Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a device management controller including a parts management control part configured to monitor the state of parts constituting the apparatus, a device state monitoring control part configured to monitor integrity of device data obtained from an operation state of the parts constituting the apparatus, and a data matching control part configured to monitor facility data provided from a factory facility to the apparatus. The device management controller is configured to derive information evaluating the operation state of the apparatus based on a plurality of monitoring result data selected from a group consisting of maintenance timing monitoring result data acquired by the parts management control part, device state monitoring result data acquired by the device state monitoring control part, and utility monitoring result data acquired by the data matching control part.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes an oxidation step of heating a plurality of substrates inside an oxidation space while supplying an oxygen gas or an ozone gas to the plurality of substrates to change surface layers of molybdenum films to molybdenum trioxide, a first transfer step of transferring the plurality of substrates inside the oxidation space to an etching space inside the substrate processing apparatus differing from the oxidation space, and an etching step of supplying an etching liquid to the plurality of substrates inside the etching space to make the surface layers that changed to the molybdenum trioxide dissolve in the etching liquid while leaving, on the substrate, portions other than the surface layers of the molybdenum films.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an ejection surface of an ejection head located at a standby position is immersed in an immersion liquid retained in a reservoir during standby of the ejection head. This prevents drying of a plurality of outlets provided in the ejection head and drying of processing liquid flow passages that communicate with the outlets. It is thus possible to suppress or prevent clogging of the fine outlets. When the ejection head resumes processing on a substrate, the immersion liquid in the reservoir is discharged and then a liquid removing part removes the immersion liquid adhering to the ejection surface. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the immersion liquid remaining on the ejection surface from dropping and adhering to the substrate (so-called “liquid dripping”) when, for example, the ejection head is moved to a position above the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a liquid film former which forms a liquid film by supplying a liquid on an upper surface of the substrate W held horizontally; a cooling gas discharge nozzle which discharges cooling gas of a temperature lower than a freezing point of the liquid forming the liquid film to the liquid film; a thawing liquid discharge nozzle which discharges a thawing liquid to a frozen film formed by freezing the liquid film; a thawing liquid supplier which supplies the heated thawing liquid to the thawing liquid discharge nozzle via a pipe; and a receiver which receives the cooling gas and the thawing liquid respectively discharged from the cooling gas discharge nozzle and the thawing liquid discharge nozzle at the respective retracted position and guides the cooling gas and the thawing liquid to a common flow passage.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an ejection surface of an ejection head located at a standby position is immersed in an immersion liquid retained in a reservoir during standby of the ejection head. This prevents drying of a plurality of outlets provided in the ejection head and drying of processing liquid flow passages that communicate with the outlets. It is thus possible to suppress or prevent clogging of the fine outlets. When the ejection head resumes processing on a substrate, the immersion liquid in the reservoir is discharged and then a liquid removing part removes the immersion liquid adhering to the ejection surface. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the immersion liquid remaining on the ejection surface from dropping and adhering to the substrate (so-called “liquid dripping”) when, for example, the ejection head is moved to a position above the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a liquid film former which forms a liquid film by supplying a liquid on an upper surface of the substrate W held horizontally; a cooling gas discharge nozzle which discharges cooling gas of a temperature lower than a freezing point of the liquid forming the liquid film to the liquid film; a thawing liquid discharge nozzle which discharges a thawing liquid to a frozen film formed by freezing the liquid film; a thawing liquid supplier which supplies the heated thawing liquid to the thawing liquid discharge nozzle via a pipe; and a receiver which receives the cooling gas and the thawing liquid respectively discharged from the cooling gas discharge nozzle and the thawing liquid discharge nozzle at the respective retracted position and guides the cooling gas and the thawing liquid to a common flow passage.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an election head from a position above a substrate held by a substrate holding part to an inspection position above a standby pod disposed outside a cup part. At the inspection position, a processing liquid ejected from the ejection head toward the standby pod is irradiated with planar light emitted from a light emitting part. An imaging part acquires an inspection image including bright dots appearing on the processing liquid, and a determination part determines the quality of the ejection operation of the ejection head on the basis of the inspection image. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the influence of reflected light from the substrate and droplets, mist, or the like of the processing liquid having collided with the substrate and to accurately determine the quality of the ejection operation of the ejection head.

Abstract: A nozzle for discharging droplets of a processing liquid for processing a substrate has a main body including a supply port, a drain port, a processing liquid flow passageway connecting the supply port and the drain port, and a plurality of discharge ports from which the processing liquid is discharged. The processing liquid flow passageway includes a plurality of branch flow channels, which branch out between the supply port and the drain port and collect together between the supply port and the drain port. The plurality of discharge ports form a plurality of columns respectively corresponding to the plurality of branch flow channels; and are aligned along and connected to the corresponding branch flow channels. A piezo element applies vibration to the processing liquid flowing through the plurality of branch flow channels.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: an air flow generator which generates a down flow by gas flowing from top to bottom around a substrate W held horizontally; a liquid film former which forms a liquid film by supplying a liquid on an upper surface of the substrate; a cooling gas discharge nozzle which discharges cooling gas of a temperature lower than a freezing point of the liquid to the liquid film and thereby freezes the liquid film; and a remover which removes a frozen film formed by freezing the liquid film from the substrate. The air flow generator reduces a flow velocity of the down flow when the cooling gas is discharged to the liquid film from the cooling gas discharge nozzle than when the liquid is supplied to the substrate from the liquid film former.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a liquid film former which forms a liquid film by supplying a liquid on an upper surface of the substrate W held horizontally; a cooling gas discharge nozzle which discharges cooling gas of a temperature lower than a freezing point of the liquid forming the liquid film to the liquid film; a thawing liquid discharge nozzle which discharges a thawing liquid to a frozen film formed by freezing the liquid film; a thawing liquid supplier which supplies the heated thawing liquid to the thawing liquid discharge nozzle via a pipe; and a receiver which receives the cooling gas and the thawing liquid respectively discharged from the cooling gas discharge nozzle and the thawing liquid discharge nozzle at the respective retracted position and guides the cooling gas and the thawing liquid to a common flow passage.

Abstract: A nozzle for discharging droplets of a processing liquid for processing a substrate has a main body including a supply port, a drain port, a processing liquid flow passageway connecting the supply port and the drain port, and a plurality of discharge ports from which the processing liquid is discharged. The processing liquid flow passageway includes a plurality of branch flow channels, which branch out between the supply port and the drain port and collect together between the supply port and the drain port. The plurality of discharge ports form a plurality of columns respectively corresponding to the plurality of branch flow channels; and are aligned along and connected to the corresponding branch flow channels. A piezo element applies vibration to the processing liquid flowing through the plurality of branch flow channels.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an ejection surface of an ejection head located at a standby position is immersed in an immersion liquid retained in a reservoir during standby of the ejection head. This prevents drying of a plurality of outlets provided in the ejection head and drying of processing liquid flow passages that communicate with the outlets. It is thus possible to suppress or prevent clogging of the fine outlets. When the ejection head resumes processing on a substrate, the immersion liquid in the reservoir is discharged and then a liquid removing part removes the immersion liquid adhering to the ejection surface. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the immersion liquid remaining on the ejection surface from dropping and adhering to the substrate (so-called “liquid dripping”) when, for example, the ejection head is moved to a position above the substrate.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an election head from a position above a substrate held by a substrate holding part to an inspection position above a standby pod disposed outside a cup part. At the inspection position, a processing liquid ejected from the ejection head toward the standby pod is irradiated with planar light emitted from a light emitting part. An imaging part acquires an inspection image including bright dots appearing on the processing liquid, and a determination part determines the quality of the ejection operation of the ejection head on the basis of the inspection image. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the influence of reflected light from the substrate and droplets, mist, or the like of the processing liquid having collided with the substrate and to accurately determine the quality of the ejection operation of the ejection head.

Abstract: A nozzle for discharging droplets of a processing liquid for processing a substrate has a main body including a supply port, a drain port, a processing liquid flow passageway connecting the supply port and the drain port, and a plurality of discharge ports from which the processing liquid is discharged. The processing liquid flow passageway includes a plurality of branch flow channels, which branch out between the supply port and the drain port and collect together between the supply port and the drain port. The plurality of discharge ports form a plurality of columns respectively corresponding to the plurality of branch flow channels; and are aligned along and connected to the corresponding branch flow channels. A piezo element applies vibration to the processing liquid flowing through the plurality of branch flow channels.

Abstract: A bevel unit comprises CCDs and processing liquid nozzles, and the CCDs take an image of a circumferential edge surface of a substrate. An image processing part detects the distances between the circumferential edge surface of the substrate and the processing liquid nozzles by image processing the signals from the CCDs. A control unit compares thus detected distances between the circumferential edge surface of the substrate and the processing liquid nozzles with set distances from the circumferential edge surface of the substrate to the processing liquid nozzles which are set in a recipe so as to be a desired rim etching width, and calculates an amount of displacement between the detected distances and the set distances. In accordance with the amount of displacement, the control unit activates motors and accordingly positions the bevel unit.

Abstract: A substrate W rotates about the center of rotations A0 of a spin base 3, while supported by plural support pins 5 in such a manner that the substrate W can freely slide and while held owing to the force of friction which develops between the bottom surface of the substrate W and the support pins 5. After a detection sensor 74 detects, while the substrate W rotates, an edge surface position (eccentric position) of the edge surface of the substrate which is the farthest from the center of rotations A0, a press block 71 pushes this edge surface position to a preset position P1 which is away along the horizontal direction from the center of rotations A0 by a distance which is determined in accordance with the radius of the substrate W. This aligns the eccentric position to the preset position P1 and positions the center W0 of the substrate within a predetermined range from the center of rotations A0.

Abstract: A bevel unit comprises CCDs and processing liquid nozzles, and the CCDs take an image of a circumferential edge surface of a substrate. An image processing part detects the distances between the circumferential edge surface of the substrate and the processing liquid nozzles by image processing the signals from the CCDs. A control unit compares thus detected distances between the circumferential edge surface of the substrate and the processing liquid nozzles with set distances from the circumferential edge surface of the substrate to the processing liquid nozzles which are set in a recipe so as to be a desired rim etching width, and calculates an amount of displacement between the detected distances and the set distances. In accordance with the amount of displacement, the control unit activates motors and accordingly positions the bevel unit.

Abstract: A substrate W rotates about the center of rotations A0 of a spin base 3, while supported by plural support pins 5 in such a manner that the substrate W can freely slide and while held owing to the force of friction which develops between the bottom surface of the substrate W and the support pins 5. After a detection sensor 74 detects, while the substrate W rotates, an edge surface position (eccentric position) of the edge surface of the substrate which is the farthest from the center of rotations A0, a press block 71 pushes this edge surface position to a preset position P1 which is away along the horizontal direction from the center of rotations A0 by a distance which is determined in accordance with the radius of the substrate W. This aligns the eccentric position to the preset position P1 and positions the center W0 of the substrate within a predetermined range from the center of rotations A0.