US 12,176,224 B2
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
Kazuhiro Aiura, Koshi (JP); and Yoshifumi Amano, Koshi (JP)
Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 18/706,425
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 30, 2022, PCT No. PCT/JP2022/036638
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 1, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/079872, PCT Pub. Date May 11, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-179937 (JP), filed on Nov. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0332041 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/306 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/6708 (2013.01) [H01L 21/30604 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a substrate rotator configured to hold and rotate a substrate;
an outer cup configured to annularly cover a periphery of the substrate held by the substrate rotator;
an inner cup disposed inside the outer cup and under the substrate held by the substrate rotator;
an annular drain formed between the outer cup and the inner cup to discharge a processing liquid supplied to the substrate outward; and
an exhaust passage formed inside the inner cup,
wherein the inner cup has an exhaust hole through which a liquid reception space, which is formed by the inner cup and the outer cup, and the exhaust passage are in communication with each other, and
wherein the exhaust hole is formed obliquely downward from an outer surface to an inner surface of the inner cup.
 
14. A substrate processing method performed in a substrate processing apparatus,
wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes: a substrate rotator configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an outer cup configured to annularly cover a periphery of the substrate held by the substrate rotator; an inner cup disposed inside the outer cup and under the substrate held by the substrate rotator; an annular drain formed between the outer cup and the inner cup to discharge a processing liquid supplied to the substrate outward; an exhaust passage formed inside the inner cup; and a cleaning liquid nozzle configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the annular drain, and
wherein the inner cup has an exhaust hole through which a liquid reception space, which is formed by the inner cup and the outer cup, and the exhaust passage are in communication with each other, and the exhaust hole is formed obliquely downward from an outer surface to an inner surface of the inner cup,
the substrate processing method comprising:
supplying, by the cleaning liquid nozzle, the cleaning liquid to the annular drain after processing a previous substrate with the processing liquid and before processing a next substrate with the processing liquid.
 
15. A substrate processing method performed in a substrate processing apparatus,
wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes: a substrate rotator configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an outer cup configured to annularly cover a periphery of the substrate held by the substrate rotator; an inner cup disposed inside the outer cup and under the substrate held by the substrate rotator; an annular drain formed between the outer cup and the inner cup to discharge a processing liquid supplied to the substrate outward, an exhaust passage formed inside the inner cup; and a cleaning liquid nozzle configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the annular drain, and
wherein the inner cup has an exhaust hole through which a liquid reception space, which is formed by the inner cup and the outer cup, and the exhaust passage are in communication with each other, and the exhaust hole is formed obliquely downward from an outer surface to an inner surface of the inner cup,
the substrate processing method comprising:
supplying, by the cleaning liquid nozzle, the cleaning liquid to the annular drain at a timing when an operation of supplying a rinsing liquid from a nozzle to the substrate is performed.