Patent Application
20050158478
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method which are suitable for processing a substrate with a plurality of liquids.
A process of embedding a metal (conductor) in interconnection trenches and contact holes (so-called damascene process) is being used as a process of forming interconnects on semiconductor substrates. This process is a process technology for embedding aluminum or, in recent years, a metal such as copper, silver or the like (interconnection material) in interconnection trenches and contact holes that have been formed in an interlevel dielectric, and thereafter removing excessive metal by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to produce a planarized surface. For example, as shown in
Heretofore, plating apparatus generally comprises a plurality of units including a unit for carrying out various plating processes, a unit for carrying out various preprocessing processes ancillary to the plating processes, and a unit for carrying out a cleaning process. There has been proposed a plating apparatus for carrying out the above various processes with a single unit, as a substitute for the above conventional plating apparatus.
However, if a plurality of processes (e.g., a chemical liquid process using a plating solution, a cleaning process using pure water, or a plurality of chemical liquid processes) are carried out by one unit, then the processing liquids used in the respective processes are mixed or diluted, and cannot be reused.
The present invention has been made in view of the above drawbacks. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method which are capable of preventing processing liquids from being mixed with each other even when a substrate is processed with a plurality of processing liquids in one apparatus.
To achieve the above object, an apparatus for processing a substrate according to the present invention has a first processing section bringing a processing liquid into contact with a surface to be processed of a substrate in such a state that the substrate held by a substrate head is inserted in a processing tank; a substrate lifting/lowering mechanism for vertically moving the substrate held by the substrate head; a cover for selectively opening and closing an opening of the processing tank; and a second processing section for bringing a processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate held by the substrate head, above the cover which has closed the opening of the processing tank.
With the above arrangement, while the opening of the processing tank of the first processing section is being closed by the cover, the substrate can be brought into contact with the other processing liquid by the second processing section. Therefore, when the substrate is brought into contact with the other processing liquid by the second processing section, the processing liquid used by the second processing section does not enter the processing tank, and hence is prevented from being mixed with the processing liquid in the processing tank. The apparatus is made compact because a plurality of substrate processing steps are carried out respectively within and above the processing tank.
For example, the first processing section is of a structure for storing the processing liquid in the processing tank and dipping the surface to be processed of the substrate in the processing liquid thereby to bring the processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate.
Preferably, the processing tank is adapted to eject and seal a gas therein.
The first processing section may be of a structure for bringing a processing liquid, which is ejected from a processing liquid ejecting section disposed in the processing tank, into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate.
The processing tank preferably has a processing liquid circulating system for retrieving the processing liquid which has been supplied to the processing tank and supplying the processing liquid to the processing tank. With the processing liquid circulating system, the liquid used by the second processing section is prevented from entering the processing tank, and the processing liquid in the processing tank can easily be circulated for reuse.
The substrate head is preferably of a structure for attracting a reverse side of the substrate to hold the substrate thereby to bring the processing liquid into contact with the entire surface to be processed of the substrate. Therefore, the entire surface to be processed of the substrate, including an edge of the substrate, can easily be processed.
Preferably, the substrate head is of a structure for attracting only a reverse side of the substrate to hold the substrate thereby to produce a uniform flow of the processing liquid to be brought into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate, and bring the processing liquid into uniform contact with the entire surface to be processed of the substrate, including an edge of the substrate. Therefore, the entire surface to be processed of the substrate, including an edge of the substrate, can uniformly be processed.
Preferably, the substrate head has a swinging mechanism for dipping the substrate held by the substrate head in the processing liquid in the processing tank while the substrate is being inclined a predetermined angle from a horizontal position. Since the substrate can be dipped in the processing liquid while being inclined a predetermined angle from a horizontal position, a gas such as air or the like is prevented from remaining on the surface to be processed of the substrate, and the surface to be processed of the substrate can uniformly be processed.
The apparatus should preferably further comprise an actuating mechanism for moving the cover between two positions including a retracted position in which the cover is positioned on a side of the processing tank and a closing position in which the cover is positioned above the processing tank and closes the opening of the processing tank. Since the cover is positioned only above the processing tank and on the side of the processing tank, the overall substrate processing apparatus is made compact.
Preferably, a processing liquid ejecting section is provided on an upper surface of the cover for bringing the processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate while the cover is closing the opening of the processing tank. With the processing liquid ejecting section (spraying nozzle) being provided as the second processing section integrally on the upper surface of the cover, the apparatus can be simplified.
A bank may be provided on an upper surface of the cover for preventing the processing liquid remaining on the upper surface of the cover from falling into the processing tank when the cover is opened from a state in which the cover closes the opening of the processing tank. The bank is effective in reliably preventing the liquid used to process the substrate with the second processing section from flowing into the processing tank.
The cover may have an upper surface having a slanted shape or a conical shape for allowing the processing liquid on the upper surface of the cover to flow down while the cover is closing the opening of the processing tank. The upper surface thus shaped of the cover is effective in reliably preventing the liquid used to process the substrate with the second processing section from flowing into the processing tank.
The apparatus may further comprise a wiper, a vibrator, or a cover rotating mechanism for removing the processing liquid which remains on an upper surface of said cover. The wiper, the vibrator, or the cover rotating mechanism is effective in reliably preventing the liquid used to process the substrate with the second processing section from flowing into the processing tank.
Preferably, the processing tank has on an upper portion thereof a slanted wall having an outside diameter which is progressively smaller in an upward direction, such that an outer wall at an upper end of the opening of said processing tank is positioned inwardly of an inner wall of said cover which covers the upper end of the opening. The slanted wall is effective in reliably preventing the liquid used to process the substrate with the second processing section from flowing into the processing tank.
A method of processing a substrate according to the present invention, comprises: bringing a processing liquid into contact with a surface to be processed of a substrate in such a state that the substrate held by a substrate head is inserted in a processing tank; closing an opening of the processing tank with a cover in such a state that the substrate held by the substrate is lifted above the processing tank; and bringing a processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate held by the substrate head, above the cover which has closed the opening of the processing tank.
The bringing the processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate in the processing tank comprises the steps of storing the processing liquid in the processing tank and dipping the surface to be processed of the substrate in the processing liquid.
Preferably, the method further comprises the filling the processing tank with an inactive gas when the opening of the processing tank is closed by the cover, thereby protecting the processing liquid in the processing tank.
The bringing the processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate in the processing tank alternatively comprises the step of ejecting a processing liquid ejected from a processing liquid ejecting section disposed in the processing tank into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate.
The method should preferably further comprise retrieving the processing liquid which has been supplied to the processing tank and supplying the processing liquid to the processing tank.
The substrate head preferably attracts a reverse side of the substrate to hold the substrate.
Preferably, the substrate head attracts only a reverse side of the substrate to hold the substrate thereby to produce a uniform flow of the processing liquid to be brought into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate, and bring the processing liquid into uniform contact with the entire surface to be processed of the substrate, including an edge of the substrate.
Preferably, the uniform flow of the processing liquid discharges, from the surface to be processed, air bubbles flowing onto the surface to be processed of the substrate or air bubbles generated when the processing liquid is brought into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate.
The dipping the surface to be processed of the substrate in the processing liquid should preferably comprise the step of dipping the surface to be processed of the substrate in the processing liquid in the processing tank while said substrate is being tilted.
Preferably, the opening of the processing tank is selectively opened and closed by the cover by moving the cover between two positions including a retracted position in which the cover is positioned on a side of the processing tank and a closing position in which the cover is positioned above the processing tank and closes the opening of the processing tank.
The bringing the processing liquid into contact with the surface to be processed of the substrate above the cover may comprise the step of ejecting a processing liquid ejected from a processing liquid ejecting section mounted on an upper surface of said cover to the substrate.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
The processing tank 10 comprises a processing tank body 13 for holding the plating solution Q therein, an outer circumferential groove 15 defined in an outer circumferential portion of the upper end of the processing tank body 13 for retrieving the plating solution Q which has overflowed the processing tank body 13, and a tubular hood 17 projecting upwardly in surrounding relation to the outer circumferential side of the outer circumferential groove 15. The tubular hood 17 has on its upper edge a slanted wall 19 whose outer diameter is progressively reduced in the upward direction. The processing tank body 13 has a plating solution supply port 21 defined centrally in the bottom thereof. A rinsing nozzle 23 is mounted on the tubular hood 17 for ejecting a shot of cleaning liquid (pure water) from an inner sidewall of the tubular hood 17 toward the opening 11.
The processing liquid circulating system 150 is adapted to return the plating solution Q that has overflowed the processing tank 10 into the outer circumferential groove 15 back to a supply tank 151 through a pipe, and supply the plating solution held in the supply tank 15 to the plating solution supply port 21 of the processing tank body 13 with a pump P, thereby circulating the plating solution Q. The supply tank 151 houses therein a heater 153 for keeping the plating solution Q to be supplied to the processing tank 10 at a predetermined temperature.
The cover 40 is composed of a plate member having such a size as to cover the opening 11 of the processing tank 10. The cover 40 has a substantially circular upper panel 41, a side panel 43 surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the upper panel 41, and a slanted panel 42 (see
The spraying nozzle (processing liquid ejecting section) 60 comprises a plurality of (five) upwardly oriented nozzles 63 mounted in an array on a single bar-shaped mount block 61 attached centrally to the upper surface of the cover 40. The nozzles 63 spray, in this embodiment, the cleaning liquid (pure water) directly upwardly. The mount block 61 has corners (on sides and vertexes thereof) rounded off to prevent the pure water or another liquid from remaining on the spraying nozzle 60 when the cover 40 is turned.
Referring back to
The substrate holder actuating section 100 has therein a substrate rotating motor 101 for rotating the suction head 89 and a substrate receiver moving cylinder 103 for moving the substrate receiver 83 to predetermined vertical positions (at least three vertical positions). The suction head 89 is rotated by the substrate rotating motor 101, and the substrate receiver 83 is vertically moved by the substrate receiver moving cylinder 103. The suction head 89 is rotated, but not moved vertically, and the substrate receiver 83 is moved vertically, but not rotated.
Operation of the substrate head 80 will be described below. As shown in
Overall operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described below. In
After the electroless plating (first process) has been carried out onto the surface (lower surface) to be processed of the substrate W for a predetermined period of time, as described above, the lifting/lowering mechanism 131 (see
Then, the actuating mechanism 70 is actuated to turn the cover 40 to cover the opening 11 of the processing tank 10 with the cover 40, as shown in
As shown in
In the above embodiment, the substrate is subjected to electroless plating in the plating solution Q stored in the processing tank 10. However, an anode may be disposed in the processing tank 10 and a cathode electrode may be connected to the substrate W for electroplating on the surface to be processed of the substrate W. The substrate processing apparatus 1 may be used not as a plating apparatus, but as a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a chemical liquid (e.g., for preprocessing before plating or postprocessing after plating). The process of processing the substrate W with the spraying nozzle (processing liquid ejecting section, second processing section) 60 is not limited to a process of cleaning a substrate with a cleaning liquid, but may be any of various processes of processing a substrate with chemical liquids.
[Substrate Processing Mechanism Using the Substrate Processing Apparatus 1]
First, the transfer section 401 takes out a substrate W from the loading unit 400a, and transfers the substrate W to the reversing machine 407. The reversing machine 407 reverses the substrate W, which is then placed on the temporary placing table 410 by the transfer section 401. The substrate W on the temporary placing table 410 is transferred to the substrate preprocessing apparatus 419 by the transfer section 403. The substrate preprocessing apparatus 419 processes the surface to be processed of the substrate W with a chemical liquid (e.g., dilute sulfuric acid), and cleans the processed substrate W with a cleaning liquid.
The cleaned substrate W is then transferred by the transfer section 405 to one of the substrate preprocessing apparatus 421, 423, which processes the surface S to be processed of the substrate W with a chemical liquid (e.g., palladium acetate), and thereafter cleans the processed substrate W with a cleaning liquid. The cleaned substrate W is then transferred by the transfer section 405 to one of the substrate preprocessing apparatus 425, 427, which processes the surface S to be processed of the substrate W with a chemical liquid (e.g., citrate), and thereafter cleans the processed substrate W with a cleaning liquid.
The cleaned substrate w is then transferred by the transfer section 405 to one of the electroless plating apparatus 429, 431, which effects electroless plating (cap plating) onto the substrate W and cleans the substrate W. The cleaned substrate W is transferred to the reversing machine 409 by the transfer section. 405, which reverses the substrate. The reversed substrate W is transferred by the transfer section 403 to one of the cleaning units 417, 415; which cleans the substrate W with a roll brush. The cleaned substrate W is transferred by the transfer section 403 to one of the drying unit 413, 411, which cleans and then spin-dries the substrate W. The substrate W is then transferred to the unloading unit 400b by the transfer section 401.
The substrate processing apparatus 1 may also be used as each of the substrate preprocessing apparatus 419, 421, 423, 425, 427.
The substrate processing mechanism operates as follows: The substrate transfer mechanism transfers a semiconductor substrate W on which an interconnection film has not yet been formed from a substrate cassette 601-1 placed in the loading unit 601 to the copper plating chamber 602. In the copper plating chamber 602, a plated copper film is formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate W having an interconnection region composed of an interconnection trench and an interconnection hole (contact hole).
After the plated copper film is formed on the semiconductor substrate W in the copper plating chamber 602, the semiconductor substrate W is transferred to one of the water cleaning chambers 603, 604 by the substrate transfer mechanism and cleaned by water in one of the water cleaning chambers 603, 604. The cleaned semiconductor substrate W is transferred to the CMP unit 605 by the substrate transfer mechanism. The CMP unit 605 removes the unwanted plated copper film from the surface of the semiconductor substrate W, leaving a portion of the plated copper film in the interconnection trench and the interconnection hole.
Then, the semiconductor substrate W with the remaining plated copper film in the interconnection trench and the interconnection hole is transferred to one of the water cleaning chambers 606, 607 by the substrate transfer mechanism and cleaned by water in one of the water cleaning chambers 606, 607. The cleaned semiconductor substrate W is then dried in the drying chamber 608, after which the dried semiconductor substrate W with the remaining plated copper film serving as an interconnection film is placed into a substrate cassette 609-1 in the unloading unit 609.
In this example, an electroless Ni—B plating apparatus can be used as the barrier layer forming unit 811, an electroless copper plating apparatus as the seed layer forming unit 812, and an electroplating apparatus as the plating unit 813.
Then, the semiconductor substrate is transferred to the barrier layer forming unit 811 by the first robot 831. The barrier layer forming unit 811 is such an apparatus for forming a barrier layer on the semiconductor substrate by electroless Ni—B plating, and the barrier layer forming unit 811 forms a Ni—B film as a film for preventing copper from diffusing into an interlayer insulator film (e.g. SiO2) of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor substrate discharged after cleaning and drying steps is transferred by the first robot 831 to the first aligner and film thickness measuring instrument 841, where the film thickness of the semiconductor substrate, i.e., the film thickness of the barrier layer is measured.
The semiconductor substrate after film thickness measurement is carried into the seed layer forming unit 812 by the second robot 832, and a seed layer is formed on the barrier layer by electroless copper plating. The semiconductor substrate discharged after cleaning and drying steps is transferred by the second robot 832 to the second aligner and film thickness measuring instrument 842 for determination of a notch position, before the semiconductor substrate is transferred to the plating unit 813, and then notch alignment for copper plating is performed by the film thickness measuring instrument 842. If necessary, the film thickness of the semiconductor substrate before formation of a copper film may be measured again in the film thickness measuring instrument 842.
The semiconductor substrate which has completed notch alignment is transferred by the third robot 833 to the plating unit 813 where copper plating is applied to the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate discharged after cleaning and drying steps is transferred by the third robot 833 to the bevel and backside cleaning unit 816 where an unnecessary copper film (seed layer) at a peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate is removed. In the bevel and backside cleaning unit 816, the bevel is etched in a preset time, and copper adhering to the backside of the semiconductor substrate is cleaned with a chemical liquid such as hydrofluoric acid. At this time, before transferring the semiconductor substrate to the bevel and backside cleaning unit 816, film thickness measurement of the semiconductor substrate may be made by the second aligner and film thickness measuring instrument 842 to obtain the thickness value of the copper film formed by plating, and based on the obtained results, the bevel etching time may be changed arbitrarily to carry out etching. The region etched by bevel etching is a region which corresponds to a peripheral edge portion of the substrate and has no circuit formed therein, or a region which is not utilized finally as a chip although a circuit is formed. A bevel portion is included in this region.
The semiconductor substrate discharged after cleaning and drying steps in the bevel and backside cleaning unit 816 is transferred by the third robot 833 to the substrate reversing machine 843. After the semiconductor substrate is turned over by the substrate reversing machine 843 to cause the plated surface to be directed downward, the semiconductor substrate is introduced into the annealing unit 814 by the fourth robot 834 for thereby stabilizing a interconnection portion. Before and/or after annealing treatment, the semiconductor substrate is carried into the second aligner and film thickness measuring instrument 842 where the film thickness of a copper film formed on the semiconductor substrate is measured. Then, the semiconductor substrate is carried by the fourth robot 834 into the first polishing apparatus 821 in which the copper film and the seed layer of the semiconductor substrate are polished.
At this time, desired abrasive grains or the like are used, but fixed abrasive may be used in order to prevent dishing and enhance flatness of the surface. After completion of primary polishing, the semiconductor substrate is transferred by the fourth robot 834 to the first cleaning unit 815 where it is cleaned. This cleaning is scrub-cleaning in which rolls having substantially the same length as the diameter of the semiconductor substrate are placed on the face and the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate and the rolls are rotated, while pure water or deionized water is flowed, thereby performing cleaning of the semiconductor substrate.
After completion of the primary cleaning, the semiconductor substrate is transferred by the fourth robot 834 to the second polishing apparatus 822 where the barrier layer on the semiconductor substrate is polished. At this time, desired abrasive grains or the like are used, but fixed abrasive may be used in order to prevent dishing and enhance flatness of the surface. After completion of secondary polishing, the semiconductor substrate is transferred by the fourth robot 834 again to the first cleaning unit 815 where scrub-cleaning is performed. After completion of cleaning, the semiconductor substrate is transferred by the fourth robot 834 to the second substrate reversing machine 844 where the semiconductor substrate is reversed to cause the plated surface to be directed upward, and then the semiconductor substrate is placed on the substrate temporary placing table 845 by the third robot 833.
The semiconductor substrate is transferred by the second robot 832 from the substrate temporary placing table 845 to the cap plating unit 817 where Ni—B plating is applied onto the copper surface with the aim of preventing oxidation of copper due to the atmosphere. The semiconductor substrate to which cap plating has been applied is carried by the second robot 832 from the cap plating unit 817 to the third film thickness measuring instrument 846 where the thickness of the copper film is measured. Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate is carried by the first robot 831 into the second cleaning unit 818 where it is cleaned with pure water or deionized water. The semiconductor substrate after completion of cleaning is returned into the cassette 820a placed on the loading/unloading section 820.
The aligner and film thickness measuring instrument 841 and the aligner and film thickness measuring instrument 842 perform positioning of the notch portion of the substrate and measurement of the film thickness.
The bevel and backside cleaning unit 816 can perform an edge (bevel) copper etching and a backside cleaning at the same time, and can suppress growth of a natural oxide film of copper at the circuit formation portion on the surface of the substrate.
The width of movement L of the edge nozzle 926 is set such that the edge nozzle 926 can be arbitrarily positioned in a direction toward the center from the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate, and a set value for L is inputted according to the size, usage, or the like of the substrate W. Normally, an edge cut width C is set in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm. In the case where a rotational speed of the substrate is a certain value or higher at which the amount of liquid migration from the backside to the face is not problematic, the copper film within the edge cut width C can be removed.
Next, the method of cleaning with this bevel and backside cleaning unit will be described. First, the semiconductor substrate W is horizontally rotated integrally with the substrate holder 922, with the substrate being held horizontally by the spin chucks 921 of the substrate holder 922. In this state, an acid solution is supplied from the center nozzle 924 to the central portion of the face of the substrate W. The acid solution may be a non-oxidizing acid, and hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, or the like is used. On the other hand, an oxidizing agent solution is supplied continuously or intermittently from the edge nozzle 926 to the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W. As the oxidizing agent solution, one of an aqueous solution of ozone, an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, an aqueous solution of nitric acid, and an aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite is used, or a combination of these is used.
In this manner, the copper film, or the like formed on the upper surface and end surface in the region of the peripheral edge portion of the semiconductor substrate W is rapidly oxidized with the oxidizing agent solution, and is simultaneously etched with the acid solution supplied from the center nozzle 924 and spread on the entire face of the substrate, whereby it is dissolved and removed. By mixing the acid solution and the oxidizing agent solution at the peripheral edge portion of the substrate, a steep etching profile can be obtained, in comparison with a mixture of them which is produced in advance being supplied. At this time, the copper etching rate is determined by their concentrations. If a natural oxide film of copper is formed in the circuit-formed portion on the surface of the substrate, this natural oxide is immediately removed by the acid solution spreading on the entire surface of the substrate according to rotation of the substrate, and does not grow any more. After the supply of the acid solution from the center nozzle 924 is stopped, the supply of the oxidizing agent solution from the edge nozzle 926 is stopped. As a result, silicon exposed on the surface is oxidized, and deposition of copper can be suppressed.
On the other hand, an oxidizing agent solution and a silicon oxide film etching agent are supplied simultaneously or alternately from the back nozzle 928 to the central portion of the backside of the substrate. Therefore, copper or the like adhering in a metal form to the backside of the semiconductor substrate W can be oxidized with the oxidizing agent solution, together with silicon of the substrate, and can be etched and removed with the silicon oxide film etching agent. This oxidizing agent solution is preferably the same as the oxidizing agent solution supplied to the surface, because the types of chemicals are decreased in number. Hydrofluoric acid can be used as the silicon oxide film etching agent, and if hydrofluoric acid is used as the acid solution on the surface of the substrate, the types of chemicals can be decreased in number. Thus, if the supply of the oxidizing agent is stopped first, a hydrophobic surface is obtained. If the etching agent solution is stopped first, a water-saturated surface (a hydrophilic surface) is obtained, and thus the backside surface can be adjusted to a condition which will satisfy the requirements of a subsequent process.
In this manner, the acid solution, i.e., etching solution is supplied to the substrate to remove metal ions remaining on the surface of the substrate W. Then, pure water is supplied to replace the etching solution with pure water and remove the etching solution, and then the substrate is dried by spin-drying. In this way, removal of the copper film in the edge cut width C at the peripheral edge portion on the face of the semiconductor substrate, and removal of copper contaminants on the backside are performed simultaneously to thus allow this treatment to be completed, for example, within 80 seconds. The etching cut width of the edge can be set arbitrarily (from 2 to 5 mm), but the time required for etching does not depend on the cut width.
Annealing treatment performed before the CMP process and after plating has a favorable effect on the subsequent CMP treatment and on the electrical characteristics of interconnection. Observation of the surface of broad interconnection (unit of several micrometers) after the CMP treatment without annealing showed many defects such as microvoids, which resulted in an increase in the electrical resistance of the entire interconnection. Execution of annealing ameliorated the increase in the electrical resistance. In the presence of annealing, thin interconnection showed no voids. Thus, the degree of grain growth is presumed to be involved in these phenomena. That is, the following mechanism can be speculated: Grain growth is difficult to occur in thin interconnection. In broad interconnection, on the other hand, grain growth proceeds in accordance with annealing treatment. During the process of grain growth, ultra-fine pores in the plated film, which are too small to be seen by the SEM (scanning electron microscope), gather and move upward, thus forming microvoid-like depressions in the upper part of the interconnection. The annealing conditions in the annealing unit 814 are such that hydrogen (2% or less) is added in a gas atmosphere, the temperature is in the range of 300° C. to 400° C., and the time is in the range of 1 to 5 minutes. Under these conditions, the above effects were obtained.
The gas introduction pipe 1010 is connected to a mixed gas introduction line 1022 which in turn is connected to a mixer 1020 where a N2 gas introduced through a N2 gas introduction line 1016 containing a filter 1014a, and a H2 gas introduced through a H2 gas introduction line 1018 containing a filter 1014b, are mixed to form a mixed gas which flows through the line 1022 into the gas introduction pipe 1010.
In operation, the semiconductor substrate W, which has been carried in the chamber 1002 through the gate 1000, is held on the elevating pins 1008 and the elevating pins 1008 are raised up to a position at which the distance between the semiconductor substrate W held on the lifting pins 1008 and the hot plate 1004 becomes e.g. 0.1-1.0 mm. In this state, the semiconductor substrate W is then heated to e.g. 400° C. through the hot plate 1004 and, at the same time, the antioxidant gas is introduced from the gas introduction pipe 1010 and the gas is allowed to flow between the semiconductor substrate W and the hot plate 1004 while the gas is discharged from the gas discharge pipe 1012, thereby annealing the semiconductor substrate W while preventing its oxidation. The annealing treatment may be completed in about several tens of seconds to 60 seconds. The heating temperature of the substrate may be selected in the range of 100-600° C.
After completion of the annealing, the elevating pins 1008 are lowered down to a position at which the distance between the semiconductor substrate W held on the elevating pins 1008 and the cool plate 1006 becomes e.g. 0-0.5 mm. In this state, by introducing a cooling water into the cool plate 1006, the semiconductor substrate W is cooled by the cool plate to a temperature of 100° C. or lower in e.g. 10-60 seconds. The cooled semiconductor substrate is sent to the next step.
A mixed gas of N2 gas with several % of H2 gas is used as the above antioxidant gas. However, N2 gas may be used singly.
The annealing unit may be placed in the electroplating apparatus.
[Another Substrate Processing Apparatus 1-2]
The spraying nozzle 30 of the substrate processing apparatus 1-2 may be disposed in the processing tank body 13, which holds the plating solution Q, of the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in
As with the substrate processing apparatus 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1-2 may be used not as a plating apparatus, but as a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a chemical liquid (e.g., for preprocessing before plating or postprocessing after plating). The process of processing the substrate W with the spraying nozzle 60 is not limited to a process of cleaning a substrate with a cleaning liquid, but may be any of various processes of processing a substrate with chemical liquids.
The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but various modifications may be made within the scope of claims for patent, and the scope of the technical concept described in the specification and drawings. Any configurations, structures, and materials which are not directly described in the specification and drawings fall within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention insofar as they exhibit operation and advantages of the present invention.
For example, although the cover 40 is turned by the actuating mechanism 70 in the above embodiments, the cover 40 may be of such a structure that it can be moved to two positions, i.e., a position in which it closes the opening 11 of the processing tank 10, and another position. For example, the cover 40 may be of such a structure that it can be translated, rather than turned.
In the above embodiments, the spraying nozzle 60 mounted on the upper surface of the cover 40 is employed as the second processing section. However, the spraying nozzle 60 may be installed on another member other than the upper surface of the cover 40 (e.g., an outer cover surrounding the substrate processing apparatus 1). The spraying nozzle 60 mounted on the cover 40 is suitable for reducing the size of the substrate processing apparatus 1.
According to the present invention, as described in detail above, even if a substrate is processed by a plurality of processing liquids within one apparatus, the processing liquids are prevented from being mixed with each other, and an installation area for the apparatus may be reduced in size and the cost of the apparatus may be lowered.
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method which are suitable for processing a substrate with a plurality of liquids.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-165213 | Jun 2002 | JP | national |
| 2002-332697 | Nov 2002 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP03/06822 | 5/30/2003 | WO |
