Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method for discharge of processing liquid from nozzle

Abstract

An upper processing liquid nozzle moves back and forth between a processing position above a substrate held on a spin chuck and a standby position outside a processing cup. Before a processing liquid is discharged from the upper processing liquid nozzle having moved to the processing position, a camera takes a discharge standard image of an imaging region including the tip of the upper processing liquid nozzle. Then, multiple monitor target images of the imaging region taken successively by the camera are compared sequentially to the discharge standard image to determine discharge of a processing liquid from the upper processing liquid nozzle. The discharge standard image is obtained for each process on a new target substrate. This eliminates influence of a substrate surface to appear as a background both of the monitor target image and the discharge standard image. Thus, discharge of a processing liquid can be detected reliably.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus for discharging a processing liquid to a substrate, comprising:
 a substrate holder that holds a substrate;   a cup surrounding said substrate holder;   a nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged;   a driving part that moves said nozzle between a processing position above a substrate held by said substrate holder and a standby position outside said cup;   an imaging part that takes an image of an imaging region including a tip of said nozzle placed in said processing position; and   a determining part that determines discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle by comparing a first standard image and a monitor target image, said first standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part before a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle having moved to said processing position, said monitor target image being an image of said imaging region taken thereafter by said imaging part,   wherein said imaging part obtains said first standard image each time said substrate holder holds a new target substrate and said nozzle moves to said processing position.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a storage part that stores a determination region set in an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part, said determination region including a part of a region from said tip of said nozzle to a substrate held by said substrate holder,
 wherein said determining part determines that a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle if a difference between said determination region in said first standard image and said determination region in said monitor target image is a given threshold or more.   
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said imaging part takes images of said imaging region successively at given intervals from a point in time when said substrate holder holds a new target substrate and said nozzle starts moving from said standby position toward said processing position, and   said determining part determines that said nozzle has stopped moving if a difference between successive images of said imaging region taken successively by said imaging part is a fixed value or less.   
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said determining part sets an image taken when said nozzle is determined to have stopped moving as said first standard image, said image being one of said images taken successively by said imaging part. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said determining part sequentially compares multiple monitor target images to said first standard image to determine discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle, said multiple monitor target images being taken successively by said imaging part after stop of movement of said nozzle is determined. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said determining part performs normalization by the area of said determination region for comparison between said first standard image and said monitor target images. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said determining part determines that a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle if a moving average of respective differences of monitor target images of a given number from said first standard image is a given threshold or more. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said determining part determines position abnormality of said nozzle in said processing position by comparing a second standard image and said first standard image, said second standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said nozzle is placed in said processing position correctly. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said determining part determines that the position of said nozzle is abnormal if a difference between the coordinate of said nozzle in said second standard image and that of said nozzle in said first standard image is a given threshold or more. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said determining part moves the position of said determination region in said first standard image and that of said determination region in said monitor target image based on a result of comparison between said second and first standard images. 
     
     
         11 . A substrate processing method of discharging a processing liquid to a substrate, comprising the steps of:
 (a) holding a new target substrate with a substrate holder;   (b) after said new target substrate is held by said substrate holder, moving a nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged from a standby position outside a cup surrounding said substrate holder toward a processing position above said substrate held by said substrate holder;   (c) taking an image of an imaging region including a tip of said nozzle placed in said processing position with an imaging part; and   (d) determining discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle by comparing a first standard image and a monitor target image, said first standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part before a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle having moved to said processing position, said monitor target image being an image of said imaging region taken thereafter by said imaging part,   wherein in said step (c), said first standard image is obtained each time said substrate holder holds a new target substrate and said nozzle moves to said processing position.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 a determination region is set in advance in an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part, said determination region including a part of a region from said tip of said nozzle to a substrate held by said substrate holder, and   in said step (d), a processing liquid is determined to be discharged from said nozzle if a difference between said determination region in said first standard image and said determination region in said monitor target image is a given threshold or more.   
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 in said step (c), images of said imaging region are taken successively at given intervals from a point in time when said substrate holder holds a new target substrate and said nozzle starts moving from said standby position toward said processing position, and   said nozzle is determined to have stopped moving if a difference between successive images of said imaging region taken successively by said imaging part is a fixed value or less.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein an image taken when said nozzle is determined to have stopped moving is set as said first standard image, said image being one of said images taken successively by said imaging part. 
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein in said step (d), multiple monitor target images are sequentially compared to said first standard image to determine discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle, said multiple monitor target images being taken successively by said imaging part after stop of movement of said nozzle is determined. 
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 15 , wherein in said step (d), normalization by the area of said determination region is performed for comparison between said first standard image and said monitor target images. 
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 16 , wherein in said step (d), a processing liquid is determined to be discharged from said nozzle if a moving average of respective differences of monitor target images of a given number from said first standard image is a given threshold or more. 
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein position abnormality of said nozzle in said processing position is determined by comparing a second standard image and said first standard image, said second standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said nozzle is placed in said processing position correctly. 
     
     
         19 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein the position of said nozzle is determined to be abnormal if a difference between the coordinate of said nozzle in said second standard image and that of said nozzle in said first standard image is a given threshold or more. 
     
     
         20 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein in said step (d), the position of said determination region in said first standard image and that of said determination region in said monitor target image are moved based on a result of comparison between said second and first standard images. 
     
     
         21 . A substrate processing apparatus for discharging a processing liquid to a substrate, comprising:
 a substrate holder that holds a substrate;   a cup surrounding said substrate holder;   a nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged;   a driving part that moves said nozzle between a processing position above a substrate held by said substrate holder and a standby position outside said cup;   an imaging part that takes an image of an imaging region including a tip of said nozzle placed in said processing position;   a setting part that specifies the coordinate of said nozzle in a position standard image and sets a rectangular region including said tip of said nozzle as a reference pattern, said position standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said nozzle is placed in said processing position correctly; and   a determining part that determines position abnormality of said nozzle in said processing position by comparing an image of a partial region to said reference pattern in said position standard image, said image of said partial region corresponding to said reference pattern and being a part of an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said substrate holder holds a target substrate and said nozzle has moved to said processing position.   
     
     
         22 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said setting part specifies the coordinate of said nozzle in a difference image showing a difference between a reference image and said position standard image, said reference image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said nozzle correctly placed in said processing position has moved a given amount in a given distance. 
     
     
         23 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said setting part specifies the coordinates of opposite ends of said nozzle in a width direction and the coordinate of said tip of said nozzle based on a tone value profile in said difference image. 
     
     
         24 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 said setting part sets a discharge determination region including a columnar part of a processing liquid discharged from said tip of said nozzle to reach a substrate held by said substrate holder in said position standard image based on a discharge width of said nozzle and a distance between said tip of said nozzle and said substrate held by said substrate holder, and   said determining part determines discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle by comparing said discharge determination region in a discharge standard image and said discharge determination region in a monitor target image, said discharge standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part before a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle having moved to said processing position, said monitor target image being an image of said imaging region taken thereafter by said imaging part.   
     
     
         25 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein
 said setting part sets a value intermediate between a maximum and a minimum as a threshold, said maximum being a maximum of a difference in said discharge determination region between an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when a processing liquid is not discharged from said nozzle and said position standard image, said minimum being a minimum of a difference in said discharge determination region between an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle and said position standard image, and   said setting part determines discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle by comparing a difference in said discharge determination region between said monitor target image and said discharge standard image to said threshold.   
     
     
         26 . A substrate processing method of discharging a processing liquid to a substrate, comprising the steps of:
 (a) specifying the coordinate of a nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged in a position standard image and setting a rectangular region including a tip of said nozzle as a reference pattern, said position standard image being an image of an imaging region including said tip of said nozzle in a processing position taken by an imaging part when said nozzle is placed in said processing position correctly, said processing position being above a substrate to be held by a substrate holder; and   (b) determining position abnormality of said nozzle in said processing position by comparing an image of a partial region to said reference pattern in said position standard image, said image of said partial region corresponding to said reference pattern and being a part of an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said substrate holder holds a target substrate and said nozzle has moved from a standby position outside a cup surrounding said substrate holder to said processing position.   
     
     
         27 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 26 , wherein in said step (a), the coordinate of said nozzle is specified in a difference image showing a difference between a reference image and said position standard image, said reference image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when said nozzle correctly placed in said processing position has moved a given amount in a given distance. 
     
     
         28 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 27 , wherein in said step (a), the coordinates of opposite ends of said nozzle in a width direction and the coordinate of said tip of said nozzle are specified based on a tone value profile in said difference image. 
     
     
         29 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of:
 (c) setting a discharge determination region including a columnar part of a processing liquid discharged from said tip of said nozzle to reach a substrate held by said substrate holder in said position standard image based on a discharge width of said nozzle and a distance between said tip of said nozzle and said substrate held by said substrate holder; and   (d) determining discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle by comparing said discharge determination region in a discharge standard image and said discharge determination region in a monitor target image, said discharge standard image being an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part before a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle having moved to said processing position, said monitor target image being an image of said imaging region taken thereafter by said imaging part.   
     
     
         30 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 29 , further comprising the step of:
 (e) setting a value intermediate between a maximum and a minimum as a threshold, said maximum being a maximum of a difference in said discharge determination region between an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when a processing liquid is not discharged from said nozzle and said position standard image, said minimum being a minimum of a difference in said discharge determination region between an image of said imaging region taken by said imaging part when a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle and said position standard image,   wherein in said step (d), discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle is determined by comparing a difference in said discharge determination region between said monitor target image and said discharge standard image to said threshold.   
     
     
         31 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of:
 (f) storing said image of said imaging region used in said step (e) and taken by said imaging part when a processing liquid is not discharged from said nozzle and said image of said imaging region used in said step (e) and taken by said imaging part when a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle; and   (g) verifying said discharge determination region set in said step (c) and said threshold set in said step (e) using said images stored in said step (f).   
     
     
         32 . A substrate processing apparatus for discharging a processing liquid to a substrate, comprising:
 a chamber that houses a substrate;   a substrate holder that holds a substrate in said chamber;   a cup surrounding said substrate holder;   a nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged;   a driving part that moves said nozzle between a processing position above a substrate held by said substrate holder and a standby position outside said cup;   an imaging part that takes an image of a determination region, a processing liquid appearing in said image of said determination region when said processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle in said processing position, a surface of a substrate held by said substrate holder appearing in said image of said determination region when discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle stops; and   a determining part that determines discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle based on a determination image of said determination region taken by said imaging part,   wherein said determining part determines that a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle if a dispersion of the brightness levels of pixels in said determination image is smaller than a given threshold and that a processing liquid is not discharged from said nozzle if said dispersion is larger than said threshold.   
     
     
         33 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein said dispersion is a standard deviation. 
     
     
         34 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein
 said imaging part takes multiple determination images of said determination region successively, and   said determining part determines that a processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle if said dispersion continues to be smaller than said threshold about determination images of a given number out of said multiple determination images.   
     
     
         35 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein a pattern is formed on an area inside said chamber to be reflected at a surface of a substrate held by said substrate holder and targeted for image taking by said imaging part when discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle stops. 
     
     
         36 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein said pattern is a check pattern. 
     
     
         37 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein said pattern is a lattice pattern. 
     
     
         38 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein said pattern is a stripe pattern. 
     
     
         39 . A substrate processing method of discharging a processing liquid to a substrate, comprising the steps of:
 (a) transporting a new target substrate into a chamber and holding said substrate with a substrate holder;   (b) after said new target substrate is held by said substrate holder, moving a nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged from a standby position outside a cup surrounding said substrate holder toward a processing position above said substrate held by said substrate holder;   (c) taking an image of a determination region, a processing liquid appearing in said image of said determination region when said processing liquid is discharged from said nozzle in said processing position, a surface of said substrate held by said substrate holder appearing in said image of said determination region when discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle stops; and   (d) determining discharge of a processing liquid from said nozzle based on a determination image of said determination region taken in said step (c),   wherein in said step (d), a processing liquid is determined to be discharged from said nozzle if a dispersion of the brightness levels of pixels in said determination image is smaller than a given threshold and a processing liquid is determined not to be discharged from said nozzle if said dispersion is larger than said threshold.   
     
     
         40 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 39 , wherein said dispersion is a standard deviation. 
     
     
         41 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 39 , wherein
 in said step (c), multiple determination images of said determination region are taken successively, and   in said step (d), a processing liquid is determined to be discharged from said nozzle if said dispersion continues to be smaller than said threshold about determination images of a given number out of said multiple determination images.