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US 10,851,468 B2Granted
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsTadashi Iino, Toru Ihara, Yoshihiro Kai, Yoichi Tokunaga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate processing apparatus includes a holding device that includes a conductive member and holds a substrate, a conduction path structure that includes a conductive material and positioned such that the conduction path structure is in contact with the holding device, a supply device that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate held by the holding device, and a grounding structure including a variable resistance device that changes a resistance such that the grounding structure has a first end portion connected the conduction path structure and a second end portion connected to a ground potential.
Claims20
A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
- a holding device comprising a conductive member and configured to hold a substrate;
- a supply device configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate held by the holding device;
- a conduction path structure comprising a conductive material and formed such that the conduction path structure is in contact with the conductive member of the holding device;
- a grounding structure connected to the conduction path structure at a first end portion of the grounding structure and to a ground potential at a second end portion of the grounding structure and comprising a variable resistance device configured to change a resistance of the grounding structure;
- and
- a control device comprising circuitry configured to control the variable resistance device such that during a supply period from a time when the supply of the processing liquid to the substrate is started to a time when the supply of the processing liquid to the substrate is finished, the resistance of the variable resistance device immediately after the start of the supply period is higher than the resistance of the variable resistance device thereafter,
- wherein the conductive member of the holding device and the conduction path structure are configured to conduct static electricity generated in the substrate held by the holding device from the conductive member of the holding device to the ground potential and neutralize the substrate held by the holding device during a liquid substrate processing by the supply device, the variable resistance device comprises a first resistor having a first resistance, a second resistor having a second resistance that is higher than the first resistance, and a switch that switches between the first resistor and the second resistor such that one of the first resistor and the second resistor is connected to the grounding structure, and the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the switch such that the switch connects the second resistor to the grounding structure immediately after the start of the supply period and thereafter connects the first resistor to the grounding structure.
4 more elements
A substrate processing method, comprising:
- holding a substrate by a holding device comprising a conductive member and configured to hold the substrate in a substrate processing apparatus;
- and
- supplying a processing liquid to the substrate by a supply device configured to supply the processing liquid to the substrate held by the holding device,
- wherein the supplying of the processing liquid includes changing a resistance between the substrate and the ground potential by a variable resistance device configured to change the resistance, the substrate processing apparatus comprises the holding device, the supply device, a conduction path structure comprising a conductive material and formed such that the conduction path structure is in contact with the conductive member of the holding device, a grounding structure connected to the conduction path structure at a first end portion of the grounding structure and to a ground potential at a second end portion of the grounding structure and comprising the variable resistance device configured to change the resistance of the grounding structure, and a control device comprising circuitry configured to control the variable resistance device such that during a supply period from a time when the supply of the processing liquid to the substrate is started to a time when the supply of the processing liquid to the substrate is finished, the resistance of the variable resistance device immediately after the start of the supply period is higher than the resistance of the variable resistance device thereafter, the conductive member of the holding device and the conduction path structure are configured to conduct static electricity generated in the substrate held by the holding device from the conductive member of the holding device to the ground potential and neutralize the substrate held by the holding device during a liquid substrate processing by the supply device, the variable resistance device comprises a first resistor having a first resistance, a second resistor having a second resistance that is higher than the first resistance, and a switch that switches between the first resistor and the second resistor such that one of the first resistor and the second resistor is connected to the grounding structure, and the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the switch such that the switch connects the second resistor to the grounding structure immediately after the start of the supply period and thereafter connects the first resistor to the grounding structure.
1 more element
A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
- a holding device comprising a conductive member and configured to hold a substrate;
- a supply device configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate held by the holding device;
- a conduction path structure comprising a conductive material and formed such that the conduction path structure is in contact with the conductive member of the holding device;
- and
- a grounding structure connected to the conduction path structure at a first end portion of the grounding structure and to a ground potential at a second end portion of the grounding structure and comprising a variable resistance device configured to change a resistance of the grounding structure,
- wherein the conductive member of the holding device and the conduction path structure are configured to conduct static electricity generated in the substrate held by the holding device from the conductive member of the holding device to the ground potential and neutralize the substrate held by the holding device during a liquid substrate processing by the supply device, the conduction path structure is a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the holding device and comprising a conductive rotation shaft in electrical contact with the holding device and rotatably supporting the holding device, an electric motor configured to rotate the rotation shaft, a conductive container configured to store a conductive liquid, and a conductive connection member having a first end portion in electrical contact with the rotation shaft and a second end portion positioned to be immersed in the liquid, and the grounding structure has the first end portion connected to the conductive container of the rotation mechanism.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.