Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a substrate processing method is disclosed. The method can include treating a substrate with a first liquid. The substrate has a structural body formed on a major surface of the substrate. The method can include forming a support member supporting the structural body by bringing a second liquid into contact with the substrate wetted by the first liquid, and changing at least a portion of the second liquid into a solid by carrying out at least one of causing the second liquid to react, reducing a quantity of a solvent included in the second liquid, and causing at least a portion of a substance dissolved in the second liquid to be separated. The method can include removing the support member by changing at least a part of the support member from a solid phase to a gaseous phase, without passing through a liquid phase.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 a holding unit configured to hold at least one substrate;   a supplying unit configured to supply a liquid substance onto the at least one substrate;   a processing unit configured to carry out at least one of processes of heating, cooling, light irradiation, electron beam irradiation, pressure application, pressure reduction, and gas supply, with respect to the at least one substrate; and   a control unit configured to cause the holding unit, the supplying unit and the processing unit to carry out a series of operations of treating the at least one substrate with a first liquid, forming a support member on the at least one substrate by bringing a second liquid into contact with the at least one substrate that is wetted by the first liquid, and changing at least a portion of the second liquid into a solid by carrying out at least one of causing the second liquid to react, reducing a quantity of a solvent included in the second liquid, and causing at least a portion of a substance dissolved in the second liquid to be separated, and removing at least a part of the support member by changing the support member from a solid phase to a gaseous phase, without passing through a liquid phase.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the removing the support member includes at least one of sublimation, decomposition, and reaction of the support member. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the removing the support member includes at least one of a heating process, a light irradiation process, an electron beam irradiation process, a pressure reduction process, and a process using a gas that reacts with the support member. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the support member is in a solid phase in an atmosphere having at least one of a room temperature and 1 atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the removing the support member includes controlling a temperature of the at least one substrate to be not more than a melting point of the support member and reducing pressure. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the removing the support member includes providing a gas to the at least one substrate, and a temperature of the gas is not more than a melting point of the support member. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the removing the support member includes a plurality of steps, and the control unit controls the plurality of steps.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the removing the support member includes a first step and a second step,   the first step includes controlling a temperature of the at least one substrate at a first temperature while performing a first reducing pressure, the first temperature being not more than a melting point of the support member, and   the second step includes at least one of controlling a temperature of the at least one substrate at a second temperature, second reducing pressure, and providing a gas to the at least one substrate, the second temperature is different from the first temperature, and the second reducing pressure is different from the first reducing pressure.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the removing the support member includes controlling a temperature of the at least one substrate to be not more than a melting point of the support member to reduce the quantity of the solvent included in the second liquid. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the processing unit includes:
 a chamber, 
 a mechanism configured to reduce pressure inside the chamber in the removing the support member, 
 a mechanism configured to hold at least one substrate in the chamber under the reduced pressure, and 
 a mechanism configured to control a temperature of the at least one substrate in the removing the support member. 
   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a chamber including an evacuation port to control a pressure inside the chamber in the removing the support member, the evacuation port being connectable to a pump; and   a heater configured to control a temperature of the at least one substrate in the removing the support member.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the processing unit includes:
 a chamber, 
 a mechanism configured to reduce a pressure inside the chamber in the removing the support member, and 
 a mechanism configured to provide a gas inside the chamber under reduced pressure. 
   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the processing unit includes
 a chamber, 
 a mechanism configured to reduce a pressure inside the chamber in the removing the support member, 
 a mechanism configured to provide a gas inside the chamber under reduced pressure, and 
 a mechanism configured to control a temperature of the gas. 
   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the processing unit includes at least one of a rotation mechanism, a heating mechanism, a pressure reduction mechanism, and a gas supplying mechanism.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the series of operations includes disposing the at least one substrate in an atmosphere between the forming the support member and the removing the support member, and the atmosphere has at least one of a room temperature and 1 atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 a number of the substrates to be processed in the forming the support member is different from a number of the substrates to be processed in the removing the support member.   
     
     
         34 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 at least one holding unit configured to hold at least one substrate;   at least one supplying unit configured to supply at least one liquid substance onto the at least one substrate; and   at least one processing unit configured to carry out at least one of processes of heating, cooling, light irradiation, electron beam irradiation, pressure application, pressure reduction, and gas supply, with respect to the at least one substrate,   wherein the at least one supplying unit carries out treating the at least one substrate with a first liquid, and forms a support member on the at least one substrate by bringing a second liquid into contact with the at least one substrate that is wetted by the first liquid, and changes at least a portion of the second liquid into a solid by carrying out at least one of causing the second liquid to react, reducing a quantity of a solvent included in the second liquid, and causing at least a portion of a substance dissolved in the second liquid to be separated, and   the at least one processing unit removes at least a part of the support member by changing the support member from a solid phase to a gaseous phase, without passing through a liquid phase.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising:
 a liquid treatment unit configured to treat the at least one substrate with the first liquid;   a support member forming unit configured to form the support member on the at least one substrate treated with the first liquid;   a support member removing unit configured to remove the support member from the at least one substrate having the support member;   a control unit configured to control the liquid treatment unit, the support member forming unit and the support member removing unit;   a substrate storage unit configured to store the at least one substrate; and   a substrate transport unit configured to transport the at least one substrate from the liquid treatment unit to the substrate storage unit through the support member forming unit and the support member removing unit,   the liquid treatment unit including a first holding unit of the holding units and a first supplying unit of the supplying units,   the support member forming unit including a second holding unit of the holding units and a second supplying unit of the supplying units,   the support member removing unit including a third holding unit of the holding units and the at least one processing unit.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising:
 a liquid treating and support member forming unit configured to treat the substrate with the first liquid and to form the support member on the at least one substrate treated with the first liquid;   a support member removing unit configured to remove the support member from the at least one substrate having the support member;   a control unit configured to control the liquid treating and support member forming unit and the support member removing unit;   a substrate storage unit configured to store the at least one substrate; and   a substrate transport unit configured to transport the at least one substrate from the liquid treating and support member forming unit to the substrate storage unit through the support member removing unit,   the liquid treating and support member forming unit including a first holding unit of the holding units and a first supplying unit of the supplying units, the first supplying unit including a plurality of nozzles, one of the nozzles supplying a first liquid substance of the liquid substances, other one of the nozzles supplying a second liquid substance of the liquid substances, the first liquid substance being different from the second liquid substance,   the support member removing unit including a second holding unit of the holding units and the at least one processing unit.   
     
     
         37 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 a holding unit configured to hold at least one substrate; and   a supplying unit configured to supply a liquid substance onto the at least one substrate;   wherein the supplying unit carries out treating the at least one substrate with a first liquid, and forms a support member on the at least one substrate by bringing a second liquid into contact with the at least one substrate that is wetted by the first liquid, and changes at least a portion of the second liquid into a solid by carrying out at least one of causing the second liquid to react, reducing a quantity of a solvent included in the second liquid, and causing at least a portion of a substance dissolved in the second liquid to be separated.