Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
A substrate processing apparatus comprising a substrate holding rotating mechanism, a process liquid supply mechanism having a nozzle for dispensing a process liquid toward a principal face of the substrate, a processing liquid reservoir for holding sufficient process liquid to form a liquid film covering the whole principal face of the substrate, a liquid film forming unit for forming the liquid film by supplying the process liquid onto the principal face of the substrate in a single burst, and a control unit for controlling the liquid film forming unit and the process liquid supply mechanism such that the process liquid is dispensed from the process liquid nozzle toward the principal face of the substrate after formation of the liquid film covering the whole area of the principal face of the substrate by the liquid film forming unit.
1. A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:
rotating a substrate;
reserving a process liquid in a process liquid reservoir in a predetermined amount sufficient to form a liquid film covering the whole area of a principal face of the substrate;
forming the liquid film covering the whole area of the principal face of the substrate by supplying process liquid reserved by the process liquid reservoir toward the principal face of the substrate being rotated;
wherein the liquid film forming step includes the steps of supplying pressurized gas to pressurize said process liquid reservoir and then using said pressurized gas to push out the process liquid reserved in the process liquid reservoir, and thereby supply said process liquid to said substrate in a single burst; and
after the liquid film forming step, dispensing the process liquid from a process liquid nozzle toward the principal face of the substrate being rotated.
2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate rotating step includes the steps of:
first, rotating the substrate at a first rotational speed in parallel with the liquid film forming process; and
second, rotating the substrate at a second rotational speed that is slower than the first rotational speed in parallel with the dispensing step.
3. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the process liquid reservoir includes a first process liquid reservoir for reserving a first process liquid and a second process liquid reservoir for reserving a second process liquid, and the liquid film forming process includes the steps of: releasing the first process liquid from the first process liquid reservoir in a single burst, releasing the second process liquid from the second process liquid reservoir in a single burst, and supplying the first and second process liquid onto the principal face of the substrate while being mixed together.
4. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid film forming process includes the step of releasing the process liquid reserved in the process liquid reservoir at a process liquid releasing position that is positioned above the principal face of the substrate being rotated.
5. The substrate processing method according to claim 4 , wherein the reserving step includes the step of supplying the process liquid dispensed from the process liquid nozzle into the process liquid reservoir by disposing the process liquid reservoir at a retreat position that is retreated from a position above the principal face of the substrate.
6. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of recovering a used process liquid that has been supplied from the process liquid nozzle toward the substrate and used for processing, and guiding the used process liquid into the process liquid reservoir.
7. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the whole quantity of the process liquid reserved in the process liquid reservoir is pushed out toward the substrate in said single burst.
8. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said process liquid reservoir is hermetically closed.
9. The substrate processing method according to claim 8 , wherein a valve is disposed in a pipe that carries said process liquid from said process liquid reservoir to said substrate; and
after said pressurized gas has been supplied to said reservoir, said valve is opened to thereby supply said process liquid to said substrate in the single burst.
10. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein a valve is disposed in a pipe that carries said process liquid from said process liquid reservoir to said substrate; and
after said pressurized gas has been supplied to said reservoir, said valve is opened to thereby supply said process liquid to said substrate in the single burst.
11. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said single burst supplies 30-70 cc of process liquid to said substrate within about 2 seconds.