Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit which holds a substrate horizontally, a processing liquid supplying unit which has a processing liquid nozzle discharging a processing liquid and supplies the processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, and a moving unit which moves the processing liquid supplying unit between a process position at which the processing liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate and a retreat position at which the processing liquid nozzle retreats from positions at which the processing liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate, wherein the processing liquid supplying unit includes a first flow path which is formed in the processing liquid nozzle, the first flow path having one end part and the other end part that face acentralregion of the substrate and a peripheral region of the substrate, respectively, in a state where the processing liquid supplying unit is positioned at the process position, a second flow path which extends as turning back from the one end part and supplies the processing liquid to the one end part, and a plurality of discharge ports which are formed in the processing liquid nozzle, are arranged along a direction in which the first flow path extends, and discharge the processing liquid in the first flow path to the upper surface of the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a substrate holding unit which holds a substrate horizontally;   a processing liquid supplying unit which supplies a processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, the processing liquid supplying unit having a first processing liquid nozzle and a second processing liquid nozzle which discharge the processing liquid; and   a moving unit which moves the processing liquid supplying unit between a process position at which the first processing liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate and a retreat position at which the first processing liquid nozzle retreats from positions at which the first processing liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate,   wherein the processing liquid supplying unit includes
 a first flow path which is formed in the first processing liquid nozzle, the first flow path having one end part that faces a central region of the substrate and an other end part that faces a peripheral region of the substrate, in a state where the processing liquid supplying unit is positioned at the process position, 
 a second flow path which extends as turning back from the one end part of the first flow path, and supplies the processing liquid to the one end part of the first flow path, 
 a plurality of first discharge ports which are formed in the first processing liquid nozzle, are arranged along an extending direction in which the first flow path extends, and discharge the processing liquid in the first flow path to the upper surface of the substrate, and 
 a side piping which is provided at a lateral position of the first flow path and the second flowpath, and supplies the processing liquid to the second processing liquid nozzle, 
   wherein the side piping includes a horizontal part which extends in a horizontal direction, and a hanging part which is connected to the horizontal part, extends from the horizontal part obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction so as to be directed downwardly as going away from the horizontal part,   the second processing liquid nozzle has a discharge part provided at a tip end thereof,   a single second discharge port is formed at the discharge part, the second processing liquid nozzle is connected to the tip part of the hanging part, and   a flow rate of the processing liquid discharged from the second processing liquid nozzle is smaller than a flow rate of the processing liquid discharged from the first processing liquid nozzle.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first flow path extends in parallel with the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the second flow path extends in parallel with the first flow path. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the processing liquid supplying unit further includes a flow path forming pipe in which the second flow path is formed, and   the flow path forming pipe is fixed with the first processing liquid nozzle.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the moving unit includes a holder that commonly supports the flow path forming pipe and the side piping. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the moving unit includes a pivoting unit which turns the processing liquid supplying unit around a pivoting axis along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the other end part of the first flow path is located closer to the pivoting axis than the one end part of the first flow path, and   the one end part of the first flow path and the second nozzle faces the central region of the substrate and the other end part of the first flow path faces the peripheral region of the substrate, in the state where the processing liquid supplying unit is positioned at the process position.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the moving unit further includes a pivoting shaft which extends in the vertical direction,   the pivoting unit gives a driving force around the pivoting axis to the pivoting shaft, and   the pivoting unit turns the pivoting shaft around the pivoting axis, thereby to turn the holder, the flow path forming pipe and the side piping around the pivoting axis.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the moving unit further includes a ball screw that raises and lowers the pivoting shaft, and an electric motor that gives a driving force to the ball screw. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the second flow path is formed in the first processing liquid nozzle.   
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second processing liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate when the processing liquid supplying unit is positioned at the process position, and retreats from positions at which the second processing liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate when the processing liquid supplying unit is positioned at the retreat position.