Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method using substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

In a substrate processing apparatus, a phosphoric acid aqueous solution is supplied to a processor, and a liquid collection from the processor is concurrently performed. Further, a silicon concentration is adjusted, to supply an adjusted processing liquid to the processor. Thus, a phosphoric acid aqueous solution film is formed on the substrate. The liquid film is heated by a heating device. The heating device has lamp heaters in a casing made of a silica glass. The phosphoric acid aqueous solution on the substrate is irradiated with infrared rays. A nitrogen gas flowing in a gas passage formed in the casing is discharged towards a position outside an outer periphery of the substrate.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit including a processing liquid nozzle that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate;   a plurality of tanks including a supply tank, a collection tank and an adjustment tank; and   a path changing mechanism that includes a changeable path of the processing liquid and sets the path of the processing liquid such that a supply operation of supplying the processing liquid from the supply tank to the processing liquid nozzle, a collection operation of collecting the processing liquid from the processing unit to the collection tank, and an adjustment operation of adjusting concentration of the processing liquid stored in the adjustment tank are concurrently performed, wherein   the path changing mechanism changes the path of the processing liquid such that the collection tank is changed to the adjustment tank after the collection operation is finished and changes the path of the processing liquid such that the adjusted processing liquid is supplied to the processing unit after the adjustment operation is finished.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the path changing mechanism changes the path of the processing liquid such that the adjusted processing liquid is supplied from the adjustment tank to the supply tank after the adjustment operation is finished and changes the path of the processing liquid such that the adjustment tank is changed to the collection tank after the processing liquid is supplied to the supply tank.   
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the plurality of tanks include first, second and third tanks,   the first tank is the supply tank,   any one of the second and third tanks is set as the collection tank,   another one of the second and third tanks is set as the adjustment tank,   the path changing mechanism includes   a first processing liquid supply system that performs the supply operation of supplying the processing liquid from the first tank to the processing liquid nozzle,   a processing liquid collection system that performs the collection operation of selectively collecting the processing liquid from the processing unit to one tank of the second and third tanks,   a concentration adjustment device that performs the adjustment operation of adjusting concentration of the processing liquid stored in the other tank of the second and third tanks, and   a second processing liquid supply system that supplies the adjusted processing liquid from the other tank to the first tank after the adjustment operation by the concentration adjustment device is finished,   the processing liquid collection system alternately performs the collection operation from the processing unit to the second tank and the collection operation from the processing unit to the third tank, and   the concentration adjustment device alternately performs the adjustment operation in the third tank and the adjustment operation in the second tank.   
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the path changing mechanism changes the path of the processing liquid such that the adjustment tank is changed to the collection tank after the adjustment operation is finished and changes the path of the processing liquid such that the supply tank is changed to the collection tank after the supply operation is finished.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the plurality of tanks include first, second and third tanks,   any one of the first, second and third tanks is set as the supply tank,   another one of the first, second and third tanks is set as the collection tank,   yet another one of the first, second and third tanks is set as the adjustment tank,   the path changing mechanism includes   a processing liquid supply system that performs the supply operation of supplying the processing liquid from the first, second or third tank that is set as the supply tank to the processing liquid nozzle,   a processing liquid collection system that performs the collection operation of selectively collecting the processing liquid from the processing unit to the first, second or third tank that is set as the collection tank, and   a concentration adjustment device that performs the adjustment operation of adjusting concentration of the processing liquid stored in the first, second or third tank that is set as the adjustment tank,   the processing liquid supply system sequentially performs the supply operation from the first tank to the processing liquid nozzle, the supply operation from the second tank to the processing liquid nozzle, and the supply operation from the third tank to the processing liquid nozzle,   the processing liquid collection system sequentially performs the collection operation from the processing unit to the second tank, the collection operation from the processing unit to the third tank, and the collection operation from the processing unit to the first tank, and   the concentration adjustment device sequentially performs the adjustment operation in the third tank, the adjustment operation in the first tank and the adjustment operation in the second tank.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the substrate includes a first film formed of a first material, and a second film formed of a second material,   the processing liquid includes a component that selectively etches the first material at a higher rate than the second material, and   the adjustment operation includes processing for adjusting concentration of the component in the processing liquid.   
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the first material includes silicon nitride, and the second material includes silicon oxide,   the processing liquid is solution including silicon and phosphoric acid, and   the adjustment operation includes processing for adjusting concentration of the silicon in the solution.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processing liquid nozzle supplies a chemical liquid to the substrate as the processing liquid,   the processing unit further includes   a substrate holding device that holds the substrate in a horizontal attitude and rotates the substrate about an axis in a vertical direction when the chemical liquid is supplied from the processing liquid nozzle to the substrate,   a heating device for heating the chemical liquid supplied to the substrate by the processing liquid nozzle, and   a gas supply system that supplies gas to the heating device, and   the heating device includes   an infrared ray generator that generates infrared rays,   a first plate-shape member that is arranged between the infrared ray generator and the substrate held by the substrate holding device, and transmits infrared rays,   a second plate-shape member that is arranged between the first plate-shape member and the substrate held by the substrate holding device, and transmits infrared rays, and   a gas passage to which gas is supplied by the gas supply system is formed between the first plate-shape member and the second frame-shape member, and a first discharge opening is provided such that the gas in the gas passage is discharged towards a position further outward than an outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.   
     
     
         9 . A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus, wherein
 the substrate processing apparatus includes   a processing liquid nozzle that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate, and   a plurality of tanks that include a supply tank, an adjustment tank and a collection tank, and   the substrate processing method includes the steps of:   concurrently performing a supply operation for supplying the processing liquid from the supply tank to the processing liquid nozzle, a collection operation for collecting the processing liquid from the processing unit to the collection tank, and an adjustment operation for adjusting concentration of the processing liquid stored in the adjustment tank;   changing the collection tank to the adjustment tank after the collection operation is finished; and   changing a path of the processing liquid such that the adjusted processing liquid is supplied to the processing unit after the adjustment operation is finished.   
     
     
         10 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a substrate holding device that holds a substrate in a horizontal attitude and rotates the substrate about an axis in a vertical direction,   a chemical liquid supply system that supplies a chemical liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding device,   a heating device for heating the chemical liquid supplied to the substrate by the chemical liquid supply system, and   a gas supply system that supplies gas to the heating device, wherein   the heating device includes   an infrared ray generator that generates infrared rays,   a first plate-shape member that is arranged between the infrared ray generator and the substrate held by the substrate holding device, and transmits infrared rays,   a second plate-shape member that is arranged between the first plate-shape member and the substrate held by the substrate holding device, and transmits infrared rays, and   a gas passage to which gas is supplied by the gas supply system is formed between the first plate-shape member and the second frame-shape member, and a first discharge opening is provided such that the gas in the gas passage is discharged towards a position further outward than an outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.   
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the first discharge opening discharges the gas in the gas passage outward of the substrate from a position further outward than the outer periphery of the substrate in an outward radial direction of the substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the infrared ray generator is provided such that a region from a center to the outer periphery in a radial direction of the substrate held by the substrate holding device is irradiated with infrared rays with the heating device being still above the substrate held by the substrate holding device.   
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the infrared ray generator is formed in a circular arc shape to extend along the outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the plurality of infrared ray generators are provided to be arranged in a direction from a center portion towards the outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.   
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising a casing that stores the infrared ray generator, wherein
 the casing has a bottom portion and has first, second, third and fourth sidewall portions, 
 the first plate-shape member and the second plate-shape member constitute the bottom portion of the casing, 
 the fourth sidewall portion is provided to be located above the outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device, the first sidewall portion is provided to be opposite to the fourth sidewall portion, and the second and third sidewall portions are provided to respectively connect both ends of the first sidewall portion to both ends of the fourth sidewall portions, 
 the first sidewall portion is constituted by a plate-shape first inner member that transmits infrared rays, and a plate-shape first outer member that is located outside of the first inner member and transmits infrared rays, 
 a first side passage that communicates with the gas passage is formed between the first inner member and the first outer member, 
 the second sidewall portion is constituted by a plate-shape second inner member that transmits infrared rays, and a plate-shape second outer member that is located outside of the second inner member and transmits infrared rays, 
 a second side passage that communicates with the gas passage is formed, and a second discharge opening that discharges gas in the second side passage to a position further outward than the outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device is provided, between the second inner member and the second outer member, 
 the third sidewall portion is constituted by a plate-shape third inner member that transmits infrared rays, and a plate-shape third outer member that is located outside of the third outer member and transmits infrared rays, and 
 a third side passage that communicates with the gas passage is formed, and a third discharge opening that discharges gas in the third side passage to a position further outward than the outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding device is provided, between the third inner member and the third outer member. 
 
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the second and third sidewall members are provided to extend in a substantially radial direction of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.   
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the first and second plate-shape members are formed of glass.