Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
First Claim
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1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate holding device for holding a substrate in a horizontal position, said substrate holding device being operable to lower the substrate into a processing liquid and to hold the substrate within the processing liquid in a bubble removal position and a substrate processing position; and
a processing tank for holding the processing liquid, said processing tank including;
a gas bubble removing section including a circular wall having a circular top end portion with an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the substrate to be held by said substrate holding device; and
a processing liquid supply inlet for supplying the processing liquid into said processing tank such that the processing liquid must flow through a center area surrounded by said circular wall toward a lower surface of the substrate to be held by said substrate holding device and then radially along the lower surface of the substrate toward a periphery of the substrate;
wherein said substrate holding device and said gas bubble removing section are arranged such that, when the substrate is lowered into the processing liquid in said processing tank to the bubble removal position which is lower than the substrate processing position, a circular slit is formed between said circular top end portion of said circular wall and a periphery of the lower surface of the substrate to thereby increase a flow speed of the processing liquid flowing radially along the lower surface of the substrate through the circular slit so as to remove gas bubbles resting against the lower surface of the substrate; and
wherein said substrate holding device and said gas bubble removing section are arranged such that, when the substrate is raised to the substrate processing position within the processing liquid from the bubble removal position, a sufficiently wide clearance is formed between said circular top end portion of said circular wall and the periphery of the lower surface of the substrate to thereby form a stable flow of the processing solution.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus useful for plating a substrate or processing a substrate by dipping a substrate in a processing liquid. A substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a loading/unloading area for carrying in and out a substrate; a cleaning area for cleaning the substrate; and a plating area for plating the substrate. The loading/unloading area is provided with a substrate transfer robot having a plurality of hands of dry-use design, a loading port mounted with a cassette for housing substrates, and a reversing machine of dry-use design for reversing the substrate from face up to face down.
24 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate holding device for holding a substrate in a horizontal position, said substrate holding device being operable to lower the substrate into a processing liquid and to hold the substrate within the processing liquid in a bubble removal position and a substrate processing position; and a processing tank for holding the processing liquid, said processing tank including; a gas bubble removing section including a circular wall having a circular top end portion with an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the substrate to be held by said substrate holding device; and a processing liquid supply inlet for supplying the processing liquid into said processing tank such that the processing liquid must flow through a center area surrounded by said circular wall toward a lower surface of the substrate to be held by said substrate holding device and then radially along the lower surface of the substrate toward a periphery of the substrate; wherein said substrate holding device and said gas bubble removing section are arranged such that, when the substrate is lowered into the processing liquid in said processing tank to the bubble removal position which is lower than the substrate processing position, a circular slit is formed between said circular top end portion of said circular wall and a periphery of the lower surface of the substrate to thereby increase a flow speed of the processing liquid flowing radially along the lower surface of the substrate through the circular slit so as to remove gas bubbles resting against the lower surface of the substrate; and wherein said substrate holding device and said gas bubble removing section are arranged such that, when the substrate is raised to the substrate processing position within the processing liquid from the bubble removal position, a sufficiently wide clearance is formed between said circular top end portion of said circular wall and the periphery of the lower surface of the substrate to thereby form a stable flow of the processing solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate holding device for holding a substrate in a horizontal position, said substrate holding device being operable to lower the substrate into a processing liquid; and a processing tank for holding the processing liquid, said processing tank including; a gas bubble removing section including a circular wall having a circular top end portion with an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the substrate to be held by said substrate holding device, and a current plate arranged horizontally within said processing tank, said circular wall extending upward from said current plate, a plurality of through-holes being formed in said current plate within said center area surrounded by said circular wall, said current plate extending radially outward of said circular wall, a portion of said current plate located radially outward of said circular wall being free of any through-holes; and a processing liquid supply inlet for supplying the processing liquid into said processing tank such that the processing liquid must flow through a center area surrounded by said circular wall toward a lower surface of the substrate to be held by said substrate holding device and then radially along the lower surface of the substrate toward a periphery of the substrate so as to remove gas bubbles resting against the lower surface of the substrate; wherein said substrate holding device and said gas bubble removing section are arranged such that, when the substrate is lowered into the processing liquid in said processing tank, a circular slit is formed between said circular top end portion of said circular wall and a periphery of the lower surface of the substrate to thereby increase a flow speed of the processing liquid flowing radially along the lower surface of the substrate through the circular slit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification