Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

In a substrate processing apparatus, an outer edge portion of a substrate in a horizontal state is supported from below by an annular substrate supporting part, and a lower surface facing part having a facing surface facing a lower surface of the substrate is provided inside the substrate supporting part. A gas ejection nozzle for ejecting heated gas toward the lower surface is provided in the lower surface facing part, and the substrate is heated by the heated gas when an upper surface of the rotating substrate is processed with a processing liquid ejected from an upper nozzle. Further, a lower nozzle is provided in the lower surface facing part, to thereby perform a processing on the lower surface with a processing liquid. Since the gas ejection nozzle protrudes from the facing surface, a flow of the processing liquid into the gas ejection nozzle can be suppressed during the processing.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
 an annular supporting part having an annular shape around a central axis directed in a vertical direction, for supporting an outer edge portion of a substrate in a horizontal state from below;   a lower surface facing part having a facing surface which faces a lower surface of said substrate inside said annular supporting part;   a rotating mechanism for rotating said annular supporting part together with said substrate around said central axis relatively to said lower surface facing part;   a first processing liquid supply part for supplying a first processing liquid onto an upper surface of said substrate;   a second processing liquid supply part for supplying a second processing liquid onto said lower surface of said substrate from a processing liquid nozzle provided at said lower surface facing part; and   at least one gas ejection nozzle protruding from said facing surface, for ejecting heated gas toward said lower surface of said substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said facing surface is a sloped surface which gets farther away from said substrate as a distance from said central axis becomes larger.   
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a distance between said at least one gas ejection nozzle and said lower surface of said substrate is not larger than 8 mm in a direction of said central axis.   
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said at least one gas ejection nozzle is inclined with respect to said central axis.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said at least one gas ejection nozzle includes a plurality of gas ejection nozzles, and   a distance between an ejection port of one gas ejection nozzle out of said plurality of gas ejection nozzles and said central axis is different from that between an ejection port of another gas ejection nozzle and said central axis.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sealed space forming part forming an internal space which is sealed, in which a processing on said substrate with said first processing liquid and said second processing liquid is performed.   
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said at least one gas ejection nozzle includes a plurality of gas ejection nozzles, and   a distance between an ejection port of one gas ejection nozzle out of said plurality of gas ejection nozzles and said central axis is different from that between an ejection port of another gas ejection nozzle and said central axis.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said at least one gas ejection nozzle includes a plurality of gas ejection nozzles, and   a distance between an ejection port of one gas ejection nozzle out of said plurality of gas ejection nozzles and said central axis is different from that between an ejection port of another gas ejection nozzle and said central axis.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 said at least one gas ejection nozzle includes a plurality of gas ejection nozzles, and   a distance between an ejection port of one gas ejection nozzle out of said plurality of gas ejection nozzles and said central axis is different from that between an ejection port of another gas ejection nozzle and said central axis.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 said at least one gas ejection nozzle includes a plurality of gas ejection nozzles, and   a distance between an ejection port of one gas ejection nozzle out of said plurality of gas ejection nozzles and said central axis is different from that between an ejection port of another gas ejection nozzle and said central axis.   
     
     
         11 . A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
 a sealed space forming part forming an internal space which is sealed;   a sealed space opening and closing mechanism for moving a movable part which is part of said sealed space forming part relatively to the other portion, to thereby open and close said sealed space forming part;   a substrate holding part disposed in said sealed space forming part, for holding a substrate in a horizontal state;   a chemical liquid supply part for supplying a chemical liquid onto an upper surface of said substrate;   an inert gas supply part for supplying an inert gas into said internal space;   a gas exhaust part for exhausting gas from said internal space; and   a control part for controlling said inert gas supply part to supply said inert gas into said internal space while controlling said gas exhaust part to exhaust gas from said internal space, to thereby bring said internal space which is sealed into an inert gas filled state, and for stopping supply of said inert gas into said internal space and exhaust of gas from said internal space when controlling said chemical liquid supply part to supply said chemical liquid onto said substrate in said inert gas filled state.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a top plate extending along said upper surface so as to cover said substrate above said substrate, which goes close to said upper surface when said chemical liquid supply part supplies said chemical liquid onto said substrate; and   a nozzle for supplying said chemical liquid from said chemical liquid supply part to between said top plate and said upper surface.   
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein
 said control part stops supply of said inert gas into said internal space and exhaust of gas from said internal space before starting supply of said chemical liquid onto substrate.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a rinse liquid supply part for supplying a rinse liquid onto said upper surface of said substrate after supply of said chemical liquid onto said substrate by said chemical liquid supply part is finished.   
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein
 said control part controls said gas exhaust part to exhaust gas from said internal space after finishing supply of said chemical liquid onto said substrate and before starting supply of said rinse liquid onto said substrate.   
     
     
         16 . A substrate processing method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus, wherein
 said substrate processing apparatus comprises:   a sealed space forming part forming an internal space which is sealed;   a sealed space opening and closing mechanism for moving a movable part which is part of said sealed space forming part relatively to the other portion, to thereby open and close said sealed space forming part;   a substrate holding part disposed in said sealed space forming part, for holding a substrate in a horizontal state;   a chemical liquid supply part for supplying a chemical liquid onto an upper surface of said substrate;   an inert gas supply part for supplying an inert gas into said internal space; and   a gas exhaust part for exhausting gas from said internal space,   said substrate processing method comprising:   a) supplying said inert gas into said internal space by said inert gas supply part while exhausting gas from said internal space by said gas exhaust part, to thereby bring said internal space which is sealed into an inert gas filled state; and   b) supplying said chemical liquid onto said substrate in said inert gas filled state by said chemical liquid supply part,   wherein supply of said inert gas into said internal space and exhaust of gas from said internal space are stopped when said chemical liquid is supplied onto said substrate in said operation b).   
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 supply of said inert gas into said internal space and exhaust of gas from said internal space are stopped before starting supply of said chemical liquid onto said substrate in said operation b).   
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 c) supplying a rinse liquid onto said upper surface of said substrate by a rinse liquid supply part after said operation b).   
     
     
         19 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 exhausting gas from said internal space by said gas exhaust part between said operation b) and said operation c).