Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming at least one Metal Germanide contact on a substrate for providing a semiconducting device (100) by providing a first layer (120) of Germanium (Ge) and a second layer of metal. The invention provides a step of reacting the second layer with the first layer with high energy density pulses for obtaining a Germanide metal layer (160A) having a substantially planar interface with the underlying first (Ge) layer.

Abstract: A method for developing a substrate includes spinning the substrate with a spin holder and discharging a developer to the substrate from a plurality of exhaust ports arranged in a row on a developer feeder. The method also includes causing a moving mechanism to move said developer feeder in one direction extending to a center of the substrate in plan view while maintaining a direction of arrangement of said exhaust ports in said one direction, thereby to move said developer feeder between substantially the center and an edge of the substrate. The method further includes causing the developer discharged from said exhaust ports to impinge in separate streams on the substrate, and causing each of the separate streams to impinge spirally on the substrate, thereby to develop the substrate. At least two of loci of positions of impingement of the developer corresponding to said exhaust ports overlap each other.

Abstract: One processing block is arranged between an indexer block and another processing block. One substrate is transported to a main transport mechanism in the one processing block by a main transport mechanism in the indexer block, transported to a first processing section and a thermal processing section by the main transport mechanism in the one processing block and processing is performed on the substrate. The substrate after the processing is transported to the main transport mechanism in the indexer block by the main transport mechanism in the one processing block. Another substrate is transported to a sub-transport mechanism in a sub-transport chamber by the main transport mechanism in the indexer block, and is transported to a main transport mechanism in another processing block by the sub-transport mechanism in the sub-transport chamber.

Abstract: A coating method includes a step of forming a film of a coating solution having a larger thickness in a central region of a substrate than in an edge region of the substrate by discharging droplets of the coating solution from a plurality of nozzles formed on an inkjet head to the substrate, and a step of moving the coating solution in the film from the central region toward the edge region of the substrate by rotating the substrate. This reduces a difference in thickness of the film between the central region and the edge region of the substrate, thereby to make the film thickness substantially uniform. At the same time, the movement of the coating solution in the film can make the surface of the film smoother.

Abstract: A substrate is transported based on coordinates information indicating a receiving position of the substrate and a placement position of the substrate by a hand. If the substrate is shifted from a first position, the substrate is received by the hand while a center of the substrate is shifted from a normal position of the hand. The hand that holds the substrate is moved toward a second position. A plurality of portions at an outer periphery of the substrate are detected before the substrate is placed. A shift of the substrate with respect to the normal position of the hand is detected based on the detection result, and the coordinates information is corrected such that a shift between a position of the center of the substrate to be placed at the second position by the hand and the center of the second position is canceled.

Abstract: A processing liquid is supplied onto a substrate rotated by a spin chuck in a coating processing unit so that a film of the processing liquid is formed, and a rinse liquid is supplied to a peripheral edge of the substrate so that a processing liquid on the peripheral edge of the substrate is removed. An edge cut width between a position of an outer peripheral portion of the substrate rotated by the spin chuck in an edge exposure unit and a position of an outer peripheral portion of a film on the substrate is detected. Based on the detected edge cut width, a positional deviation of the center of the substrate held in the spin chuck from a rotation center of the spin chuck in the coating processing unit is determined while a supply state of the rinse liquid by an edge rinse nozzle is determined.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes an indexer block, a first processing block, a second processing block, and an interface block. The indexer block includes a pair of carrier platforms and a transport section. A carrier storing a plurality of substrates in multiple stages is placed in each of the carrier platforms. The transport section includes transport mechanisms. The transport mechanisms concurrently transport the substrates.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, a cleaning/drying processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block in the substrate processing apparatus. The exposure device subjects a substrate to exposure processing by means of an immersion method. In the edge cleaning unit in the cleaning/drying processing block, a brush abuts against an end of the rotating substrate, so that the edge of the substrate before the exposure processing is cleaned. At this time, the position where the substrate is cleaned is corrected.

Abstract: Transport mechanisms are respectively provided in first and second processing blocks. Each transport mechanism has a hand. The hand holds the other surface of a substrate without coming into contact with an edge of the substrate. The hand is moved such that the substrate is transported between an adhesion reinforcement processing unit or a cooling unit and a coating processing unit or a development processing unit. In the adhesion reinforcement processing unit and the cooling unit, temperature processing is performed on the substrate while the back surface of the substrate is held by suction. In the coating processing unit and the development processing unit, a processing liquid is supplied to the main surface of the substrate while the back surface of the substrate is held by suction by a spin chuck.

Abstract: An ULPA filter is arranged at the upper portion in a casing. Air outside of the casing is supplied to the ULPA filter through a duct. Clean air that has passed through the ULPA filter is led to an opening of a spin plate through a passage forming member, a connection member, a base, a motor supporting member and a rotating shaft of a spin motor. The spin chuck holds a substrate such that the upper surface of the substrate is opposite to the spin plate. In this state, the spin motor operates, causing the spin plate to rotate and thus the lower surface of the rotating substrate to be cleaned by a cleaning brush.

Abstract: Each chemical processing section includes a chemical liquid bottle, a buffer tank, a pump, a filter, a discharge valve and a discharge nozzle. A chemical liquid stored in the chemical liquid bottle is led to the discharge nozzle and is discharged from the discharge nozzle to a substrate. A cleaning processing section includes a solvent bottle, a cleaning liquid bottle, the buffer tank and the pump. A solvent stored in the solvent bottle, a cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid bottle and a gas supplied from a gas supply source are selectively led to the discharge nozzle in each chemical liquid processing section.

Abstract: An underlayer is formed to cover the upper surface of a substrate and a guide pattern is formed on the underlayer. A DSA film constituted by two types of polymers is formed in a region on the underlayer where the guide pattern is not formed. Thermal processing is performed while a solvent is supplied to the DSA film on the substrate. Thus, a microphase separation of the DSA film occurs. As a result, patterns made of the one polymer and patterns made of another polymer are formed. Exposure processing and development processing are performed in this order on the DSA film after the microphase separation such that the patterns made of another polymer are removed.

Abstract: A treating section has substrate treatment lines arranged one over the other for treating substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally. An IF section transports the substrates fed from each substrate treatment line to an exposing machine provided separately from this apparatus. The substrates are transported to the exposing machine in the order in which the substrates are loaded into the treating section. The throughput of this apparatus can be improved greatly, without increasing the footprint, since the substrate treatment lines are arranged one over the other. Each substrate can be controlled easily since the order of the substrates transported to the exposing machine is in agreement with the order of the substrates loaded into the treating section.

Abstract: A coating head is constructed of a solvent feed mechanism connected to a forward side in a direction of movement of a coating solution feed mechanism, and a gas jet mechanism connected to a rearward side in the direction of movement. While moving the coating head relative to a substrate, a solvent is supplied onto the substrate from the solvent feed mechanism, then a coating solution is supplied onto a film of the solvent from the coating solution feed mechanism, and finally a gas is jetted to an uneven surface of the coating solution from the gas jet mechanism to smooth a thin film surface of the coating solution.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus for treating substrates includes a plurality of substrate treatment lines arranged vertically for carrying out plural types of treatment on the substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally, and a controller for changing processes of treatment carried out on the substrates for each of the substrate treatment lines. By changing the processes of treatment carried out for the substrates for each substrate treatment line, the processes of treatment carried out for the substrates can be changed for each substrate conveniently. Thus, a plurality of different processes of treatment corresponding to the number of substrate treatment lines can be carried out in parallel for the respective substrates.

Abstract: A substrate is surrounded by an inner cup and an outer cup. A distance between an upper surface of an inner cup lower portion and a lower surface of an inner cup upper portion of the inner cup is gradually reduced outward from an outer periphery of the substrate. A clearance is formed between the upper surface of the inner cup lower portion and the lower surface of the inner cup upper portion at outer peripheries of the inner cup lower portion and the inner cup upper portion. A collection space is formed between the upper surface of the inner cup lower portion and the lower surface of the inner cup upper portion. A scatter capturing space that allows a processing liquid that has passed through the clearance to scatter and captures the scattering processing liquid is formed by an outer cup. An upper portion and an outer periphery of the scatter capturing space are covered by a lower surface and an inner side surface of the outer cup, respectively.

Abstract: A substrate treating method for treating substrates with a substrate treating apparatus having an indexer section, a treating section and an interface section includes performing resist film forming treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section and performing developing treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section.

Abstract: A treating section includes a plurality of treating blocks juxtaposed horizontally. Each treating block is vertically divided into stories. Each story includes treating units and a main transport mechanism. Substrates are transportable between the same stories of the treating blocks. Further, the substrates are transportable between different stories. Thus, the apparatus can transport the substrates flexibly between the treating blocks.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating block including a plurality of cells arranged one over another. Each cell has treating units for treating substrates and a single main transport mechanism disposed in a transporting space for transporting the substrates to the treating units. The treating units include solution treating units and heat-treating units. The solution treating units are arranged at one side of the transporting space, the heat-treating units are arranged at the other side of the transporting space, and the main transport mechanism and the treating units are in substantially the same layout in plan view for the respective cells. The solution treating units are in substantially the same layout in side view for the respective cells, the heat-treating units are in substantially the same layout in side view for the respective cells, and treatments of the substrates carried out in the respective cells are the same.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating block including a plurality of cells arranged one over another. Each cell has treating units for treating substrates and a single main transport mechanism for transporting the substrates to the treating units. Each cell also has a blowout unit for supplying a clean gas into a transporting space of the main transport mechanism and an exhaust unit for exhausting gas from the transporting space. The blowout unit and the exhaust unit are arranged one over the other in the transporting space to separate the transporting space of each cell from that of another cell.