A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing vessel having an opening; a cover body configured to close the opening; a cover body moving mechanism configured to move the cover body between a closed position and an open position; a substrate holder configured to horizontally hold a substrate; a fluid supply device configured to supply a processing fluid in a supercritical state and a fluid in a gas state to the processing vessel; and a controller configured to control the fluid supply device such that the processing fluid is supplied to the processing vessel in a first state in which the substrate is held by the substrate holder and the cover body is located at the closed position, and such that the fluid is supplied to the processing vessel in a second state in which the cover body is located at the open position.

This invention relates to a substrate processing technique for performing a pressure increasing step, a pressure keeping step and a pressure reducing step in this order in a processing container. A flow rate of a processing fluid in a processing space is suppressed to a second flow rate lower than a first flow rate while maintaining the processing space at a first pressure between the pressure increasing step and the pressure keeping step or in an initial stage of the pressure keeping step. In this way, the mutual diffusion between the processing fluid and a liquid in the processing space is promoted. After this diffusion proceeds, the substrate is dried by the discharge of the processing fluid from the processing space.

The inventive concept provides a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a chamber body having a top body and a bottom body which combine to provide a treating space therein; a substrate support unit configured to support a substrate at the treating space; a fluid supply unit configured to supply a treating fluid to the treating space; a fluid exhaust line for exhausting the treating fluid from the treating space; and a guide member provided to surround a periphery of the substrate supported by the substrate support unit.

A substrate processing method includes supplying a first developer at a first temperature onto a substrate in a development device, thereby performing a development process, supplying a process fluid at a second temperature lower than the first temperature onto the substrate, thereby replacing a residue of the first developer remaining after the development process with a second developer, transferring the substrate from the development device to a supercritical drying device, and supplying, by the supercritical drying device, at least one of a supercritical fluid and a subcritical fluid onto the substrate, thereby drying the second developer.

A substrate processing system includes: a batch-type processing part that collectively processes a lot including substrates arranged at a first pitch; a single-substrate-type processing part that processes the substrates of the lot one by one; and an interface part that delivers the substrates between the batch-type processing part and the single-substrate-type processing part. The batch-type processing part includes a processing bath that stores a processing solution having a lump shape or a mist shape, a first holder that holds the substrates arranged at the first pitch, and a second holder that receives the substrates arranged at a second pitch from the first holder in the processing solution. The interface part includes a transfer part that transfers the substrates held separately by the first and second holders in the processing solution, from the batch-type processing part to the single-substrate-type processing part.

According to one embodiment, a method including supplying a liquid onto a substrate, solidifying the liquid on the substrate to form a solidified body, and melting the solidified body of the liquid on the substrate is provided. When solidifying the liquid, an internal pressure of the liquid on the substrate is varied.

Disclosed is a method of treating a substrate. In one embodiment, supercritical fluid is supplied to a treatment space in a chamber such that the substrate in the treatment space is treated. The supercritical fluid is supplied to the treatment space while exhausting the treatment space. A temperature of the supercritical fluid supplied when exhausting the treatment space is higher than a temperature of the supercritical fluid supplied to the treatment space for treating the substrate.

The present invention provides a method for treating a substrate. The method for treating a substrate comprises: treating the substrate with liquid; and drying the liquid-treated substrate, and the liquid treatment step includes: a first liquid supply step of supplying a first liquid to an upper surface of the rotating substrate; and a second liquid supply step of supplying a second liquid to an upper surface of the rotating substrate, and in the second liquid supply step, a rotation speed of the substrate is adjusted such that the second liquid supplied on the substrate flows from a central region of the substrate to an edge region of the substrate.

A substrate processing apparatus is configured to dry a substrate by replacing a liquid film formed on a top surface of the substrate, which is horizontally held, with a supercritical fluid. The substrate processing apparatus includes a pressure vessel, a cover body and a supporting body. The pressure vessel has therein a drying chamber for the substrate. The cover body is configured to close an opening of the drying chamber. The supporting body is configured to support the substrate horizontally within the drying chamber. The supporting body is fixed to the drying chamber.

To clean components in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, such as an optical system or an electron beam system, a component is heated in a chamber. A supercritical fluid formulation is applied to the component in the chamber, which removes molecular and/or particulate contaminants. The supercritical fluid formulation can include one or more of carbon dioxide, water, HCF, alkane, alkene, nitrous oxide, methanol, ethanol, or acetone.