Abstract: Easily serviced and hygienically maintained liquid supply system. A liquid storage vessel switching device switches between vessels to supply liquid uninterruptedly. Provided in a first connection tube is a liquid cutoff device, including a loop section, for switching the system between allowing/cutting-off supplying of liquid to a dispenser through the first connection tube. Utilizing the liquid cutoff device eliminates, along the first connection tube, intervening conventional valves having structural components that come in direct contact with the supplied liquid, and on which sponges or other cleaning elements might get caught. The inner wall of the first connection tube may thus be cleaned readily with a sponge or the like. Beverages such as beer thus can easily be kept hygienically and served.

Abstract: A liquid supply system capable of being serviced and hygienically maintained easily. A beer storage barrel switching device (12) uninterruptedly supplies beer by switching between beer storage barrels (21-1, 21-2). A first connection tube (23-1) is provided with a fluid stopper device (31-1) including a loop section. The fluid stopper device (31-1) switches between a suppliable state in which it is possible to supply the beer to a dispenser (11) through the first connection tube (23-1) and a non-suppliable state in which it is not possible to supply the beer. Using the fluid stopper device (31-1) eliminates the need to provide a conventional valve in the middle of the first connection tube (23-1), the conventional valve having a structural element which comes in direct contact with the beer. Accordingly, the case that a cleaning member, such as a sponge, is caught by the valve does not occur, and this enables the inner wall of the first connection tube (23-1) to be cleaned using the cleaning member.

Abstract: In the coating treatment apparatus, in a first treatment chamber, the front and rear surfaces of the substrate held by a transfer arm are inverted by a turning mechanism, and a coating solution is applied from a coating nozzle to the rear surface of the substrate. The substrate is transferred into a second treatment chamber, in which the coating solution on the rear surface is heated by a heating unit to cure, thereby forming a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate. The formation of the coating film by the coating treatment apparatus is performed before exposure processing, whereby the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.

Abstract: According to the present invention, during the photolithography processing of a substrate, exposure processing is performed immediately after removal of a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate, and a coating film is formed on the rear surface of the substrate immediately after the exposure processing. Thereafter, etching treatment and so on are performed, and a series of these treatment and processing steps are performed a predetermined number of times. The coating film has been formed on the rear surface of the substrate at the time for the etching treatment, so that even if the coating film gets minute scratches, the rear surface of the substrate itself is protected by the coating film and thus never scratched. Further, since the coating film on the rear surface of the substrate is removed immediately before the exposure processing, the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.

Abstract: A resonant circuit includes a plurality of cables, each of which including: an outer conductor made of a conductive material in a cylindrical manner; an inner conductor, made of a conductive material in an elongated manner, and disposed inside of the outer conductor; and an insulator disposed between the outer conductor and the inner conductor. The plurality of cables is disposed in series in a circular manner. The inner conductor, provided in one of adjacently disposed cables among the plurality of cables, is conductively connected to the outer conductor of another of the adjacently disposed cable.

Abstract: A double loop structure includes: a first feed loop that is connected to a first high-frequency power source and energized; and a second feed loop which is connected to a second high-frequency power source, and in which an induced voltage is induced by the first feed loop. The first feed loop is provided with at least one twisting point a predetermined distance apart from the first high-frequency power source, or the second feed loop is provided with at least one twisting point a predetermined distance apart from the second high-frequency power source.

Abstract: A liquid supply system capable of being serviced and hygienically maintained easily. A beer storage barrel switching device (12) uninterruptedly supplies beer by switching between beer storage barrels (21-1, 21-2). A first connection tube (23-1) is provided with a fluid stopper device (31-1) including a loop section. The fluid stopper device (31-1) switches between a suppliable state in which it is possible to supply the beer to a dispenser (11) through the first connection tube (23-1) and a non-suppliable state in which it is not possible to supply the beer. Using the fluid stopper device (31-1) eliminates the need to provide a conventional valve in the middle of the first connection tube (23-1), the conventional valve having a structural element which comes in direct contact with the beer. Accordingly, the case that a cleaning member, such as a sponge, is caught by the valve does not occur, and this enables the inner wall of the first connection tube (23-1) to be cleaned using the cleaning member.

Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of rounds of patterning are performed on a substrate. In a patterning system, the substrate on which a first round of patterning has been performed is transferred to a planarizing film forming unit, where a planarizing film is formed above the substrate. The substrate is then transferred to the patterning system and subjected to a second round of patterning. The time from the completion of the forming processing of the planarizing film to the start of the second round of patterning is managed to be constant among the substrates. According to the present invention, in the pattern forming processing of performing a plurality of rounds of patterning, a pattern with a desired dimension can be stably formed above the substrate.

Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus for immersion light exposure includes one or more coating units configured to apply a resist film or a resist film and an additional film onto a substrate, one or more thermally processing units configured to perform a thermal process, a defect eliciting unit configured to perform a process for eliciting a latent defect of a coating film at an edge portion of the substrate, a checking unit configured to check a state of the coating film after the process by the defect eliciting unit, a control section configured to use a check result obtained by the checking unit to make a judgment of the state of the coating film and permit transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus, and a cleaning unit configured to perform cleaning on the substrate before the process by the defect eliciting unit.

Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of rounds of patterning are performed on a substrate. In a patterning system, the substrate on which a first round of patterning has been performed is transferred to a planarizing film forming unit, where a planarizing film is formed above the substrate. The substrate is then transferred to the patterning system and subjected to a second round of patterning. The time from the completion of the forming processing of the planarizing film to the start of the second round of patterning is managed to be constant among the substrates. According to the present invention, in the pattern forming processing of performing a plurality of rounds of patterning, a pattern with a desired dimension can be stably formed above the substrate.

Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.

Abstract: A developing method is used for subjecting a light-exposed resist film disposed on a wafer W to a developing process by a developing solution and a rinsing process by a rinsing liquid. In a state where the resist film on the wafer W is wet with the developing solution or rinsing liquid before a drying process is performed on the wafer W, a chemical liquid (curing chemical liquid), which contains a resist curing aid contributory to curing of a resist film remaining on the wafer W, is supplied onto a surface of the wafer W. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a surface of the wafer to cure a resist film remaining on the wafer W by a synergistic effect of the resist curing aid and the ultraviolet rays thus radiated, so as to prevent pattern fall.

Abstract: According to the present invention, during the photolithography processing of a substrate, exposure processing is performed immediately after removal of a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate, and a coating film is formed on the rear surface of the substrate immediately after the exposure processing. Thereafter, etching treatment and so on are performed, and a series of these treatment and processing steps are performed a predetermined number of times. The coating film has been formed on the rear surface of the substrate at the time for the etching treatment, so that even if the coating film gets minute scratches, the rear surface of the substrate itself is protected by the coating film and thus never scratched. Further, since the coating film on the rear surface of the substrate is removed immediately before the exposure processing, the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.

Abstract: In the present invention, in a rinse treatment method of cleaning a substrate after an exposed pattern thereon has been subjected to developing treatment, the following steps are performed such as supplying pure water onto the substrate to clean the substrate with the pure water; supplying a first rinse solution composed of a surfactant with a predetermined concentration onto the substrate to clean the substrate with the first rinse solution; and supplying a second rinse solution composed of a surfactant with a concentration lower than that of the first rinse solution onto the substrate to clean the substrate with the second rinse solution. According to the present invention, in the rinse treatment of the substrate after developing treatment, it is possible to dry the substrate without causing pattern collapse to restrain variation in pattern line width, and to reduce the remaining precipitation-based defects to increase the productivity.

Abstract: In the coating treatment apparatus, in a first treatment chamber, the front and rear surfaces of the substrate held by a transfer arm are inverted by a turning mechanism, and a coating solution is applied from a coating nozzle to the rear surface of the substrate. The substrate is transferred into a second treatment chamber, in which the coating solution on the rear surface is heated by a heating unit to cure, thereby forming a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate. The formation of the coating film by the coating treatment apparatus is performed before exposure processing, whereby the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.

Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus includes a process section including one or more coating units and one or more thermally processing units; a pre-coating cleaning unit configured to perform cleaning on a back surface and an edge portion of a substrate; and a pre-coating check unit configured to check a state of a back surface and an edge portion of the substrate. A control section is configured to realize a sequence of cleaning the substrate by the pre-coating cleaning unit, checking the substrate by the pre-coating check unit, making a judgment based on a check result thus obtained of whether or not a state of particles on a back surface and an edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range, and permitting transfer of the substrate into the process section where the state of particles is within the acceptable range.

Abstract: In the coating treatment apparatus, in a first treatment chamber, the front and rear surfaces of the substrate held by a transfer arm are inverted by a turning mechanism, and a coating solution is applied from a coating nozzle to the rear surface of the substrate. The substrate is transferred into a second treatment chamber, in which the coating solution on the rear surface is heated by a heating unit to cure, thereby forming a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate. The formation of the coating film by the coating treatment apparatus is performed before exposure processing, whereby the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.

Abstract: A coating/developing apparatus includes a process section including processing units to perform a series of processes for resist coating and development; an interface section disposed between the process section and immersion light exposure apparatus; and a drying section disposed in the interface section to dry the substrate immediately after the immersion light exposure process. The drying section includes a process container configured to accommodate the substrate, a substrate support member configured to place the substrate thereon, a temperature-adjusted gas supply mechanism configured to supply a temperature-adjusted gas into the process container, and an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust the process container. The drying section is arranged to dry the substrate by supplying the temperature-adjusted gas into the process container with the substrate placed on the substrate support member, while exhausting the process container.