Substrate treatment method and substrate treatment apparatus

Abstract

A substrate treatment method is provided, which includes: an organic solvent replacing step of supplying an organic solvent, whereby a liquid film of the organic solvent is formed on the substrate as covering the upper surface of the substrate to replace a rinse liquid with the organic solvent; a substrate temperature increasing step of allowing the temperature of the upper surface of the substrate to reach a first temperature level higher than the boiling point of the organic solvent after the formation of the organic solvent liquid film, whereby a vapor film of the organic solvent is formed below the entire organic solvent liquid film between the organic solvent liquid film and the substrate to levitate the organic solvent liquid film above the organic solvent vapor film; and an organic solvent removing step of removing the levitated organic solvent liquid film from above the upper surface of the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate treatment method comprising:
 an organic solvent replacing step of supplying, to an upper surface of a horizontally held substrate, an organic solvent having a lower surface tension than a rinse liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate, whereby a liquid film of the organic solvent is formed on the substrate as covering the upper surface of the substrate to replace the rinse liquid with the organic solvent;   a substrate temperature increasing step of allowing a temperature of the upper surface of the substrate to reach a predetermined first temperature level higher than a boiling point of the organic solvent after the formation of the organic solvent liquid film, whereby a vapor film of the organic solvent is formed below the entire organic solvent liquid film between the organic solvent liquid film and the upper surface of the substrate to levitate the organic solvent liquid film above the organic solvent vapor film; and   an organic solvent removing step of removing the undisintegrated levitated organic solvent liquid film from above the upper surface of the substrate;   wherein the first organic solvent removing step includes a first step of removing the levitated organic solvent liquid film in the form of liquid mass from above the upper surface of the substrate; and   wherein the first step includes a step of undergoing attitude change of the substrate from a horizontal attitude in which the upper surface of the substrate is horizontal into an inclined attitude in which the upper surface of the substrate is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a puddling step of stopping rotation of the substrate or rotating the substrate at a puddling speed in the organic solvent replacing step. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first higher speed rotation step of rotating the substrate at a first rotation speed prior to the puddling step in the organic solvent replacing step, the first rotation speed being higher than a rotation speed of the substrate observed in the puddling step. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 2 , further comprising a film thickness reducing step of rotating the substrate at a second rotation speed after the puddling step in the organic solvent replacing step, the second rotation speed being higher than a rotation speed of the substrate observed in the puddling step. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate temperature increasing step is performed without rotating the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate temperature increasing step includes a step of floating the liquid film of the organic solvent without disintegration and maintaining one liquid film like body above the organic solvent vapor film. 
     
     
         7 . A substrate treatment method comprising:
 an organic solvent replacing step of supplying, to an upper surface of a horizontally held substrate, an organic solvent having a lower surface tension than a rinse liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate, whereby a liquid film of the organic solvent is formed on the substrate as covering the upper surface of the substrate to replace the rinse liquid with the organic solvent;   a substrate temperature increasing step of allowing a temperature of the upper surface of the substrate to reach a predetermined first temperature level higher than a boiling point of the organic solvent after the formation of the organic solvent liquid film, whereby a vapor film of the organic solvent is formed below the entire organic solvent liquid film between the organic solvent liquid film and the upper surface of the substrate to levitate the organic solvent liquid film above the organic solvent vapor film; and   an organic solvent removing step of removing the undisintegrated levitated organic solvent liquid film from above the upper surface of the substrate;   wherein the first organic solvent removing step includes a first step of removing the levitated organic solvent liquid film in the form of liquid mass from above the upper surface of the substrate; and   wherein the first step includes a step of spraying a gas to the center portion of the levitated organic solvent liquid film so that a smaller-diameter dry region is formed in a center portion of the levitated organic solvent liquid film.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 7 , further comprising a puddling step of stopping rotation of the substrate or rotating the substrate at a puddling speed in the organic solvent replacing step. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 8 , further comprising a first higher speed rotation step of rotating the substrate at a first rotation speed prior to the puddling step in the organic solvent replacing step, the first rotation speed being higher than a rotation speed of the substrate observed in the puddling step. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 8 , further comprising a film thickness reducing step of rotating the substrate at a second rotation speed after the puddling step in the organic solvent replacing step, the second rotation speed being higher than a rotation speed of the substrate observed in the puddling step. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 7 , wherein the substrate temperature increasing step is performed without rotating the substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 7 , wherein the substrate temperature increasing step includes a step of floating the liquid film of the organic solvent without disintegration and maintaining one liquid film like body above the organic solvent vapor film. 
     
     
         13 . A substrate treatment method comprising:
 an organic solvent replacing step of supplying, to an upper surface of a horizontally held substrate, an organic solvent having a lower surface tension than a rinse liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate, whereby a liquid film of the organic solvent is formed on the substrate as covering the upper surface of the substrate to replace the rinse liquid with the organic solvent;   a substrate temperature increasing step of allowing a temperature of the upper surface of the substrate to reach a predetermined first temperature level higher than a boiling point of the organic solvent after the formation of the organic solvent liquid film, whereby a vapor film of the organic solvent is formed below the entire organic solvent liquid film between the organic solvent liquid film and the upper surface of the substrate to levitate the organic solvent liquid film above the organic solvent vapor film; and   an organic solvent removing step of removing the undisintegrated levitated organic solvent liquid film from above the upper surface of the substrate;   wherein a structured pattern is provided on the upper surface of the substrate, and wherein the substrate temperature increasing step includes a step of levitating the organic solvent liquid film so that a lower surface of the levitated organic solvent liquid film is positioned above the structured pattern;   wherein the first organic solvent removing step includes a first step of removing the levitated organic solvent liquid film in the form of liquid mass from above the upper surface of the substrate; and   wherein the first step includes a step of contacting the guide surface of the guide member to a peripheral portion of the levitated organic solvent liquid film so that the organic solvent liquid is guided to laterally of the substrate.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 13 , further comprising a puddling step of stopping rotation of the substrate or rotating the substrate at a puddling speed in the organic solvent replacing step. 
     
     
         15 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 14 , further comprising a first higher speed rotation step of rotating the substrate at a first rotation speed prior to the puddling step in the organic solvent replacing step, the first rotation speed being higher than a rotation speed of the substrate observed in the puddling step. 
     
     
         16 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 14 , further comprising a film thickness reducing step of rotating the substrate at a second rotation speed after the puddling step in the organic solvent replacing step, the second rotation speed being higher than a rotation speed of the substrate observed in the puddling step. 
     
     
         17 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 13 , wherein the substrate temperature increasing step is performed without rotating the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The substrate treatment method according to  claim 13 , wherein the substrate temperature increasing step includes a step of floating the liquid film of the organic solvent without disintegration and maintaining one liquid film like body above the organic solvent vapor film.