SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD

Abstract

Substrates having liquid films with preprocessing liquid on surfaces thereof in a preprocessing unit are transported to a freezing unit arranged separately from the preprocessing unit by a substrate transporting robot. In the freezing unit, the substrates are accommodated in a processing space in a processing chamber and the liquid films are frozen by decreasing the temperature of the processing space to a temperature below the freezing point of the preprocessing unit. Subsequently, the substrates subjected to the freezing process are transported from the freezing unit to a post-processing unit arranged separately from the freezing unit. In the post-processing unit, cleaning liquid is supplied to frozen films, whereby contaminants having adhesive forces to the substrate reduced by the freezing process can be easily removed together with the frozen film.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main control construction of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a construction of the preprocessing unit equipped in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a construction of the freezing unit equipped in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a construction of the post-processing unit equipped in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the preprocessing unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a modification of the post-processing unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another modification of the post-processing unit.

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view of the substrate holding guide equipped in the freezing unit.

FIG. 11 is a plan layout diagram of a substrate processing apparatus of a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a main control construction of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a construction of the wet processing unit equipped in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a construction of the freezing unit.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a cooling plate disposed in the freezing unit shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 11.

FIGS. 17A, 17B and 17C are diagrams showing the freezing process and an operation of unloading the substrate after the freezing process in the freezing unit shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a construction of a freezing unit equipped in a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a construction of a freezing unit equipped in a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a partial enlarged diagram of the boat equipped in the freezing unit shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a construction of a freezing unit equipped in a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a partial enlarged diagram of a boat equipped in the freezing unit shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a plan view of a susceptor.

FIGS. 24A, 24B and 24C are diagrams showing a freezing process and an operation of unloading the substrate after the freezing process in the freezing unit shown in FIG. 21.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus which cleans a substrate, comprising: a preprocessing unit which supplies preprocessing liquid to the substrate and forms a liquid film of the preprocessing liquid on a surface-to-be-processed of the substrate,a freezing unit which includes a processing chamber in which a processing space capable of accommodating the substrate is formed and freezes the liquid film formed on the surface-to-be-processed of the substrate by decreasing a temperature of the processing space to a temperature below the freezing point of the preprocessing liquid,a post-processing unit which supplies post-processing liquid to the liquid film after the freezing and removes the liquid film from the surface-to-be-processed of the substrate, anda transporting section which transports the substrate between the preprocessing unit and the freezing unit and between the freezing unit and the post-processing unit inside the apparatus out of the three processing units arranged separately from each other inside the apparatus.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the preprocessing unit includes a first processing tank which stores the preprocessing liquid, and an immersing and pulling-up section which collectively immerses a plurality of substrates into the preprocessing liquid stored in the first processing tank and then pulls up the plurality of substrates from the preprocessing liquid.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the preprocessing unit includes a first shower nozzle which showers the preprocessing liquid toward surfaces-to-be-processed of a plurality of substrates.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post-processing unit includes a second shower nozzle which showers the post-processing liquid toward surfaces-to-be-processed of a plurality of substrates.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the post-processing unit further includes a substrate holder which holds the plurality of substrates while separating them from each other, and a rotator which rotates the substrate holder.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post-processing unit includes: a second processing tank which stores the post-processing liquid;a post-processing liquid introducing section which introduces the post-processing liquid into the second processing tank;an immersing section which collectively immerses a plurality of substrates into the post-processing liquid stored in the second processing tank; anda bubble generator which generates bubbles in the post-processing liquid stored in the second processing tank, and whereinthe post-processing unit supplies the bubbles generated by the bubble generator toward surfaces-to-be-processed of the plurality of substrates immersed in the post-processing liquid.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bubble generator includes a gas supplier which supplies gas into the post-processing liquid stored in the second processing tank to let the gas bubble in the post-processing liquid.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bubble generator includes a gas dissolver which dissolves the gas supersaturatedly into the post-processing liquid introduced into the second processing tank by the post-processing liquid introducing section.

9. A substrate processing method for cleaning a substrate, comprising: a liquid film forming step of applying preprocessing liquid to a surface-to-be-processed of the substrate to form a liquid film of the preprocessing liquid in a preprocessing unit;a first transporting step of transporting the substrate on which the liquid film of the preprocessing liquid is formed to a freezing unit which is arranged separately from the preprocessing unit and which includes a processing chamber in which a processing space capable of accommodating the substrate is formed;a freezing step of freezing the liquid film by decreasing a temperature of the processing space to a temperature below the freezing point of the preprocessing liquid in the freezing unit;a second transporting step of transporting the substrate having the liquid film frozen in the freezing unit to a post-processing unit arranged separately from the freezing unit; anda film removal step of removing the frozen film by supplying post-processing liquid to the surface-to-be-processed of the substrate in the post-processing unit.

10. The substrate processing method of claim 9, wherein the preprocessing liquid is supplied simultaneously to a plurality of substrates to collectively form liquid films on surfaces-to-be-processed of the plurality of substrates in the liquid film forming step, andthe post-processing liquid is supplied simultaneously to the plurality of substrates to remove the liquid films after the freezing from the respective surfaces-to-be-processed of the plurality of substrates in the film removal step.

11. The substrate processing method of claim 9, wherein the substrate is transported from the preprocessing unit to the freezing unit before the liquid film formed on the surface-to-be-processed of the substrate dries in the first transporting step.

12. The substrate processing method of claim 9, wherein the substrate is transported from the freezing unit to the post-processing unit before the liquid film after the freezing melts in the second transporting step.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the freezing unit includes a holder which has a contact part that can be brought into contact with the substrate and holds the substrate by bringing the contact part and the substrate into contact with each other with the liquid film formed on the surface-to-be-processed of the substrate, and a freezer which freezes the liquid film, and whereinthe contact part is made of liquid-repellent material having a liquid-repellent property to the liquid.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the liquid forming the liquid film is water and the liquid-repellent material is fluororesin.