Liquid processing method, liquid processing apparatus, and storage medium

A liquid processing apparatus comprising:

• a processing liquid supply configured to discharge a processing liquid to a substrate, thereby processing the substrate;
• a flow path connecting a reservoir that stores the processing liquid and the processing liquid supply;
• a flow-through mechanism including a pump configured to flow a liquid through the flow path;
• a light irradiator configured to irradiate the flow path with a light;
• a light receiver configured to receive a light from the flow path;
• and
• a controller configured to perform a process including:
• flowing the processing liquid through the flow path and discharging the processing liquid to the substrate from the processing liquid supply, thereby processing the substrate,
• filling the flow path with a liquid and keeping the liquid stay in the flow path,
• flowing the liquid kept in the flow path through the flow path,
• irradiating the flow path with a light by a light irradiator and receiving the light from the flow path by the light receiver, during the flowing the liquid, to acquire a detection signal output from the light receiver according to a foreign substance in the liquid, and
• responding to an abnormality in the flow path by estimating an abnormal location in the flow path based on the detection signal, and presenting or executing a response operation.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a program used in a liquid processing apparatus including:

• a processing liquid supply configured to discharge a processing liquid to a substrate, thereby processing the substrate;
• a flow path connecting a reservoir that stores the processing liquid and the processing liquid supply;
• a flow-through mechanism including a pump configured to flow a liquid through the flow path;
• a light irradiator configured to irradiate the flow path with a light;
• and
• a light receiver configured to receive a light from the flow path, the program causes the liquid processing apparatus to perform a process including:
• flowing the processing liquid through the flow path and discharging the processing liquid to the substrate from the processing liquid supply, thereby processing the substrate,
• filling the flow path with a liquid and keeping the liquid stay in the flow path,
• flowing the liquid kept in the flow path through the flow path,
• irradiating the flow path with a light by a light irradiator and receiving the light from the flow path by the light receiver, during the flowing, to acquire a detection signal output from the light receiver according to a foreign substance in the liquid, and
• responding to an abnormality in the flow path by estimating an abnormal location in the flow path based on the detection signal, and presenting or executing a response operation.