JPH0786132A - Circular substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To supply the developing solution to the entire surface of the wafer and prevent the developing solution from spilling from the wafer. [Structure] The substrate developing apparatus is an apparatus that supplies a developing solution to the surface of the wafer 3 to develop the wafer 3. This device
It is provided with a substrate holding part, a nozzle part 7, and a drive motor.
The substrate holder holds the wafer 3 horizontally. Nozzle part 7
Is a slit nozzle 20 extending along the surface of the wafer 3.
And a pair of flat surface portions 24 arranged on the extension lines at both ends of the slit nozzle 20, and discharges the developing solution onto the substrate. The drive motor rotates the substrate holding unit together with the wafer 3. Here, the diameter of the circular substrate is D, the opening length of the nozzle portion is d, and the length of each flat surface portion is α.
When 1 and α2 are satisfied, the following conditions are satisfied. d <D and d + α1 + α2 ≧ D

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly to
The present invention relates to a circular substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to the surface of a circular substrate to process the circular substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a semiconductor manufacturing process, a photoetching process is repeatedly performed on a wafer.
In the photo etching process, a photoresist is applied to the wafer by a spin coater or the like, and the applied wafer is exposed with a predetermined pattern. The wafer on which the pattern is exposed is developed with an alkali developing solution by a substrate developing device (an example of a circular substrate processing device), and the photoresist in the exposed portion is removed, for example.

Conventionally, as this type of substrate developing apparatus, there is known one having a substrate holding portion for rotating and holding a wafer, and a liquid supply nozzle for supplying a developing solution to the held wafer (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5). -55133, JP-A-5-1332.
No. 0). The liquid supply nozzle has a rectangular container-shaped developer storage portion and a large number of pores provided on the bottom surface of the developer storage portion and discharging the developer in the developer storage portion onto the wafer.

In this substrate processing apparatus, the liquid supply nozzles are arranged in parallel on the wafer, and the distance from the wafer is 0.1 to 0.1.
It is set to be about 1.5 mm. In this state, the developing solution is supplied from the liquid supply nozzle, and the wafer is rotated about half the time to apply the processing solution to the entire surface of the wafer.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the above conventional configuration,
In order to apply the processing liquid to the entire surface of the wafer, it is necessary to make the array length (nozzle opening length) of a large number of pores of the liquid supply nozzle substantially equal to the diameter of the wafer. However, when the nozzle opening length of the liquid supply nozzle is substantially the same as the diameter of the wafer, the following problems occur. (1) Since the wafer is rotated half a turn when the developing solution is supplied, the developing solution supplied to the outer peripheral edge of the wafer by the liquid supply nozzle spills from the outer peripheral portion of the wafer due to the centrifugal force. (2) When the wafer is held by the substrate holder with the center of the wafer and the center of rotation of the substrate holder being slightly displaced, the wafer is eccentrically rotated, so that the outer portion of the liquid supply nozzle should not protrude from the wafer. And the developer spills from the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. (3) In the case of a wafer having an orientation flat, the locus diameter at the midpoint of the orientation flat is smaller than the diameter of the wafer. Therefore, when the liquid supply nozzle is arranged on the orientation flat, the outer portion of the liquid supply nozzle protrudes from the wafer, and the developer spills from the orientation flat.

When the developing solution spills in this manner, the processing solution is wasted, and the processing solution flows around the back surface of the substrate to contaminate the back surface of the substrate. An object of the present invention is to be able to supply a processing liquid to the entire surface of a circular substrate and prevent the processing liquid from spilling over the circular substrate.

[0007]

A circular substrate processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for processing a circular substrate by supplying a processing liquid to the surface of the circular substrate. This apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a processing liquid supply part, and a relative rotation means. The substrate holder can hold a circular substrate horizontally. The treatment liquid supply unit has a nozzle portion extending along the surface of the circular substrate and a pair of flat surface portions arranged on the extension lines at both ends of the nozzle portion, and discharges the treatment liquid onto the substrate. To do. The relative rotation means relatively rotates the processing liquid supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit. Here, when the diameter of the circular substrate is D, the opening length of the nozzle portion is d, and the lengths of the flat surface portions are α1 and α2, the following conditions are satisfied.

D <D and d + α1 + α2 ≧ D The circular substrate processing apparatus according to the second invention has the same structure as that of the first invention. Here, the diameter of the circular substrate is D,
The opening length of the nozzle part is d, and the length of each flat surface part is α1, α
2. When the amount of eccentricity when the circular substrate is rotated is e, the following conditions are satisfied. d <D-2e and d + α1 + α2 ≧ D + 2e A circular substrate processing apparatus according to a third invention is an apparatus for processing a circular substrate by supplying a processing liquid to the surface of a circular substrate having an orientation flat, and the first invention. It has the same configuration as. Here, the diameter of the circular substrate is D, the opening length of the nozzle portion is d, and the length of each flat surface portion is α1, α
2. Orbital radius at the midpoint of the orientation flat is r
When A is set, the following conditions are satisfied.

D <2rA and d + α1 + α2 ≧ (D / 2) + rA

[0010]

In the circular substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the substrate holder holds the circular substrate horizontally. Then, the processing liquid supply unit discharges the processing liquid from the nozzle unit onto the held circular substrate. The processing liquid discharged from the nozzle portion spreads outside the nozzle portion due to the capillary phenomenon that occurs in the flat surface portion.

In this case, since the opening length d of the nozzle portion is smaller than the diameter D of the circular substrate, the nozzle portion is not arranged outside the circular substrate. Therefore, the discharged processing liquid is unlikely to spill from the circular substrate. Further, a pair of flat surface portions is provided at both ends of the nozzle portion, and the sum of the opening length of the nozzle portion and the length of the flat surface portions at both ends is larger than the diameter of the substrate. Supplied. Therefore, the treatment liquid can be applied to the entire surface of the circular substrate, and the spillage of the treatment liquid from the circular substrate can be prevented.

In the circular substrate processing apparatus according to the second invention,
Since the opening length of the nozzle portion is smaller than the diameter of the substrate minus twice the amount of eccentricity, even if the circular substrate is eccentrically rotated during rotation, the nozzle portion is not dislocated from the circular substrate.
Therefore, the discharged developing solution is unlikely to spill from the substrate. Further, the value obtained by adding the opening length and the lengths of the flat surface portions at both ends is larger than the value obtained by adding the diameter of the substrate and the amount of eccentricity doubled, so that the processing liquid can be supplied over the entire surface of the substrate. Therefore, the processing liquid can be supplied to the entire surface of the substrate, and the processing liquid can be prevented from spilling from the circular substrate.

In the substrate developing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, even if the circular substrate has an orientation flat,
Since the opening length of the nozzle portion is twice the orbital radius at the midpoint of the orientation flat, that is, shorter than the orbital diameter, the nozzle portion is not located outside the orientation flat. Therefore, the discharged processing liquid is unlikely to spill from the circular substrate. Further, since the value obtained by adding the opening length of the nozzle portion and the length of each flat surface portion is longer than the value obtained by adding the radius of the circular substrate and the orbital radius, the processing liquid can be supplied over the entire surface of the substrate. Therefore, the processing liquid can be supplied to the entire surface of the circular substrate,
Moreover, it is possible to prevent the processing liquid from spilling on the circular substrate.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, a substrate developing apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention comprises a developing processing section 1 and a developing solution pressure feeding section 2. The development processing unit 1 includes a substrate holding unit 4 capable of sucking and holding a circular wafer 3 with a vacuum chuck, and a substrate holding unit 4
And a developing solution supply section 5 for piling up a developing solution on the wafer 3 held by. The substrate holding unit 4 can be rotated in two stages of high speed and low speed by the drive motor 8. A cup 6 is arranged around the substrate holder 4 to prevent the developer and the rinse liquid (pure water) from scattering during rotation.

The developing solution supply section 5 has a nozzle section 7 which can be arranged along the upper surface of the wafer 3. The nozzle part 7 is
It is supported by a support arm (not shown) so that it can move up and down and can advance and retreat between a retracted position where it is retracted from the wafer 3 and a developing position which is disposed so as to face the wafer 3. Nozzle part 7
As shown in FIG. 2, is a member having a tapered lower portion.
The nozzle portion 7 is vertically attached to the support arm. A slit nozzle 20 that opens downward is formed in the nozzle portion 7. In the middle of the slit nozzle 20, a pair of upper and lower liquid reservoirs 21 and 22 are arranged. The liquid reservoirs 21 and 22 are connected to the developer supply pipe 1
This is for uniformly diffusing the developer supplied from 6 (described later) in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle portion 7 (depth direction in FIG. 2).

The length of the nozzle portion 7 in the longitudinal direction is longer than the diameter D of the wafer 3, as shown in FIGS. Further, when the eccentric amount when the wafer 3 and the substrate holding part 4 are mounted can be ignored, the opening length d of the slit nozzle 20 is smaller than the diameter D of the wafer 3 (d <D). Slit nozzle 20
A pair of flat surface portions 24 are arranged on both outer extension lines at both ends of the. Length α of each flat surface portion 24
1 and α2 are, for example, about 2 mm, and the sum of the opening length d and the lengths α1 and α2 of both flat surface portions 24 (d + α1 + α).
2) is the diameter D of the substrate or more (d + α1 + α2 ≧
D). An arc portion 25 is arranged between the flat surface portion 24 and the side surface 26 of the nozzle portion 7, and these are smoothly connected. The radius R of the arc portion 25 is, for example, 5 to 10 mm.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 5, when the center O1 of the wafer 3 and the rotation center O2 of the substrate holding part 4 are largely deviated from each other and the eccentricity e between the wafer 3 and the substrate holding part 4 cannot be ignored. , The slit nozzle 20 is arranged on the line segment connecting the points A and B, and the opening length d thereof is smaller than a value (D−2e) obtained by subtracting twice the eccentric amount e from the diameter D ( d <
D-2e). Further, the sum (d + α1 + α2) of the opening length d and the lengths α1 and α2 of both flat surface portions 24 is equal to or more than the sum (D + 2e) of the diameter D and the value (2e) which is twice the eccentricity (d + α1 + α2 ≧ D + 2e).

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the wafer 3 has an orientation flat OF,
The opening length d is smaller than a value (2rA) which is twice the orbital radius rA of the midpoint C of the orientation flat OF (d
<2rA). The sum (d + α1 + α2) of the opening length d and the lengths α1 and α2 of both flat surface portions 24 is the sum of the radius (D / 2) of the wafer 3 and the orbital radius rA ((D / 2) + r.
A) or more (d + α1 + α2 ≧ (D / 2) + r
A).

Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
When the amount of eccentricity between the substrate holding portion 4 and the substrate cannot be ignored and the wafer 3 has the orientation flat OF, the opening length d is twice the orbit radius rA and twice the eccentric amount. Value less than (2rA-2e) (d
<2rA-2e). Further, the opening length d and both flat surface portions 24
The sum of the lengths α1 and α2 (d + α1 + α2) is the sum (D) of the diameter D of the wafer 3 and twice the eccentric amount (2e).
+ 2e) or more (d + α1 + α2 ≧ D + 2e).

Here, the flat surface portion 24 is provided in order to spread the developer flowing out from the slit nozzle 20 outward in the radial direction by the capillary phenomenon in the gap between the wafer 3 and the flat surface portion 24. Therefore, even if the opening length d of the slit nozzle 20 satisfies the above condition and is shorter than the diameter D of the wafer 3, the developing solution can be uniformly applied to the entire surface of the wafer 3.
Further, since the circular arc portion 25 is provided so as to be continuous with the flat surface portion 24, as shown in FIG. 3, the developer does not sneak on both sides of the nozzle portion 7 and drops that cause dripping are formed on both end portions of the nozzle portion 7. Hard to form.

By satisfying the above conditions, the slit nozzle 20 is always arranged on the wafer 3 and does not protrude from the wafer 3. As a result, the developer discharged from the slit nozzle 20 is unlikely to spill from the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 3. In addition, since the value obtained by adding the opening length and the length of the flat surface portion 24 satisfies the above condition, even when a wafer having an eccentricity or an orientation flat is processed, the distance between both flat surface portions 24 must be ensured. Since the wafer 3 can be arranged, the developing solution can be uniformly applied to the entire surface of the wafer 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the developing solution pressure-feeding section 2 has a pressure tank 11 for accommodating a poly tank 12 storing a developing solution and hermetically sealing the inside. A pressure pipe 13 is opened at the top of the pressure tank 11. A supply / discharge three-way valve 14 and a regulator 15 are arranged in this order in the middle of the pressurizing pipe 13. In the pressure pipe 13,
Pressurized nitrogen gas is supplied from a nitrogen gas source (not shown). The three-way valve 14 supplies / exhausts nitrogen gas. Further, a developer supply pipe 16 reaches near the bottom surface of the plastic tank 12. A flow meter 17 and a developer supply valve 18 are arranged in the developer supply pipe 16. The developing solution supply pipe 16 is connected to the nozzle portion 7.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. When the wafer 3 is placed on the substrate holding unit 4, the tip of the nozzle unit 7 is placed at the developing position including the center point of the wafer 3 by the arm. Next, with the three-way valve 14 switched in advance to the supply side, the developer supply valve 18 is opened to open the plastic tank 12
To supply the developing solution to the nozzle portion 7. Then, the substrate holding part 4 is rotated at a low speed by half rotation to fill the substrate 3 with the developing solution.

At the time of this liquid filling, as shown in FIG. 4, the developing solution flowing out from the slit nozzle 20 spreads outward in the radial direction of the wafer 3 by the flat surface portion 24 and is applied to the entire surface of the wafer 3. Here, the slit nozzle 20
Since the opening length d is shorter than the diameter D of the wafer 3, the developer is unlikely to spill from the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 3 even when a centrifugal force is applied. Further, since the flat surface portion 24 is provided, even if the opening length d of the slit nozzle 20 is shorter than the diameter D of the wafer 3, the developing solution surely reaches the outer peripheral end portion of the wafer 3 to develop on the entire surface of the wafer 3. Liquid can be applied.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, even if the center O1 of the wafer 3 and the rotation center O2 of the substrate holding portion 4 are eccentric, the opening length d and the flat surface portion length α1 satisfy the above conditions. , Α2 are defined, the developer does not spill from the periphery of the wafer 3 and the developer is applied to the entire surface of the wafer 3. Further, even when the wafer has an orientation flat OF, the above conditions are satisfied as shown in FIG. 6, so that the developer does not spill from the periphery of the wafer 3 and the entire surface of the wafer 3 is covered. Developer is applied.

Furthermore, since the circular arc portion 25 is provided here, the developing solution along the flat surface portion 24 is applied to the nozzle portion 7.
Drops are hard to form at the edges of the. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the developer from dripping at the end portion of the nozzle portion 7 due to the formation of the droplet. When the substrate holder 4 rotates half a turn, the three-way valve 14 is switched to the exhaust side and the developer supply valve 18 is closed to stop the supply of the developer. Then, the nozzle portion 7 is raised and retracted to the retracted position. This completes the development.

When the development is completed, the wafer 3 is rotated at a high speed by the substrate holder 4 and the developing solution deposited on the wafer 3 is shaken off. At this time, the developing solution shaken off from the wafer 3 is scattered in the cup 6. At this time, the nozzle portion 7
Is disposed outside the cup 6, the nozzle portion 7 is not contaminated by the developer. When the shaking off of the developing solution is completed, the substrate is rinsed (cleaned) by a pure water supply nozzle (not shown). At the time of this rinse, the substrate 3 is rotated at a low speed by the substrate holder 4. When the rinsing is completed, the wafer 3 is rotated at a high speed by the substrate holding unit 4 to drain and dry. When the drainage drying is completed, the holding by the substrate holding unit 4 is released, and the wafer 3 is transferred to the next step by a transfer mechanism (not shown).

Other Embodiments (a) As shown in FIG. 8, a rectangular container-shaped liquid container 3 is provided.
The present invention may be carried out with the nozzle portion 7 having 0 and a large number of pores 31 provided at the bottom of the liquid storage portion 30. In this case as well, the nozzle portion 7 similarly has the opening length d or the sum of the opening length d and the length of the flat surface portion 24 (d + α1 + α).
2) satisfies the above-mentioned conditions. (B) The present invention may be implemented by a photoresist coating device instead of the substrate developing device. (C) The nozzle portion may be rotated instead of rotating the wafer.

[0029]

In the circular substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, since the opening length of the nozzle portion and the lengths of both flat surface portions are determined under the above-mentioned conditions, the nozzle portion is always arranged on the circular substrate, The discharged processing liquid does not easily spill from the circular substrate. Moreover, since the flat surface portions provided at both ends of the nozzle portion are always arranged on the substrate, the processing liquid is supplied over the entire surface of the circular substrate. Therefore, the processing liquid can be supplied to the entire surface of the circular substrate, and the processing liquid can be prevented from spilling from the circular substrate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a substrate developing apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a nozzle portion.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a nozzle portion.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a nozzle portion.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a rotation trajectory of a wafer when there is eccentricity.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a rotation trajectory of a wafer having an orientation flat.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a rotation trajectory of a wafer having an eccentricity and an orientation flat.

FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 substrate developing device 3 wafer 4 substrate holding portion 7 nozzle portion 8 drive motor 20 slit nozzle 24 flat surface portion D diameter d opening length α1, α2 flat surface portion length rA orbit radius e eccentric amount

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor, Izushi Izuka, Horikawa-dori, Teranouchi, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto No. 1, Tenjin Kitamachi, 4-chome Tenjin Kitamachi 1 Dai Nippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A circular substrate processing apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to the surface of a circular substrate to process the circular substrate, comprising: a substrate holding unit capable of horizontally holding the circular substrate; and a surface of the circular substrate. A processing liquid supply unit that has a nozzle unit that extends along it and a pair of flat surface portions that are arranged on the extension lines at both ends of the nozzle unit, and that discharges the processing liquid onto the circular substrate; Relative rotation means for relatively rotating the treatment liquid supply section with respect to the holding section, the diameter of the circular substrate is D, the opening length of the nozzle section is d, and the lengths of the flat surface sections are α1 and α2. Then, the following conditions are satisfied: d <D and d + α1 + α2 ≧ D A circular substrate processing apparatus. 2. A circular substrate processing apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to the surface of a circular substrate to process the circular substrate, comprising: a substrate holding unit capable of horizontally holding the circular substrate; and a surface of the circular substrate. A processing liquid supply unit that has a nozzle unit that extends along it and a pair of flat surface portions that are arranged on the extension lines at both ends of the nozzle unit, and that discharges the processing liquid onto the circular substrate; Relative rotation means for relatively rotating the processing liquid supply section with respect to the holding section, the diameter of the circular substrate is D, the opening length of the nozzle section is d, the length of each flat surface section is α1, α2, The following conditions are satisfied, where e is the eccentricity of the circular substrate during rotation: d <D-2e and d + α1 + α2 ≧ D + 2e Circular substrate processing apparatus. 3. A circular substrate processing apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to the surface of a circular substrate having an orientation flat to process the circular substrate, the substrate holding unit capable of horizontally holding the circular substrate, and the circular substrate. A processing liquid supply unit that has a nozzle portion that extends along the surface of the substrate and a pair of flat surface portions that are arranged on extension lines at both ends of the nozzle portion, and that discharges the processing liquid onto the circular substrate. And a relative rotation unit that relatively rotates the processing liquid supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit, the diameter of the circular substrate is D, the opening length of the nozzle unit is d, and the length of each flat surface unit is α1, α2, where rA is the orbital radius of the midpoint of the orientation flat, the following conditions are satisfied: d <2rA and d + α1 + α2 ≧ (D / 2) + rA A circular substrate processing apparatus.