Patent ID: 8043469
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing chamber for housing a substrate to be processed; a process-liquid supplying part for supplying a process liquid into the processing chamber; a drying-fluid supplying part for supplying a drying fluid into the processing chamber; a process-liquid collecting line for collecting the process liquid discharged from the processing chamber and returning the same to the process-liquid supplying part; a first-gas supplying part and a second-gas supplying part for supplying into the processing chamber a first gas and a second gas whose humidity is lower than that of the first gas, respectively; a gas flow switching device that adjusts the flow of the first gas being supplied by the first-gas supplying part into the processing chamber and the flow of the second gas being supplied by the second-gas supplying part into the processing chamber; and a means for controlling the process-liquid supplying part, the drying-fluid supplying part, and the gas flow switching device; wherein the means for controlling controls the process-liquid supplying part, the drying-fluid supply part, and the gas flow switching device, such that a first gas is supplied from the first-gas supplying part into the processing chamber to fill the same with the first gas in order to prevent the moisture in a process liquid to be supplied into the processing chamber from being evaporated, and the process liquid is supplied, with the processing chamber being filled with the first gas, from the process-liquid supplying part onto a surface of a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber so as to process the surface of the substrate to be processed, while the process liquid discharged from the processing chamber is returned to the process-liquid supplying part by the process-liquid collecting line, and thereafter the means for controlling controls a position of the gas flow switching device, such that the gas flow switching device lessens the flow of the first gas being supplied by the first-gas supplying part into the processing chamber and increases the flow of the second gas being supplied by the second-gas supplying part into the processing chamber to fill the processing chamber with the second gas, which second gas is of lower humidity than the first gas, and a drying fluid is supplied, with the processing chamber being filled with the second gas, from the drying-fluid supplying part onto the surface of the substrate in the processing chamber so as to dry the surface of the substrate.