TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and method for processing substrates.

BACKGROUND ART

A process of manufacturing semiconductor substrates (hereinafter, simply referred to as “substrates”) conventionally involves various types of processing that is performed on substrates by various types of substrate processing apparatuses. For example, processing such as etching is performed on a surface of a substrate having a resist pattern on the surface thereof, by supplying a chemical solution to the substrate. After the etching process ends, other processing is also performed, such as supplying a removing liquid to the substrate to remove a resist from the substrate or supplying a cleaning liquid to the substrate to clean the substrate.

In the case where the processing of substrates is performed in an environment in which oxygen exists (e.g., in the air), oxygen may adversely affect the substrates. For example, oxygen may be dissolved in a chemical solution that is used in processing, and this chemical solution may adversely affect a surface of a substrate due to coming in contact with the surface of the substrate. In particular, in the processing of a substrate having a metal film on the surface, the metal film may oxidize during processing. It is sought to avoid such oxidation of the metal film as much as possible.

A substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-56218 (Document 1) includes a shield part that opposes a substrate held by a substrate holding mechanism. The shield part includes a substrate opposing surface that opposes the upper surface of the substrate, and a peripheral wall part that protrudes toward the substrate holding mechanism from the periphery of the substrate opposing surface. The substrate receives supply of a chemical solution that is a mixture of inert gas-dissolved water with low oxygen concentration and an undiluted chemical solution. The shield part provided in the substrate processing apparatus of Document 1 allows the atmosphere above the upper surface of the substrate to be cut off from the outside atmosphere and suppresses an increase in the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere above the substrate. Reducing the oxygen concentration above the substrate, for example, suppresses oxidation of the metal film provided on the upper surface of the substrate.

Incidentally, in the substrate processing apparatus of Document 1, the inside and outside of the shield part are not completely isolated from each other, and thus there is a limit to reducing the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere above the substrate. There is also a limit to quickly reducing the oxygen concentration within the shield part. On the other hand, it is conceivable to provide a substrate holder and a processing-liquid supply part within a chamber (treatment chamber) and to create a low oxygen condition in the chamber by sealing the chamber after the substrate is conveyed in the chamber and supplying an inert gas or the like to the internal space of the chamber. However, it takes a certain amount of time to create a sufficiently low oxygen condition in the internal space of the chamber.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is intended for a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a substrate processing method, and it is an object of the present invention to quickly create a desired gas atmosphere in a chamber.

The substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention includes

a substrate holder for holding a substrate in a horizontal position, a chamber lid part having a lower opening and forming a lid internal space above the lower opening, a chamber body having an upper opening and forming a chamber-body internal space, the upper opening opposing the lower opening in an up-down direction, a chamber opening-and-closing mechanism for moving the chamber lid part relative to the chamber body in the up-down direction, and by covering the upper opening with the chamber lid part, forming a chamber that internally houses the substrate holder, a processing-liquid supply part for supplying a processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, a shield plate that is arranged in the lid internal space to oppose the upper surface of the substrate and is capable of blocking the lower opening, a shield-plate movement mechanism for moving the shield plate relative to the chamber lid part in the up-down direction within the lid internal space, and a gas supply part for supplying gas to the lid internal space in a state in which the shield plate overlaps with the lower opening of the chamber lid part. With this substrate processing apparatus, it is possible to quickly create a desired gas atmosphere in the chamber.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a substrate movement mechanism for moving the substrate along with the substrate holder relative to the chamber in the up-down direction. In a state in which the shield plate is spaced from the lower opening of the chamber lid part, the substrate movement mechanism moves the substrate between the lid internal space and the chamber-body internal space through the lower opening and the upper opening within the chamber.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chamber lid part includes a lid body part having an upside-down cup shape, and a ring-shaped lid bottom part that extends radially inward from a lower edge of the lid body part and has the lower opening in a central part. The lower opening is blocked when a lower surface of the shield plate that overlaps with the lower opening is in contact with an upper surface of the lid bottom part along an entire periphery of the lower opening.

More preferably, the upper surface of the lid bottom part is inclined downward outwardly in the radial direction, and a discharge port for discharging a liquid in the lid internal space is provided at a connection between the lid bottom part and the lid body part of the chamber lid part.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shield plate has a gas port in a central part of a lower surface, and the gas supply part supplies the gas through the gas port to a space between the lower surface of the shield plate and the upper surface of the substrate.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a substrate rotation mechanism for rotating the substrate along with the substrate holder about a central axis pointing in the up-down direction. The chamber body includes a cup part that is located below the chamber lid part on an outer side, in a radial direction, of an entire periphery of the substrate holder and for receiving a processing liquid dispersed from the substrate that rotates.

More preferably, the chamber body further includes an outer cylinder part located on an outer side, in the radial direction, of an entire periphery of the cup part, and when in contact with the chamber lid part, forming the chamber, and an outer cylinder connector for blocking a gap between an upper edge of the outer cylinder part and the cup part.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a substrate rotation mechanism for rotating the substrate along with the substrate holder about a central axis pointing in the up-down direction. When the substrate is rotated within the lid internal space by the substrate rotation mechanism, the shield plate rotates about the central axis at a position that is in close proximity to the substrate.

The substrate processing method according to the present invention is a substrate processing method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that comprises a substrate holder for holding a substrate in a horizontal position, a chamber lid part having a lower opening and forming a lid internal space above the lower opening, a chamber body having an upper opening and forming a chamber-body internal space, the upper opening opposing the lower opening in an up-down direction, and a shield plate that is arranged in the lid internal space to oppose an upper surface of the substrate and is capable of blocking the lower opening. The method includes a) supplying gas to the lid internal space in a state in which the shield plate overlaps with the lower opening of the chamber lid part, b) holding the substrate by the substrate holder in a state in which the chamber lid part is spaced from the chamber body, c) moving the chamber lid part relative to the chamber body in the up-down direction, and by covering the upper opening with the chamber lid part, forming a chamber that internally houses the substrate and the substrate holder, d) moving the shield plate upward relative to the chamber lid part to separate the shield plate from the lower opening, e) supplying the gas into the chamber, and f) supplying a processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate. With this substrate processing method, it is possible to quickly create a desired gas atmosphere in the chamber.

These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

