said substrate;   a substrate rotating mechanism for rotating said substrate together with said substrate holding part;   a chamber for containing said substrate holding part in an internal space thereof;   a pressure changing part for changing pressure in said internal space of said chamber; and   a control part for controlling said processing liquid supply part, said substrate rotating mechanism, and said pressure changing part to bring said internal space of said chamber into a reduced pressure atmosphere and supply said processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate while rotating said substrate in said reduced pressure atmosphere, to thereby coat said main surface of said substrate with said processing liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a pattern is formed on said main surface of said substrate, and   said control part controls said processing liquid supply part, said substrate rotating mechanism, and said pressure changing part, after said main surface of said substrate is coated with said processing liquid, to increase pressure in said internal space of said chamber and continuously supply said processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate while rotating said substrate, to thereby perform a predetermined processing.   
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said predetermined processing is performed in a pressurized atmosphere.   
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the number of revolutions of said substrate in performing said predetermined processing on said substrate is smaller than that of said substrate in coating said main surface of said substrate with said processing liquid.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processing liquid discharge part for sucking said processing liquid overflown from said main surface of said substrate near an edge of said substrate to discharge said processing liquid to the outside of said chamber.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the supply of said processing liquid from said processing liquid supply part in said reduced pressure atmosphere of said internal space of said chamber is performed by a pressure difference between said internal space and the outside of said chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 another processing liquid supply part for supplying another processing liquid onto said center portion of said main surface of said substrate,   wherein said control part controls said processing liquid supply part, said another processing liquid supply part, said substrate rotating mechanism, and said pressure changing part to stop the supply of said processing liquid and bring said internal space of said chamber into said reduced pressure atmosphere, and then supply said another processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate coated with said processing liquid to replace said processing liquid with said another processing liquid while rotating said substrate, to thereby coat said main surface of said substrate with said another processing liquid.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 a pattern is formed on said main surface of said substrate, and   said control part controls said another processing liquid supply part, said substrate rotating mechanism, and said pressure changing part, after said main surface of said substrate is coated with said another processing liquid, to increase pressure in said internal space of said chamber and continuously supply said another processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate while rotating said substrate, to thereby perform another processing.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 said another processing is performed in a pressurized atmosphere.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heating part for heating said substrate,   wherein said control part controls said pressure changing part and said heating part to bring said internal space of said chamber into said reduced pressure atmosphere and heat said substrate in said reduced pressure atmosphere.   
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said heating part emits light toward said substrate, to thereby heat said substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said control part controls said pressure changing part and said substrate rotating mechanism to bring said internal space of said chamber into said reduced pressure atmosphere and rotate said substrate in said reduced pressure atmosphere, to thereby dry said substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said processing liquid is an etching solution.   
     
     
         14 . A substrate processing method of processing a substrate, comprising the steps of:
 a) holding a substrate with a main surface thereof directed upward in an internal space of a chamber; and   b) bringing said internal space of said chamber into a reduced pressure atmosphere and supplying a processing liquid onto a center portion of said main surface of said substrate while rotating said substrate in said reduced pressure atmosphere, to thereby coat said main surface of said substrate with said processing liquid.   
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 a pattern is formed on said main surface of said substrate, and   said substrate processing method further comprising the step of:   c) increasing pressure in said internal space of said chamber and continuously supplying said processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate coated with said processing liquid while rotating said substrate, to thereby perform a predetermined processing after said step b).   
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 said predetermined processing is performed in a pressurized atmosphere in said step c).   
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the number of revolutions of said substrate in said step c) is smaller than that of said substrate in said step b).   
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 d) stopping the supply of said processing liquid and bringing said internal space of said chamber into said reduced pressure atmosphere, and then supplying another processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate coated with said processing liquid to replace said processing liquid with said another processing liquid while rotating said substrate, to thereby coat said main surface of said substrate with said another processing liquid after said step c).   
     
     
         19 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein
 a pattern is formed on said main surface of said substrate, and   said substrate processing method further comprising the step of:   e) increasing pressure in said internal space of said chamber and continuously supplying said another processing liquid onto said main surface of said substrate coated with said another processing liquid while rotating said substrate, to thereby perform another processing after said step d).   
     
     
         20 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 said another processing is performed in a pressurized atmosphere in said step e).   
     
     
         21 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 f) bringing said internal space of said chamber into said reduced pressure atmosphere and heating said substrate in said reduced pressure atmosphere before said step b).   
     
     
         22 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 g) bringing said internal space of said chamber into said reduced pressure atmosphere and drying said substrate while rotating said substrate in said reduced pressure atmosphere after said step b).