A substrate processing method includes a first processing liquid supplying step of supplying a first processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, a holding layer forming step of solidifying or curing the first processing liquid to form a particle holding layer on the upper surface of the substrate, a holding layer removing step of peeling and removing the particle holding layer from the upper surface of the substrate, a liquid film forming step of forming, after removing the particle holding layer from the substrate, a liquid film of the second processing liquid, a solidifying step of cooling the liquid film to a temperature not more than a melting point of the sublimable substance to make the liquid film solidify on the substrate and form a solid film, and a sublimating step of sublimating and thereby removing the solid film from the substrate.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a wafer trimming and cleaning apparatus, which includes a blade that is configured to trim a damaged edge portion of a wafer, thereby defining a new sidewall of the wafer. The wafer trimming and cleaning apparatus further includes water nozzles and an air jet nozzle. The water nozzles are configured to apply deionized water to the new sidewall of the wafer to remove contaminant particles generated by the blade. The air jet nozzle is configured to apply pressurized gas to a first top surface area of the wafer to remove the contaminant particles generated by the blade. The first top surface area overlies the new sidewall of the wafer.

There is provided a processing method of a workpiece. In the processing method, a protective film including a water-insoluble resin is formed on the front surface of a workpiece and the workpiece on which the protective film is formed is processed. Furthermore, the protective film is deteriorated by supplying an organic solvent to the workpiece processed and the protective film is removed from the front surface of the workpiece by supplying cleaning water to the protective film deteriorated.

A method for treating high aspect ratio (HAR) structures arranged on a surface of a substrate includes a) spin rinsing the surface of the substrate using a first rinsing liquid; b) spinning off the first rinsing liquid from the surface of the substrate; and c) directing a gas mixture containing hydrogen fluoride onto the surface of the substrate after the first rinsing liquid is dispensed.

An electrostatic workpiece-holding method includes an initialization step, a static elimination step, a workpiece setting step, a workpiece attracting step, and a workpiece release step. The initialization step is a step of applying a positive voltage to electrode of the electrostatic attracting part while applying a negative voltage to electrode. The static elimination step is a step of removing the static charge on the surface of the electrostatic attracting part. The workpiece setting step is a step of placing the workpiece in contact with the surface of the electrostatic attracting part. The workpiece attracting step is a step of interrupting the application of the positive voltage to electrode of the electrostatic attracting part and the application of the negative voltage to electrode. The workpiece release step is a step of applying the positive voltage to electrode of the electrostatic attracting part while applying the negative voltage to electrode.

A substrate processing method includes: maintaining an atmosphere in contact with at least a surface of a substrate on which a first material that is a metal and a second material that is a material other than the first material are exposed, as a deoxidized atmosphere; supplying a film forming material, which selectively forms a film on the first material among the first material and the second material, to the surface of the substrate in a state where the deoxidized atmosphere is maintained by the maintaining; performing a surface treatment of the second material in a state where the film is formed on a surface of the first material supplied in the supplying the film forming material; and removing the film from the surface of the first material after the performing the surface treatment.

In one example, a method for wafer drying includes providing a surface of a first wafer, the surface of the first wafer including a liquid to be removed with a drying process. The method further includes replacing the liquid with a first solid film in a first processing chamber, the first solid film covering the surface of the first wafer. The method further includes transferring the first wafer from the first processing chamber to a second processing chamber. The method further includes processing the first wafer in the second processing chamber by flowing a supercritical fluid through the second processing chamber, where the supercritical fluid removes the first solid film.

Methods and apparatus for cleaning an electrostatic chuck (ESC) in a semiconductor chamber allow in-situ cleaning of the ESC. An apparatus may include an adapter or cover ring that is electrically isolated from a deposition ring; an annular grounding bracket mounted to and surrounding a pedestal, the annular grounding bracket has at least one horizontal grounding loop on an upper perimeter surface configured to provide electrical contact with the adapter or cover ring and to provide an RF return path to the ESC during plasma generation; and a bracket with a horizontal grounding loop on a first end to make electrical contact with the deposition ring and a vertical grounding loop on a second end to make electrical contact with a lift hoop which is electrically grounded, the bracket is mounted to, but electrically isolated from, the annular grounding bracket.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a driving magnet that is disposed correspondingly to a movable pin and that has a predetermined polar direction with respect to a radial direction of a rotary table, a pressing magnet that has a magnetic pole that gives an attractive magnetic force or a repulsive magnetic force between the driving magnet and the pressing magnet and that presses a support portion against a peripheral edge of a substrate by urging the support portion toward a contact position by means of the attractive magnetic force or the repulsive magnetic force, and a pressing-force changing unit that changes a magnitude of a pressing force against the peripheral edge of the substrate pressed by the support portion while keeping the magnitude higher than zero in response to rotation of the rotary table.

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for liquid-treating a substrate. An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a liquid treatment chamber that supplies a liquid onto the substrate to liquid-treat the substrate, a drying chamber that removes the remained liquid on the substrate, and a transfer unit that transfers the substrate between the liquid treatment chamber and the drying chamber, wherein the transfer unit includes a hand that supports the substrate, and a weight measuring unit that measures a weight of the remained liquid on the substrate. A weight of a remained liquid on a substrate may be measured by measuring a weight of the substrate while the substrate is transferred.