Abstract: An apparatus for forming a coating film, comprises a spin chuck for supporting a substrate with one surface facing upward and rotating the substrate about a vertical axis, a first nozzle for supplying a solvent of a coating solution on the substrate, and a second nozzle for supplying the coating solution on a central portion of the substrate. The first and second nozzles are supported by a head such that the supported nozzle moves between a dropping position above the substrate and a waiting position offset from the substrate. The solvent and coating solution are diffused along the surface of the substrate by rotating the spin chuck.

Abstract: A method of subjecting a plurality of wafers to coating and beating treatments where a first boat is placed on a stage arranged in an interface section. The first boat is capable of containing the wafers stacked at intervals in a vertical direction. The stage is capable of moving in a horizontal direction, and has a plurality of positions for respectively placing a plurality of boats. The wafers are conveyed from a supply section to a coating section, and are subjected to a coating treatment one by one. The wafers, which have undergone the coating treatment, are conveyed to the interface section. The wafers, which have undergone the coating treatment, are loaded into the first boat placed on the stage, in the interface section. The first boat containing the wafers, which have undergone the coating treatment, is located at a transfer position by moving the stage. The first boat, located at a transfer position by moving the stage.

Abstract: A substrate transferring device including a pair of support arms for supporting LCD substrates substantially horizontally, expandable multi-joint link mechanisms for moving the support arms in a horizontal plane, a first motor for extending and retracting the link mechanisms, a rotary base on which the link mechanisms are mounted, and a second motor for rotating the rotary base, wherein one of the support arms is provided so that an LCD substrate supported by the support arm is, at least partially, overlapped with an LCD substrate supported by the other support arm when the link mechanism is retracted.

Abstract: There is provided a double-sided substrate cleaning apparatus including a carrier station for loading/unloading a carrier in which objects to be processed are stored, a convey mechanism for conveying an object taken out from the carrier station, at least one cleaning mechanism, arranged along a convey path on which the convey mechanism conveys the object, for cleaning the object, and an object reversing mechanism, arranged along the convey path, for reversing the object.

Abstract: A develop processing apparatus is provided for processing an object with a developing solution, comprising a retaining member for rotatably retaining the object, a developing solution supply nozzle for supplying the developing solution to the object, a developing solution sucking nozzle for sucking the developing solution supplied to the object, a developing solution supply nozzle moving mechanism for moving the developing solution supply nozzle above the object, a developing solution sucking nozzle moving mechanism for moving the developing solution sucking nozzle above the object. After the developing solution is supplied to the object subsequent to moving the developing solution supply nozzle, the developing solution sucking nozzle is moved and the developing solution on the object is sucked.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a coating film, comprises a spin chuck for supporting a substrate with one surface facing upward and rotating the substrate about a vertical axis, a first nozzle for supplying a solvent of a coating solution on the substrate, and a second nozzle for supplying the coating solution on a central portion of the substrate. The first and second nozzles are supported by a head such that the supported nozzle moves between a dropping position above the substrate and a waiting position offset from the substrate. The solvent and coating solution are diffused along the surface of the substrate by rotating the spin chuck.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning method in which an object to be cleaned is held such that a surface of the object to be cleaned faces a cleaning body and the object to be cleaned and the cleaning body are moved relative to each other in a state where the cleaning body is in contact with the surface to the object to be cleaned, thereby cleaning the surface of the object to be cleaned, wherein a contact pressure of the cleaning body to the surface of the object to be cleaned is set at most 20 gf/cm.sup.2, when the surface is cleaned.

Abstract: A develop processing apparatus is provided for processing an object with a developing solution, comprising a retaining member for rotatably retaining the object, a developing solution supply nozzle for supplying the developing solution to the object, a developing solution sucking nozzle for sucking the developing solution supplied to the object, a developing solution supply nozzle moving mechanism for moving the developing solution supply nozzle above the object, a developing solution sucking nozzle moving mechanism for moving the developing solution sucking nozzle above the object. After the developing solution is supplied to the object subsequent to moving the developing solution supply nozzle, the developing solution sucking nozzle is moved and the developing solution on the object is sucked.

Abstract: A method of resist-processing a rectangular substrate including a resist coating step of supplying resist solution to the substrate, while rotating it, to form resist film at least on one surface of it and a resist removing step of jetting removing liquid, which can solve resist, to both surfaces of it at its side peripheral portions to remove the resist film from them.

Abstract: This invention provides a substrate processing system including a cassette station on which at least one cassette containing a plurality of objects is placed, a process station including a plurality of process chambers for performing processing for the objects, and an object conveying unit for loading the objects into the process chambers and unloading the objects from the process chambers, a first object transfer unit for transferring the objects between the cassette station and the process station, and an interface section including an object waiting region where the objects wait, and a second object transfer unit for transferring the objects to the process station, wherein the process chambers in the process station are arranged around the object conveying unit, and the object conveying unit has a rotating shaft almost parallel to the vertical direction and can move up and down in the vertical direction along the rotating shaft and rotate about the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing a photoresist-coated substrate comprises a spin chuck having a supporting surface smaller in size than the substrate and adapted to be spin-driven with the photoresist-coated substrate surface held upward, a cup surrounding the spin chuck, a developing solution nozzle for applying a developing solution on the photoresist-coated substrate held on the spin chuck, a first washing solution nozzle for applying a washing solution to the photoresist-coated surface of the substrate held on the spin chuck, a second washing solution nozzle for applying the washing solution to a rear surface of the substrate on the spin chuck, a liquid seal ring mounted substantially coaxial with the spin chuck and having a diameter greater than the supporting surface of the spin chuck and smaller than the substrate, and a liquid film forming section provided on an upper end of the liquid seal ring and located near and opposite a peripheral edge portion of a rear surface of the substrate on the spin

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes a table for placing thereon an object to be treated, heating means for heating the object with the table interposed therebetween, and a plurality of support members which project from the table for supporting the object with a space interposed between the object and the table. The height of each of the support members can be varied in accordance with a surface temperature distribution of the object during treatment. A substrate treatment apparatus according to another aspect of the invention includes a table for placing thereon an object to be treated, and heating means for heating the object with the table interposed therebetween. The table has a surface thereof divided into regions of different heat radiation states in accordance with a surface temperature distribution of the object during treatment of the object.

Abstract: A processing system comprising a loading/unloading section, a processing section and an interface section. The system further comprises a convey mechanism and at least two waiting sections. The convey mechanism can move in either direction between between the loading/unloading section and the interface section, for conveying objects to the processing units included in the processing section and conveying objects in either direction between the loading/unloading section and the interface section. The waiting sections are provided for temporarily holding an object before the convey mechanism conveys an object to the interface section.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resist processing method for an object to be processed, including the processing step of supplying a process solution onto the object to be processed to perform a process on the object to be processed, and the cleaning step of supplying a cleaning solution onto the object to be processed to clean the object to be processed, wherein the processing step at least partially overlaps the cleaning step.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of easily removable processing units including at least a heating unit for heating a substrate and a cooling unit for cooling the substrate, and an outer frame having a plurality of compartments. Each compartment has an opening through which a processing unit may be inserted or removed. The plurality of compartments are arranged vertically. Each compartment has a plurality of first joint members connected to utility lines including those of an electrical system, a control system, and a fluid system. The electrical, control, and fluid systems are necessary for operating the processing units. Each processing unit has a plurality of second joint members connected to the first joint members.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resist processing method for an object to be processed, including the processing step of supplying a process solution onto the object to be processed to perform a process on the object to be processed, and the cleaning step of supplying a cleaning solution onto the object to be processed to clean the object to be processed, wherein the processing step at least partially overlaps the cleaning step.

Abstract: An apparatus for subjecting a plurality of wafers to coating and heating treatments, including a coating section for subjecting the wafers to a coating treatment one by one, a heating section for subjecting wafers which have undergone the coating treatment to a heating treatment all together, and an interface section arranged between the coating section and the heating section. The wafers are heat-treated in the heat treatment section while the wafers are stacked at intervals in a vertical direction in a boat. The wafers which have undergone the coating treatment are loaded into the boat by a conveying member in the interface section. The conveying member and the boat are surrounded by a surrounding space formed by a casing at the interface section. A circulation line is combined with an air supply and exhaust system, for circulating air in the surrounding space.

Abstract: A apparatus of resist-processing a rectangular substrate including a resist coating step of supplying resist solution to the substrate, while rotating it, to form resist film at least on one surface of it and a resist removing step of jetting removing liquid, which can solve resist, to both surfaces of it at its side peripheral portions to remove the resist film from them.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus for receiving and delivering a substrate among a plurality of process locations and transferring the substrate among the process locations comprises an apparatus body, a transfer member, movably provided on the apparatus body, for supporting and transferring the substrate, the transfer member having a plurality of support portions for supporting the substrate at different positions in the same plane, moving mechanism for moving the transfer member for enabling the transfer member to receive and deliver the substrate, and switching mechanism for switching the position of the transfer member among a plurality of positions for receiving and delivering the substrate on the support portions.

Abstract: A processing apparatus comprises a carrier rest portion for placing thereon carriers each of which stores a plurality of plate-like target bodies substantially horizontally with gaps therebetween in the vertical direction and which has a front surface forming a target body transfer port and a side surface having a light-transmitting portion, a convey mechanism having a target body holding member which is movable back and forth and movable vertically relative to the carrier rest portion to sequentially extract and transfer target bodies in the carrier to a processing unit, and photocoupler and a mirror, provided to the convey mechanism to oppose each other through part of the target body in the horizontal direction, for detecting presence/absence of a target body in each stage of the carrier on the carrier rest portion.