Patent ID: 7575636
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: C23C,C25D,H01L,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
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: 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.