Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit holding a substrate, a cleaning liquid supplying unit supplying, to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, a cleaning liquid containing a foaming agent that foams due to application of foaming energy, and a foaming energy supplying unit applying the foaming energy to the cleaning liquid in contact with the substrate held by the substrate holding unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a substrate holding unit which holds a substrate;   a cleaning liquid supplying unit which supplies a cleaning liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, the cleaning liquid containing a foaming agent that foams due to application of foaming energy; and   a foaming energy supplying unit which applies the foaming energy to the cleaning liquid in contact with the substrate held by the substrate holding unit.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the foaming energy supplying unit applies the foaming energy to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit to make the foaming energy be transmitted from the substrate to the cleaning liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising an energy supply amount controller which controls an amount of the foaming energy applied to the cleaning liquid by controlling the foaming energy supplying unit. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning liquid supplying unit supplies the cleaning liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, the cleaning liquid containing the foaming agent that foams due to application of the foaming energy, a solvent that evaporates due to application of the foaming energy, and a solute that solidifies due to evaporation of the solvent. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising,
 a dissolving liquid supplying unit which supplies a dissolving liquid that dissolves the solute of the cleaning liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit and   a controller which controls the cleaning liquid supplying unit, the foaming energy supplying unit, and the dissolving liquid supplying unit; wherein   the controller executes   a cleaning liquid supplying step of causing the cleaning liquid supplying unit to supply the cleaning liquid to the substrate,   a foaming energy supplying step of causing the foaming energy supplying unit to apply the foaming energy to the cleaning liquid in contact with the substrate, and   a dissolving liquid supplying step of causing the dissolving liquid supplying unit to supply the dissolving liquid to the substrate after the cleaning liquid supplying step and the foaming energy supplying step.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the foaming energy supplying unit starts the generation of the foaming energy after the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit or before the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the foaming energy supplying unit includes at least one of a heat generating unit which generates heat that is transmitted to the cleaning liquid, a vibrating unit which generates vibration that is transmitted to the cleaning liquid, a gas pressure changing unit which changes a gas pressure of a space in which the substrate held by the substrate holding unit is disposed, and a light irradiating unit which irradiates light toward the substrate held by the substrate holding unit. 
     
     
         8 . A substrate processing method comprising:
 a cleaning liquid supplying step of supplying a cleaning liquid to a substrate, the cleaning liquid containing a foaming agent that foams due to application of foaming energy; and   a foaming energy supplying step of applying the foaming energy to the cleaning liquid in contact with the substrate.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 8  wherein the foaming energy supplying step includes a step of applying the foaming energy to the substrate to make the foaming energy be transmitted from the substrate to the cleaning liquid. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 8  wherein the foaming energy supplying step includes an energy supply amount controlling step of controlling an amount of the foaming energy applied to the cleaning liquid. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 8  wherein the cleaning liquid supplied to the substrate in the cleaning liquid supplying step contains the foaming agent that foams due to application of the foaming energy, a solvent that evaporates due to application of the foaming energy, and a solute that solidifies due to evaporation of the solvent. 
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 11  further comprising a dissolving liquid supplying step of supplying a dissolving liquid which dissolves the solute of the cleaning liquid to the substrate after the cleaning liquid supplying step and the foaming energy supplying step. 
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 8  wherein the foaming energy supplying step is a step of supplying the foaming energy to the cleaning liquid by means of at least one of a heat generating unit which generates heat that is transmitted to the cleaning liquid, a vibrating unit which generates vibration that is transmitted to the cleaning liquid, a gas pressure changing unit which changes a gas pressure of a space in which the substrate, and a light irradiating unit which irradiates light toward the substrate.