# US 10,312,114 B2 · Substrate processing method, and substrate processing device

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- Number: US 10,312,114 B2
- Document ID: US10312114B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/028,243
- Filed: 2014-10-08
- Published: 2016-08-25
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-10
- Assignees: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Asuka Yoshizumi; Ayumi Higuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312114B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/0422: {for wet etching}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 50/642: {Chemical etching}
- H10P 70/15: {by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence)}
- H10P 72/0406: {for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like}
- H10P 72/0411: {for wet cleaning or washing}
- H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles}
- H10P 72/7604: {the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

This substrate processing method includes supplying a chemical liquid to an upper surface of a substrate and rinsing away the chemical liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate by holding a puddled rinse liquid on the substrate while maintaining a rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and a chemical liquid puddle step of holding a liquid film of a puddled chemical liquid on the upper surface of the substrate while maintaining the rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and the rinsing step is performed subsequent to finishing the chemical liquid puddle step, and the rinsing step includes supplying a rinse liquid to the upper surface of the substrate and then replacing the liquid film of the chemical liquid held on the upper surface of the substrate with the rinse liquid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate processing method comprising:
a chemical liquid step of supplying a chemical liquid to an upper surface of a substrate held by a substrate holding unit in a horizontal posture; and
a puddle rinse step of rinsing away the chemical liquid supplied in the chemical liquid supplying step and adhering to the upper surface of the substrate by holding a liquid film of a puddled rinse liquid on the upper surface of the substrate while maintaining a rotation speed of the substrate at a fixed puddle speed;
the chemical liquid step including:
a chemical liquid covering step of supplying the chemical liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit while rotating the substrate at a rotation speed so as to cover the upper surface of the substrate with a liquid film of the chemical liquid,
immediately followed by a chemical liquid puddle step of puddling the chemical liquid and holding a liquid film of the puddled chemical liquid on the upper surface of the substrate, by decreasing the rotation speed of the substrate to the fixed puddle speed and maintaining the rotation speed of the substrate at the fixed puddle speed after a completion of the decrease of the rotation speed, the puddle rinse step being performed immediately subsequent to a finish of the chemical liquid puddle step, the supply of the chemical liquid being stopped by a beginning of the puddle rinse step;
the puddle rinse step including a step of supplying a rinse liquid different from the chemical liquid the upper surface of the substrate and then replacing the liquid film of the chemical liquid held on the upper surface of the substrate with the rinse liquid,
wherein during a period of time from the completion of the decrease of the rotation speed in the chemical liquid puddle step until an end of the puddle rinse step, the rotation speed of the substrate is maintained at the fixed puddle speed, and the fixed puddle speed is a zero speed or a speed lower than the rotation speed of the substrate in the chemical liquid covering step and
the fixed puddle speed is predetermined such that the upper surface of the substrate continues being entirely covered with the liquid film of the puddled chemical liquid and/or the rinse liquid throughout the period, whereby the upper surface of the substrate avoids being exposed throughout the period.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the chemical liquid is an etching liquid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the substrate that has not yet undergone the puddle rinse step exhibits hydrophobic properties.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-supply step of supplying water to the upper surface of the substrate and holding a liquid film of water on the upper surface prior to performing the chemical liquid step,
the chemical liquid covering step replaces the liquid film of water held on the upper surface of the substrate with the chemical liquid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a low surface tension liquid replacing step of, after finishing the puddle rinse step, supplying a low surface tension liquid whose surface tension is lower than that of the rinse liquid to the upper surface of the substrate and then replacing a liquid film of a puddled rinse liquid held on the upper surface of the substrate with the low surface tension liquid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a chemical liquid supply position moving step of moving a supply position of the chemical liquid in the upper surface of the substrate in the chemical liquid puddle step.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a rinse liquid supply position moving step of moving a supply position of the rinse liquid in the upper surface of the substrate in the puddle rinse step.