# US 2020/0286754 A1 · Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0286754 A1 - Document ID: US20200286754A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/805,898 - Filed: 2020-03-02 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-07 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Kotaro Tsurusaki; Koji Yamashita; Kazuya Koyama; Kouzou Kanagawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200286754A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - B05B 1/00: Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means (B05B3/00, B05B5/00, B05B7/00 take precedence; devices for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by contact B05C; nozzles for ink-jet printing mechanisms B41J2/135; nozzles for liquid-dispensing, e.g. in vehicle service stations, B67D7/42) - B05B 13/02: Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work (B05B13/06 takes precedence) - H10P 72/0406: {for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like} - H10P 72/0408: {for drying} - H10P 72/0416: {with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H10P 72/13: {Horizontal boat type carrier whereby the substrates are vertically supported, e.g. comprising rod-shaped elements} - H10P 72/3312: {Vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces} - H10P 72/76: using mechanical means, e.g. clamps or pinches - B05B 12/087: {Flow or presssure regulators, i.e. non-electric unitary devices comprising a sensing element, e.g. a piston or a membrane, and a controlling element, e.g. a valve} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing tank, a movement mechanism, an ejector, and a controller. The liquid processing tank stores a processing liquid. The movement mechanism moves a plurality of substrates immersed in the liquid processing tank to a position above the liquid surface of the processing liquid. The ejector ejects a vapor of an organic solvent toward portions of the plurality of substrates that are exposed from the liquid surface. The controller changes an ejection flow rate of the vapor ejected by the ejector as the plurality of substrates are moved up. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a liquid processing tank configured to store a processing liquid; a mover configured to move a plurality of substrates immersed in the liquid processing tank to a position above a liquid surface of the processing liquid; an ejector configured to eject a vapor of an organic solvent toward portions of the plurality of substrates that are exposed from the liquid surface; and a controller configured to change an ejection flow rate of the vapor ejected by the ejector as the plurality of substrates are moved to the position above the liquid surface of the processing liquid by the mover. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases the ejection flow rate of the vapor ejected by the ejector as the plurality of substrates are moved to the position above the liquid surface of the processing liquid by the mover during a time period from a time when the plurality of substrates start to be exposed from the liquid surface to a time when upper halves of the plurality of substrates are completely exposed from the liquid surface, and thereafter, reduces the ejection flow rate of the vapor ejected by the ejector as the plurality of substrates are moved to the position above the liquid surface of the processing liquid by the mover. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ejector is disposed at a position lower than a height position of upper ends of the plurality of substrates when the upper halves of the plurality of substrates are completely exposed from the liquid surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ejector is disposed on a lateral side of a path in which the plurality of substrates are moved by the mover, and ejects the vapor horizontally or obliquely downward toward the plurality of substrates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ejector includes a plurality of nozzles arranged in multiple tiers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ejector starts the ejection of the vapor before the plurality of substrates are exposed from the liquid surface of the processing liquid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ejector is disposed on a lateral side of a path in which the plurality of substrates are moved by the mover, and ejects the vapor horizontally or obliquely downward toward the plurality of substrates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ejector includes a plurality of nozzles arranged in multiple tiers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ejector starts the ejection of the vapor before the plurality of substrates are exposed from the liquid surface of the processing liquid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejector is disposed on a lateral side of a path in which the plurality of substrates are moved by the mover, and ejects the vapor horizontally or obliquely downward toward the plurality of substrates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the ejector includes a plurality of nozzles arranged in multiple tiers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the ejector starts the ejection of the vapor before the plurality of substrates are exposed from the liquid surface of the processing liquid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising; a cooler configured to cool the processing liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejector includes a plurality of nozzles arranged in multiple tiers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the ejector starts the ejection of the vapor before the plurality of substrates are exposed from the liquid surface of the processing liquid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising; a cooler configured to cool the processing liquid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejector starts the ejection of the vapor before the plurality of substrates are exposed from the liquid surface of the processing liquid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising; a cooler configured to cool the processing liquid. ### Claim 19 A substrate processing method comprising: immersing a plurality of substrates in a processing liquid stored in a liquid processing tank; moving the plurality of substrates to a position above a liquid surface of the processing liquid, after the performing the liquid processing; and ejecting a vapor of an organic solvent toward portions of the plurality of substrates that are exposed from the liquid surface, during the moving the plurality of substrates, wherein in the ejecting the vapor of the organic solvent, an ejection flow rate of the vapor is changed as the plurality of substrates are moved to the position above the liquid surface of the processing liquid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a program that causes a computer to perform the substrate processing method according to claim 19.