Liquid processing apparatus and liquid processing method

Abstract

A liquid processing apparatus is arranged to planarize a film on a substrate by supplying onto the film a process liquid for dissolving the film while rotating the substrate. The apparatus includes a substrate holding member configured to rotatably hold the substrate in a horizontal state, a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holding member, and a liquid supply mechanism configured to supply the process liquid onto a surface of the substrate. The liquid supply mechanism includes first and second liquid delivery nozzles configured to deliver the same process liquid. The first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle. The first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, and is movable between a center of the substrate and a peripheral edge thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a sectional view, schematically showing the structure of a liquid processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of the liquid processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing the arrangement of a first liquid delivery nozzle used in the liquid processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a case where an oxide film formed on a wafer has a thickness larger at the peripheral edge than at the center, which defines a cone-shaped recess profile;

FIGS. 5A to 5E are views showing steps of a dissolving process for an oxide film having a cone-shaped recess profile;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a case where an oxide film formed on a wafer has a thickness smaller at the peripheral edge than at the center, which defines a cone-shaped projection profile;

FIGS. 7A to 7E are views showing steps of a dissolving process for an oxide film having a cone-shaped projection profile; and

FIG. 8 is a view schematically showing an example where a first liquid delivery nozzle is integratedly combined with a second liquid delivery nozzle.

Claims

1. A liquid processing apparatus arranged to planarize a film on a substrate by supplying onto the film a process liquid for dissolving the film while rotating the substrate, the apparatus comprising: a substrate holding member configured to rotatably hold the substrate in a horizontal state;a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holding member; anda liquid supply mechanism configured to supply the process liquid onto a surface of the substrate,wherein the liquid supply mechanism includes a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle, which are configured to deliver the same process liquid,the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle,the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, and is movable between a center of the substrate and a peripheral edge thereof.

2. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a film thickness sensor configured to detect thicknesses of the film, and a control mechanism configured to control traveling of the first liquid delivery nozzle or the second liquid delivery nozzle in accordance with film thicknesses detected by the film thickness sensor.

3. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined by an angle of 15 to 75°.

4. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 0.2 to 2 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 20 to 200 mL/min.

5. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 3 to 5 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 300 to 2,000 mL/min.

6. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle and the second liquid delivery nozzle are integratedly disposed.

7. A liquid processing apparatus arranged to planarize a film on a substrate by supplying onto the film a process liquid for dissolving the film while rotating the substrate, the apparatus comprising: a substrate holding member configured to rotatably hold the substrate in a horizontal state;a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holding member; anda liquid supply mechanism configured to supply the process liquid onto a surface of the substrate,wherein the liquid supply mechanism includes a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle, which are configured to switchably deliver the same process liquid and the same rinsing liquid,the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle,the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, and is movable between a center of the substrate and a peripheral edge thereof.

8. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a film thickness sensor configured to detect thicknesses of the film, and a control mechanism configured to control traveling of the first liquid delivery nozzle or the second liquid delivery nozzle in accordance with film thicknesses detected by the film thickness sensor.

9. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined by an angle of 15 to 75°.

10. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 0.2 to 2 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 20 to 200 mL/min.

11. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 3 to 5 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 300 to 2,000 mL/min.

12. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle and the second liquid delivery nozzle are integratedly disposed.

13. A liquid processing method for dissolving a film on a substrate by a predetermined process liquid while rotating the substrate, by use of a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle arranged such that the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle, and the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, the method comprising: causing the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel in a radial direction of the substrate and to deliver the process liquid onto the film, thereby uniformizing thickness of the film; andthen causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to supply the process liquid onto the film, thereby further dissolving the film to a predetermined thickness while maintaining uniformity in film thickness.

14. The liquid processing method according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises detecting thicknesses of the film at a plurality of points in a radial direction of the substrate to obtain a film thickness profile of the film, which is used to cause the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel.

15. The liquid processing method according to claim 13, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined by an angle of 15 to 75°.

16. The liquid processing method according to claim 13, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 0.2 to 2 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 20 to 200 mL/min.

17. The liquid processing method according to claim 13, wherein the second liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 3 to 5 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 300 to 2,000 mL/min.

18. The liquid processing method according to claim 13, wherein the substrate is rotated with a rotation number of 100 to 1,000 rpm.

19. A liquid processing method for dissolving a film, which has a profile defined by a thickness smaller at a central portion than at a peripheral portion, on a substrate by a predetermined process liquid while rotating the substrate, by use of a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle arranged such that the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle, and the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, the method comprising: causing the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel from a peripheral edge of the film to a center thereof or a center of the film to a peripheral edge thereof and to deliver the process liquid onto the film, thereby uniformizing thickness of the film, in accordance with the profile of the film;then causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to supply the process liquid onto the film, thereby further dissolving the film to a predetermined thickness while maintaining uniformity in film thickness; andthen causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to supply a rinsing liquid onto the film, thereby stopping the process liquid from dissolving the film.

20. The liquid processing method according to claim 15, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined by an angle of 15 to 75°.

21. The liquid processing method according to claim 19, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 0.2 to 2 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 20 to 200 mL/min.

22. The liquid processing method according to claim 19, wherein the second liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 3 to 5 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 300 to 2,000 mL/min.

23. The liquid processing method according to claim 19, wherein the substrate is rotated with a rotation number of 100 to 1,000 rpm.

24. A liquid processing method for dissolving a film, which has a profile defined by a thickness larger at a central portion than at a peripheral portion, on a substrate by a predetermined process liquid while rotating the substrate, by use of a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle arranged such that the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle, and the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, the method comprising: causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to be located at a center of the film and to deliver the process liquid onto the film, thereby dissolving the film by essentially the same thickness all over the film; andthen causing the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel from a peripheral edge of the film to a center thereof and to deliver a rinsing liquid onto the film, thereby sequentially stopping dissolution of the film and uniformizing thickness of the film, in accordance with the profile of the film.

25. The liquid processing method according to claim 24, wherein the method further comprises, after said uniformizing, causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to be located at a center of the substrate and to supply a rinsing liquid, thereby performing rinsing.

26. The liquid processing method according to claim 24, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined by an angle of 15 to 75°.

27. The liquid processing method according to claim 24, wherein the first liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 0.2 to 2 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 20 to 200 mL/min.

28. The liquid processing method according to claim 24, wherein the second liquid delivery nozzle has a diameter of 3 to 5 mm and provides a delivery flow rate of 300 to 2,000 mL/min.

29. The liquid processing method according to claim 24, wherein the substrate is rotated with a rotation number of 100 to 1,000 rpm.

30. A storage medium that stores a program for execution on a computer to control a liquid processing apparatus, wherein the program, when executed by the computer, controls the apparatus to perform a liquid processing method for dissolving a film on a substrate by a predetermined process liquid while rotating the substrate, by use of a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle arranged such that the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle, and the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, the method comprising: causing the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel in a radial direction of the substrate and to deliver the process liquid onto the film, thereby uniformizing thickness of the film; andthen causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to supply the process liquid onto the film, thereby further dissolving the film to a predetermined thickness while maintaining uniformity in film thickness.

31. A storage medium that stores a program for execution on a computer to control a liquid processing apparatus, wherein the program, when executed by the computer, controls the apparatus to perform a liquid processing method for dissolving a film, which has a profile defined by a thickness smaller at a central portion than at a peripheral portion, on a substrate by a predetermined process liquid while rotating the substrate, by use of a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle arranged such that the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle, and the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, the method comprising: causing the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel from a peripheral edge of the film to a center thereof or a center of the film to a peripheral edge thereof and to deliver the process liquid onto the film, thereby uniformizing thickness of the film, in accordance with the profile of the film;then causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to supply the process liquid onto the film, thereby further dissolving the film to a predetermined thickness while maintaining uniformity in film thickness; andthen causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to supply a rinsing liquid onto the film, thereby stopping the process liquid from dissolving the film.

32. A storage medium that stores a program for execution on a computer to control a liquid processing apparatus, wherein the program, when executed by the computer, controls the apparatus to perform a liquid processing method for dissolving a film, which has a profile defined by a thickness larger at a central portion than at a peripheral portion, on a substrate by a predetermined process liquid while rotating the substrate, by use of a first liquid delivery nozzle and a second liquid delivery nozzle arranged such that the first liquid delivery nozzle has a smaller diameter and provides a smaller delivery flow rate, as compared to the second liquid delivery nozzle, and the first liquid delivery nozzle is inclined to deliver the process liquid in a rotational direction of the substrate, the method comprising: causing the second liquid delivery nozzle to be located at a center of the film and to deliver the process liquid onto the film, thereby dissolving the film by essentially the same thickness all over the film; andthen causing the first liquid delivery nozzle to travel from a peripheral edge of the film to a center thereof and to deliver a rinsing liquid onto the film, thereby sequentially stopping dissolution of the film and uniformizing thickness of the film, in accordance with the profile of the film.