Cup, liquid processing apparatus, and liquid processing method

A liquid processing apparatus, comprising:

• a placing unit configured to place a substrate therein;
• a cup disposed around the substrate placed in the placing unit, and configured to be evacuated;
• a processing liquid supply mechanism configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate placed in the placing unit to process the substrate;
• a flow passage forming member forming, on a peripheral side of the cup with respect to the substrate within the cup, a first exhaust passage, a scattered substance collection passage configured to collect a scattered substance from the substrate, and a second exhaust passage, which are separated from each other, in sequence as going upwards, each of the first exhaust passage, the scattered substance collection passage and the second exhaust passage being an annular passage opened toward a central axis side of the cup and surrounding the substrate which is placed in the placing unit and supplied with the processing liquid;
• a joint exhaust passage connected to each of the first exhaust passage, the scattered substance collection passage, and the second exhaust passage, the first exhaust passage, the scattered substance collection passage, and the second exhaust passage being evacuated simultaneously toward the peripheral side of the cup, and the joint exhaust passage being disposed below the substrate within the cup;
• a first annular member included in the flow passage forming member, and formed along an outer periphery of the substrate, the scattered substance collection passage and the first exhaust passage being formed above and below the first annular member, respectively;
• and
• a communication hole provided in the flow passage forming member to allow the scattered substance collection passage and the joint exhaust passage to communicate with each other, a pressure loss of the communication hole being large as compared to a pressure loss in a gap formed between the first annular member and the substrate.

A liquid processing method of processing a substrate while surrounding the substrate with a cup, the liquid processing method comprising:

• placing the substrate in a placing unit within the cup equipped with a flow passage forming member, the flow passage forming member forming, on a peripheral side of the cup with respect to the substrate within the cup, a first exhaust passage, a scattered substance collection passage configured to collect a scattered substance from the substrate, and a second exhaust passage, which are separated from each other, in sequence as going upwards, each of the first exhaust passage, the scattered substance collection passage and the second exhaust passage being an annular passage opened toward a central axis side of the cup;
• evacuating, by evacuating a joint exhaust passage disposed below the substrate within the cup, the first exhaust passage, the scattered substance collection passage, and the second exhaust passage simultaneously, that are respectively connected to the joint exhaust passage, toward the peripheral side of the cup;
• and
• evacuating the scattered substance collection passage through a communication hole, that is provided in the flow passage forming member to allow the scattered substance collection passage and the joint exhaust passage to communicate with each other, such that a pressure loss of the communication hole is large as compared to a pressure loss in a gap formed between the substrate and a first annular member, the first annular member being included in the flow passage forming member, and being formed along an outer periphery of the substrate, the scattered substance collection passage and the first exhaust passage being formed above and below the first annular member, respectively, and the evacuating of the scattered substance collection passage being included in the evacuating of the first exhaust passage, the scattered substance collection passage, and the second exhaust passage simultaneously.