Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing method including: a first processing step of discharging a fluid in the processing container until an inside of the processing container reaches a first discharge ultimate pressure at which the processing fluid in the supercritical state is not vaporized, and then supplying the processing fluid into the processing container until the inside of the processing container reaches a first supply ultimate pressure at which vaporization of the processing fluid does not occur; and a second processing step of discharging a fluid in the processing container until the inside of the processing container reaches a second discharge ultimate pressure at which the processing fluid in the supercritical state is not vaporized, and then supplying the processing fluid into the processing container until the inside of the processing container reaches a second supply ultimate pressure at which vaporization of the processing fluid does not occur.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a processing container configured to receive a substrate on which a dry preventing liquid is filled and perform a supercritical processing on the substrate; a fluid supply line connected to the processing container and configured to supply a processing fluid to the processing container; a fluid discharge line connected to the processing container and configured to discharge the processing fluid in the processing container; and a first circulation line connected to an upstream side and a downstream side of the processing container, and provided independently from the fluid supply line and the fluid discharge line to circulate the processing fluid in the processing container. The first circulation line is provided with a first reservoir tank that receives the processing fluid from the processing container and has a capacity larger than that of the processing container.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cleaning method which enables a cup and a member around the cup to be cleaned thoroughly. In this cleaning method, a cleaning liquid is supplied to a cleaning jig from the upper side of the cleaning jig while rotating the cleaning jig held by a substrate holding unit. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning jig is scattered obliquely upward along an inclined surface of an inclined portion which is provided around the entire circumference of the cleaning jig in the vicinity of the outer circumferential edge of the cleaning jig, thereby cleaning cups.

Abstract: A substrate processing method according to the present disclosure includes: a liquid processing process of supplying a processing liquid to a substrate having a surface on which a pattern having a plurality of convex portions is formed; a drying process of removing the processing liquid existing on the surface of the substrate dry the substrate, and a separating process of separating a sticking portion between adjacent ones of the convex portions after the drying process.

Abstract: A substrate liquid treatment apparatus includes: at least one processing unit that processes a substrate with a treatment liquid; a storage tank that stores the treatment liquid; a circulation line through which the treatment liquid discharged from the storage tank into the circulation line is returned to the storage tank; a branch supply line that is branched from the circulation line to supply the treatment liquid to the processing unit; a recovery line that returns to the storage tank the treatment liquid having been supplied to the substrate in the processing unit; a distribution line connecting the circulation line and the recovery line; and a shutoff valve, provided on the distribution line, that is opened when cleaning of the recovery line is performed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method in which a substrate is processed by a processing liquid in the form of liquid droplets. The liquid processing apparatus includes: a first processing liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a first processing liquid in a form of liquid droplets which contains pure water toward the surface of the substrate; and a second processing liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a second processing liquid as a continuous liquid stream toward the surface of the substrate processed by the first processing liquid in the form of the liquid droplets. The second processing liquid inverts a zeta potential on the surface of the substrate into a negative zeta potential.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cleaning method which enables a cup and a member around the cup to be cleaned thoroughly. In this cleaning method, a cleaning liquid is supplied to a cleaning jig from the upper side of the cleaning jig while rotating the cleaning jig held by a substrate holding unit. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning jig is scattered obliquely upward along an inclined surface of an inclined portion which is provided around the entire circumference of the cleaning jig in the vicinity of the outer circumferential edge of the cleaning jig, thereby cleaning cups.

Abstract: A substrate processing device, which processes by immersing the substrate in the processing liquid comprising a mixture of a chemical and a diluting liquid, is provided with: a processing tank (1) that retains the processing liquid; heating means (2, 3) that heat the processing liquid; a temperature detection means (4) that detects the temperature of the processing liquid; a temperature control means (5) that operates the aforementioned heating means (2, 3) in a manner so that the detected temperature approaches a set temperature; a replenishing means (6) that replenishes the diluting liquid in the processing liquid; a concentration detection means (7) that detects the concentration of the processing liquid by measuring the light absorption characteristics of the processing liquid; and a concentration control means (8) that operates the aforementioned replenishing means (6) in a manner so that the detected concentration approaches a set concentration.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that performs processing by immersing a substrate into a processing liquid obtained by mixing phosphoric acid with a diluent includes a concentration sensing means for sensing the concentration of the processing liquid by measuring the absorbance characteristics of the processing liquid. The concentration sensing means includes a light-transmitting section that introduces the processing liquid into the inside to let the processing liquid pass therethrough, a light-emitting section that radiates light having a predetermined wavelength to the light-transmitting section, a light-receiving section that receives the light therefrom via the light-transmitting section, a first lens that condenses the light emitted from the light-emitting section to the light-transmitting section, a second lens that condenses the light that has passed through the light-transmitting section to the light-receiving section, and a cooling mechanism that cools at least one of these.

Abstract: An additive containing a hexafluorosilicic acid solution (H2SiF6+H2O) is sequentially inputted into a phosphoric acid solution pooled in an immersion bath from an additive input mechanism. Further, a trap agent containing a fluoroboric acid solution (HBF4+H2O) is inputted into the phosphoric acid solution from a trap agent input mechanism. F? which accelerates etching of a silicon nitride film is added as appropriate by sequentially inputting the additive and siloxane which increases by the sequential input is etched with hydrofluoric acid generated by decomposition of the fluoroboric acid, to thereby suppress a significant increase in the concentration of siloxane. This makes it possible to maintain respective initial etching rates of the silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film.

Abstract: An additive containing a hexafluorosilicic acid solution (H2SiF6+H2O) is sequentially inputted into a phosphoric acid solution pooled in an immersion bath from an additive input mechanism. Further, a trap agent containing a fluoroboric acid solution (HBF4+H2O) is inputted into the phosphoric acid solution from a trap agent input mechanism. F? which accelerates etching of a silicon nitride film is added as appropriate by sequentially inputting the additive and siloxane which increases by the sequential input is etched with hydrofluoric acid generated by decomposition of the fluoroboric acid, to thereby suppress a significant increase in the concentration of siloxane. This makes it possible to maintain respective initial etching rates of the silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film.

Abstract: A phosphoric acid solution stored in an immersion bath is circulated through a circulation line. Substrates on each of which a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film are formed are immersed into the phosphoric acid solution in the immersion bath, to proceed a process of selectively etching the silicon nitride film. A recovery line draws part of the phosphoric acid solution circulating through the circulation line, and collects and discharges siloxane with a recovery device to recover the phosphoric acid solution. A control part controls a flow rate regulating valve on the basis of measurement results of an outlet concentration meter and an inlet concentration meter, to regulate the flow rate of the phosphoric acid solution to be circulated to the immersion bath so that the concentration of siloxane contained in the phosphoric acid solution stored in the immersion bath should be constant.

Abstract: An etching is performed to a wafer using a first processing fluid which is produced through the addition of a liquid mixture to a supercritical carbon dioxide, the liquid mixture including hydrogen fluoride, ammonium fluoride, and isopropyl alcohol, whereby SiO2 film formed on the surface of the wafer is removed. Then, a rinsing is performed to the wafer using a second processing fluid which is produced through the addition of methanol to the supercritical carbon dioxide, or the addition of methanol and water to the supercritical carbon dioxide, whereby Si2F6 which results from the etching and remains to adhere to the surface of the wafer is removed.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus comprising: a pretreatment section for bombarding liquid droplets against a surface of a substrate, the liquid droplets being generated by mixing a pretreatment liquid comprising ammonia and an oxidizing agent with a gas; and an etching liquid supplying section for supplying an etching liquid onto the substrate surface. The oxidizing agent is, for example, hydrogen peroxide. The pretreatment section may comprise a bi-fluid nozzle which generates the droplets of the pretreatment liquid and ejects the liquid droplets onto the substrate surface.

Abstract: The temperature of the front heater is set to a higher value than the set temperature of the center heater and the temperature of the rear heater is set to a lower value than the set temperature of the center heater to thereby provide such a temperature gradient that the temperature of a center heater region gradually rises from the rear side toward the front side and the impurity diffusion is accelerated under the temperature gradient, whereby it is possible to compensate for the decrease in the quantity of the diffused impurity caused by the lowering of the impurity concentration of the impurity gas gradually from the rear side toward the front side, so that the impurity is uniformly diffused into the wafers located in the core pipe.