Substrate processing apparatus, film formation unit, substrate processing method and film formation method

Abstract

A coating liquid containing metal as a metal-containing coating liquid is supplied to a surface to be processed of a substrate by a coating processing unit, whereby a metal-containing coating film is formed on the surface to be processed. The substrate on which the metal-containing coating film has been formed is transported to a metal removal unit by a transport mechanism. A removal liquid for dissolving the metal is supplied to a peripheral portion of the substrate by the metal removal unit such that the metal-containing coating film remains in a region except for the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a film formation unit that forms a metal-containing coating film on a surface to be processed by supplying a coating liquid containing metal as a metal-containing coating liquid to the surface to be processed of a substrate;   a peripheral portion removal unit that, after formation of the metal-containing coating film by the film formation unit, supplies a first removal liquid for dissolving the metal to a peripheral portion of the substrate such that the metal-containing coating film remains in a region except for the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate; and   transport mechanism that, after the formation of the metal-containing coating film by the film formation unit, transports the substrate to the peripheral portion removal unit.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the film formation unit includes   a first rotation holder that holds and rotates the substrate in a horizontal attitude, and   a coating liquid nozzle that discharges the metal-containing coating liquid to the surface to be processed of the substrate rotated by the first rotation holder, and   the peripheral portion removal unit includes   a second rotation holder that holds and rotates the substrate in a horizontal attitude, and   a first removal liquid nozzle that discharges the first removal liquid to the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate rotated by the second rotation holder.   
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 at least one of the film formation unit and the peripheral portion removal unit further includes a second removal liquid nozzle that discharges a second removal liquid for dissolving the coating liquid to the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the rotating substrate.   
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the peripheral portion removal unit further includes a third removal liquid nozzle that discharges the first removal liquid to a back surface that is opposite to the surface to be processed of the rotating substrate.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a thermal processing section that, after the formation of the metal-containing coating film by the film formation unit and before discharge of the first removal liquid by the peripheral portion removal unit, cures the metal-containing coating film by thermal processing, wherein
 the peripheral portion removal unit further includes a gas discharger that, when the first removal liquid is being discharged to the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed by the first removal liquid nozzle, discharges gas to a position closer to a center of the substrate than a position to which the first removal liquid is being discharged.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the peripheral portion removal unit further includes a development nozzle that discharges a development liquid to the surface to be processed of the substrate rotated by the second rotation holder.   
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the development liquid and the first removal liquid are a same processing liquid.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the development nozzle and the first removal liquid nozzle are constituted by a common nozzle.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the film formation unit is arranged to be adjacent to the peripheral portion removal unit.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the transport mechanism includes   a pre-removal substrate holder that holds and transports the substrate having the peripheral portion from which the metal has not been removed by the peripheral portion removal unit, and   a post-removal substrate holder that holds and transports the substrate having the peripheral portion from which the metal has been removed by the peripheral portion removal unit.   
     
     
         11 . A film formation unit comprising:
 a third rotation holder that holds and rotates a substrate in a horizontal attitude;   a coating liquid nozzle that discharges a coating liquid containing metal as a metal-containing coating liquid to a surface to be processed of the substrate rotated by the third rotation holder; and   a peripheral portion removal liquid supply unit that supplies a third removal liquid for dissolving the metal-containing coating liquid to a peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate rotated by the third rotation holder such that the metal-containing coating film remains in a region except for the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The film formation unit according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the third removal liquid includes a fourth removal liquid for dissolving the metal and a fifth removal liquid for dissolving the coating liquid, and   the peripheral portion removal liquid supply unit includes one or a plurality of removal liquid nozzles for supplying the fourth and fifth removal liquids to the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The film formation unit according to  claim 12 , further comprising a removal liquid collection unit provided to separately collect the used fourth removal liquid that has been discharged to the substrate and the used fifth removal liquid that has been discharged to the substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The film formation unit according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the plurality of removal liquid nozzles discharge the fourth and fifth removal liquids in first and second periods that are different from each other, and   the removal liquid collection unit includes   a first collector that collects the used fourth removal liquid,   a second collector that collects the used fifth removal liquid, and   a switching path that switches to lead the used fourth removal liquid, which has been discharged to the substrate in the first period, to the first collector, and lead the used fifth removal liquid, which has been discharged to the substrate in the second period, to the second collector.   
     
     
         15 . The film formation unit according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the switching path includes   a cup for receiving the fourth and fifth removal liquids splashed from the substrate,   a first collection pipe connected between the cup and the first collector,   a second collection pipe connected between the cup and the second collector,   a first collection valve inserted into the first collection pipe,   a second collection valve inserted into the second collection pipe, and   a controller that controls the first and second collection valves, the controller allowing the first collection valve to be opened and allowing the second collection valve to be closed in order for the fourth removal liquid to be collected in the first collector, and the controller allowing the second collection valve to be opened and allowing the first collection valve to be closed in order for the fifth removal liquid to be collected in the second collector.   
     
     
         16 . The film formation unit according to  claim 13 , wherein
 specific gravity of the fourth removal liquid is larger than specific gravity of the fifth removal liquid, and   the removal liquid collection unit includes   a storage that stores the used fourth and fifth removal liquids, and   a removal liquid separating mechanism that separates the fourth and fifth removal liquids stored in the storage based on specific gravity.   
     
     
         17 . The film formation unit according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the removal liquid separating mechanism includes   a cup that receives the fourth and fifth removal liquids splashed from the substrate,   a collection pipe connected between the cup and the storage,   a first discharge pipe provided to discharge the used fourth removal liquid from the storage,   a second discharge pipe provided to discharge the used fifth removal liquid from the storage,   a first discharge valve inserted into the first discharge pipe,   a boundary surface detector that detects a boundary surface between the fourth removal liquid and the fifth removal liquid stored in the storage, and   a controller that acquires the boundary surface detected by the boundary surface detector, controls the first discharge valve such that, in the case where the acquired detection surface is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit position, the first discharge valve is closed, and controls the first discharge valve such that, in the case where the acquired detection surface is higher than the lower limit position, the first discharge valve is opened, and   the first discharge pipe is connected to the storage lower than the lower limit position, and the second discharge pipe is connected to the storage at a position higher than the lower limit position.   
     
     
         18 . The film formation unit according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the removal liquid separating mechanism further includes a second discharge valve inserted into the second discharge pipe, and   the controller, in the case where the acquired detection surface is equal to or lower than a predetermined upper limit position, which is higher than the lower limit position, opens the second discharge valve, and in the case where the acquired detection surface is higher than the upper limit position, closes the second discharge valve.   
     
     
         19 . The film formation unit according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the third removal liquid dissolves the metal and the coating liquid.   
     
     
         20 . The film formation unit according to  claim 11 , further comprising a back surface removal liquid supply unit that supplies a third removal liquid for dissolving the metal-containing coating liquid to a back surface, which is opposite to the surface to be processed of the substrate, rotated by the third rotation holder. 
     
     
         21 . A substrate processing method including the steps of:
 forming a metal-containing coating film on a surface to be processed by supplying a coating liquid containing metal as a metal-containing coating liquid to the surface to be processed of a substrate by a film formation unit;   transporting the substrate on which the metal-containing coating film has been formed to a peripheral portion removal unit by a transport mechanism, and   supplying a first removal liquid for dissolving the metal to a peripheral portion of the substrate by the peripheral portion removal unit such that the metal-containing coating film remains in a region except for the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate.   
     
     
         22 . A film formation method including the steps of:
 holding and rotating a substrate in a horizontal attitude by a third rotation holder;   discharging a coating liquid containing metal as a metal-containing coating liquid by a coating liquid nozzle to a surface to be processed of the substrate rotated by the third rotation holder; and   supplying a third removal liquid for dissolving the metal-containing coating liquid to a peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate, rotated by the third rotation holder, by a peripheral portion removal liquid supply unit such that the metal-containing coating film remains in a region except for the peripheral portion of the surface to be processed of the substrate.