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 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 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 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 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: 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 substrate transport mechanism receives two substrates from an upstream ID section using two arms of three arms. The substrate transport mechanism delivers one of the two substrates to and from an individual processing unit of a processing block using one of arms holding the one of the two substrates to be subjected to a given process by the processing block and one of the arms holding no substrate. The substrate transport mechanism then keeps holding the other substrate with the remaining one arm of the arms having received the substrates while the processing unit processes the substrate. The substrate transport mechanism transfers the two substrates to a downstream processing block using the one arm holding the substrate subjected to the given process by the processing block and the one arm holding the other substrate.

Abstract: A cup intermediate portion and a cup lower portion surround a substrate. The cup intermediate portion is arranged above an upper surface of the cup lower portion. A sidewall surrounds the cup intermediate portion and the cup lower portion. A spacing between the upper surface of the cup lower portion and a lower surface of the cup intermediate portion gradually decreases outward from an outer peripheral portion of the substrate while a clearance is formed between the lower surface of the cup intermediate portion and the upper surface of the cup lower portion in respective outer peripheral portions of the cup intermediate portion and the cup lower portion. An inner peripheral surface of the sidewall is spaced apart from the clearance outside the clearance and surrounds the clearance.

Abstract: After a development liquid on a substrate is washed away with a rinse liquid, the rotational speed of the substrate is reduced, so that a liquid layer of the rinse liquid is formed over a top surface of the substrate. Thereafter, the rotational speed of the substrate is increased. The increase in the rotational speed of the substrate causes a centrifugal force to be slightly greater than tension, thereby causing the liquid layer to be held on the substrate with the thickness thereof in its peripheral portion increased and the thickness thereof at the center thereof decreased. Then, gas is discharged toward the center of the liquid layer from a gas supply nozzle, so that a hole is formed at the center of the liquid layer. This causes tension that is balanced with a centrifugal force exerted on the peripheral portion of the liquid layer to disappear. Furthermore, the rotational speed of the substrate is further increased while the gas is discharged. Thus, the liquid layer moves outward from the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating section for treating substrates, and an interface section disposed adjacent the treating section and adjacent an exposing machine provided separately from the apparatus. The interface section has a first treating-section-side transport mechanism, a second treating-section-side transport mechanism, and an exposing-machine-side transport mechanism. Each of the first and second treating-section-side transport mechanisms is arranged to receive the substrates from the treating section, pass the substrates to the exposing-machine-side transport mechanism, receive the substrates from the exposing-machine-side transport mechanism and pass the substrates to the treating 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 slit nozzle is moved by a nozzle lifting/lowering mechanism and a nozzle sliding mechanism relative to substrates held in a substantially horizontal attitude by spin chucks. A development liquid is discharged on each substrate from a discharge port of the slit nozzle such that development processing for the substrate is performed. After the development liquid is discharged, the slit nozzle is moved to a waiting position excluding positions over the substrates held by the spin chucks. In waiting pods provided at the waiting positions, cleaning processing for the slit nozzle is performed by a cleaning liquid with gas bubbles mixed therein.

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: Each of substrates which are sequentially loaded into an apparatus is transferred to one of empty (available) cooling units, and the cooling unit is reserved as a unit to be used for performing a cooling treatment after a post-exposure bake process for the substrate and the reservation information is stored. After one of the cooling units is reserved in advance before the post-exposure bake process, the substrate is transferred from the cooling unit to one of heating units without being subjected to a cooling treatment and is subjected to a post-exposure bake process therein. After the post-exposure bake process, the substrate is transferred from the heating unit to the reserved cooling unit which is reserved in advance and subjected to a cooling treatment therein.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, a storage device, an indexer block, a processing block and an interface block are arranged to line up in this order. The storage device includes a plurality of openers on which a carrier storing a plurality of substrates can be placed. The carrier is carried in the storage device. In the storage device, the carrier is transported among the plurality of openers by a transport device. The transport device includes first and second hands configured to be able to hold the carrier and move in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The second hand is provided below the first hand.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device and includes first, second and third processing units, includes forming a photosensitive film on the substrate by said first processing unit before exposure processing by said exposure device and applying washing processing to the substrate by supplying a washing liquid to the substrate in said second processing unit after the formation of said photosensitive film and before the exposure processing. The method also includes applying drying processing to the substrate in said second processing unit after the washing processing by said second processing unit and before the exposure processing and applying development processing to the substrate by said third processing unit after the exposure processing. Applying the drying processing to the substrate includes the step of supplying an inert gas onto the substrate, to which the washing liquid is supplied.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a first treating block and a second treating block disposed adjacent to the first treating block. Each of the first treating block and the second treating block include a plurality of stories arranged vertically. Each of the plurality of stories includes treating units for treating substrates and a main transport mechanism for transporting the substrates to and from the treating units. The substrates are transportable between the stories of the first treating block and the stories of the second treating block at same heights as corresponding stories of the first treating block. The substrates are transportable between the stories of the first treating block and the stories of the second treating block at different heights from corresponding stories of the first treating block.

Abstract: An aligner includes a plurality of substrate rotators and a shaft member. Each substrate rotator includes a holder, a notch detector, an electromagnetic clutch and a driving belt. Each holder sucks the back surface of the substrate under vacuum and horizontally holds the substrate. Each notch detector detects a notch formed at the substrate, and supplies a detection result to the corresponding electromagnetic clutch as a detection signal. One end of the shaft member is connected to a motor. The shaft member is continuously rotated by the motor. Each electromagnetic clutch switches to a connection state in which rotational force of an inner periphery is transmitted to an outer periphery and a disconnection state in which rotational force of the inner periphery is transmitted to the outer periphery according to a detection signal supplied from the notch detector.

Abstract: A rotating shaft is provided to extend downward from the inside of a spin motor. A plate supporting member is attached to the lower end of the rotating shaft. A spin plate is supported in a horizontal attitude by the plate supporting member. A substrate holding mechanism is provided at the periphery on the spin plate. The lower end of an annular member is formed to be opposite to an annular region extending along the periphery on the upper surface of the substrate held by a spin chuck. A distance between the upper surface of the substrate and the lower surface of the spin plate is larger than a distance between the upper surface of the substrate and the lower end of the annular member.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing section and an exposure transport section. The exposure transport section includes a horizontal transport region and a plurality of vertical transport regions in a casing. The horizontal transport region is provided at the upper portion of the casing to extend in the X direction. A plurality of exposure devices are arranged below the horizontal transport region to be lined up in the X direction. A transport mechanism is provided in the horizontal transport region. The transport mechanism is configured to be capable of transporting a substrate between the processing section and the plurality of exposure devices.