Abstract: A substrate processing device includes: a chamber; a substrate processing mechanism that has a holding member, and discharges a processing fluid onto a substrate held by the holding member; a joint pipe that has a lower opening provided below the holding member, and an upper opening provided above the holding member, and is disposed such that at least part of the joint pipe from the lower opening to the upper opening passes through the outside of the chamber; and an air flow generator that is provided in the joint pipe. The air flow generator circulates an atmosphere in the chamber by discharging the atmosphere in the chamber from the lower opening to the joint pipe to allow the atmosphere to pass through the joint pipe, thereby introducing the atmosphere again into the chamber via the upper opening so that a downflow of the atmosphere occurs in the chamber.

Abstract: A substrate processing device includes: a chamber; a substrate processing mechanism that has a holding member, and discharges a processing fluid onto a substrate held by the holding member; a joint pipe that has a lower opening provided below the holding member, and an upper opening provided above the holding member, and is disposed such that at least part of the joint pipe from the lower opening to the upper opening passes through the outside of the chamber; and an air flow generator that is provided in the joint pipe. The air flow generator circulates an atmosphere in the chamber by discharging the atmosphere in the chamber from the lower opening to the joint pipe to allow the atmosphere to pass through the joint pipe, thereby introducing the atmosphere again into the chamber via the upper opening so that a downflow of the atmosphere occurs in the chamber.

Abstract: A substrate processing device includes: a chamber; a substrate processing mechanism that has a holding member, and discharges a processing fluid onto a substrate held by the holding member; a joint pipe that has a lower opening provided below the holding member, and an upper opening provided above the holding member, and is disposed such that at least part of the joint pipe from the lower opening to the upper opening passes through the outside of the chamber; and an air flow generator that is provided in the joint pipe. The air flow generator circulates an atmosphere in the chamber by discharging the atmosphere in the chamber from the lower opening to the joint pipe to allow the atmosphere to pass through the joint pipe, thereby introducing the atmosphere again into the chamber via the upper opening so that a downflow of the atmosphere occurs in the chamber.

Abstract: A substrate treating system includes a coating apparatus having a resist coating unit, an exposing apparatus having an exposing machine and a heat-treating unit, and a controller for controlling the resist coating unit, exposing machine and heat-treating unit. The controller coordinates schedules of treatment in the coating apparatus and exposing apparatus, such that the coating apparatus can operate efficiently despite an increase in the processing time of the exposing machine.

Abstract: A cleaning processing unit includes a spin chuck for horizontally holding a substrate and rotating the substrate around the vertical axis passing through the center of the substrate. A bevel cleaner is disposed outside the spin chuck. The bevel cleaner includes a cleaning brush. The cleaning brush has a shape that is symmetric about its vertical axis, and has an upper bevel cleaning surface, an end surface cleaning surface, and a lower bevel cleaning surface. The end surface cleaning surface is a cylindrical surface having its axis in the vertical direction. The upper bevel cleaning surface extends out from and is inclined upward from the upper end of the end surface cleaning surface, and the lower bevel cleaning surface extends out from and is inclined downward from the lower end of the end surface cleaning surface.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes 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, and an interface block. The interface block includes a bevel portion inspection unit. The bevel portion inspection unit inspects a bevel portion of a substrate to determine whether or not the bevel portion of the substrate is contaminated. The substrate whose bevel portion is determined to be contaminated and the substrate whose bevel portion is determined that it is not contaminated are respectively subjected to different types of processing.

Abstract: A substrate treating system includes a coating apparatus having a resist coating unit, an exposing apparatus having an exposing machine and a heat-treating unit, and a controller for controlling the resist coating unit, exposing machine and heat-treating unit. The controller coordinates schedules of treatment in the coating apparatus and exposing apparatus, such that the coating apparatus can operate efficiently despite an increase in the processing time of the exposing machine.

Abstract: A cleaning processing unit includes a spin chuck for horizontally holding a substrate and rotating the substrate around the vertical axis passing through the center of the substrate. A bevel cleaner is disposed outside the spin chuck. The bevel cleaner includes a cleaning brush. The cleaning brush has a shape that is symmetric about its vertical axis, and has an upper bevel cleaning surface, an end surface cleaning surface, and a lower bevel cleaning surface. The end surface cleaning surface is a cylindrical surface having its axis in the vertical direction. The upper bevel cleaning surface extends out from and is inclined upward from the upper end of the end surface cleaning surface, and the lower bevel cleaning surface extends out from and is inclined downward from the lower end of the end surface cleaning surface.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes 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, and an interface block. The interface block includes a bevel portion inspection unit. The bevel portion inspection unit inspects a bevel portion of a substrate to determine whether or not the bevel portion of the substrate is contaminated. The substrate whose bevel portion is determined to be contaminated and the substrate whose bevel portion is determined that it is not contaminated are respectively subjected to different types of processing.

Abstract: A camera is fixed to a camera fixture extending forward and upward from a rear end of an arm mechanism. The camera picks up the direction of extension of the arm mechanism when the substrate is carried in and out. If a normal still image in a hot plate unit previously recorded and a still image picked up by the camera coincide with each other, a substrate transport robot TR carries in and out the substrate.

Abstract: A moving image representing a maintenance method is reflected on a moving image display section in an operation panel. A worker can grasp the maintenance method by seeing the moving image displayed on the moving image display section. Consequently, maintenance can be performed in a short time and accurately in accordance with the moving image displayed on the moving image display section.

Abstract: A camera is fixed to a camera fixture extending forward and upward from a rear end of an arm mechanism. The camera picks up the direction of extension of the arm mechanism when the substrate is carried in and out. If a normal still image in a hot plate unit previously recorded and a still image picked up by the camera coincide with each other, a substrate transport robot TR carries in and out the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a transport robot (TR1) formed with a telescopic vertical movement mechanism of a so-called telescopially nestable multi-tier construction. A drive mechanism (D1) is initially driven to move a support member (48) upwardly to simultaneously elevate a vertical movement member (42d). As the vertical movement member (42d) rises, a pulley (47c) simultaneously moves upwardly. As the pulley (47c) moves upwardly, a vertical movement member (42c) is lifted upwardly by a belt (L1). Similar actions elevate a pair of transport arms (31a, 31b) provided on the top of a vertical movement member (42a). The increase in the number of tiers of the nestable multi-tier structure precludes the increase in height of the transport robot (TR1) in its retracted position.

Abstract: An inspection unit is provided in a substrate processing apparatus performing resist coating processing and development processing on a substrate. In the inspection unit, a film thickness measuring device, a line width measuring device, an overlay measuring device and a macro defect inspection device are successively stacked and arranged from below. The inspection unit is provided on an intermediate portion of a substrate transport path formed in the substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processed in the substrate processing apparatus is selectively introduced into each inspection part. Therefore, the apparatus can properly inspect the substrate at need while suppressing reduction of the throughput. Thus provided are a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate inspection method capable of properly inspecting a substrate while suppressing reduction of the throughput.

Abstract: Substrate processing parts are stacked and arranged in a multistage manner around a transport robot arranged at the center of a processing area. Rotary application units are arranged on a second layer through an indexer and the transport robot. Rotary developing units are stacked above the rotary application units respectively on a fourth layer located above the second layer. Multistage thermal processing units and an edge exposure unit are horizontally arranged in line above the indexer. In place of the processing units, inspection units performing a macro defect inspection and pattern line width measurement may be arranged in the upside region of the indexer space.

Abstract: Provided is a robot comprising a telescopic-drive mechanism which does not contaminate works in a purified environment such as a clean room, is easy to handle, and requires no cover for covering the telescopic-drive mechanism. A robot comprises: an up-down axis in which a plurality of hollow axis sectional elements telescopically continue; and a telescopic-drive mechanism for driving the up-down axis to be vertically extended or retracted between an extended state in which a tip end of the up-down axis extends with respect to a base end thereof and a retracted state in which the tip end is moved close to the base end, wherein the telescopic-drive mechanism is integrated on one side of the up-down axis without being exposed from the up-down axis.

Abstract: An inspection unit is provided in a substrate processing apparatus performing resist coating processing and development processing on a substrate. In the inspection unit, a film thickness measuring device, a line width measuring device, an overlay measuring device and a macro defect inspection device are successively stacked and arranged from below. The inspection unit is provided on an intermediate portion of a substrate transport path formed in the substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processed in the substrate processing apparatus is selectively introduced into each inspection part. Therefore, the apparatus can properly inspect the substrate at need while suppressing reduction of the throughput. Thus provided are a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate inspection method capable of properly inspecting a substrate while suppressing reduction of the throughput.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a transport robot (TR1) formed with a telescopic vertical movement mechanism of a so-called telescopially nestable multi-tier construction. A drive mechanism (D1) is initially driven to move a support member (48) upwardly to simultaneously elevate a vertical movement member (42d). As the vertical movement member (42d) rises, a pulley (47c) simultaneously moves upwardly. As the pulley (47c) moves upwardly, a vertical movement member (42c) is lifted upwardly by a belt (L1). Similar actions elevate a pair of transport arms (31a, 31b) provided on the top of a vertical movement member (42a). The increase in the number of tiers of the nestable multi-tier structure precludes the increase in height of the transport robot (TR1) in its retracted position.

Abstract: Substrate processing parts are stacked and arranged in a multistage manner around a transport robot arranged at the center of a processing area. Rotary application units are arranged on a second layer through an indexer and the transport robot. Rotary developing units are stacked above the rotary application units respectively on a fourth layer located above the second layer. Multistage thermal processing units and an edge exposure unit are horizontally arranged in line above the indexer. In place of the processing units, inspection units performing a macro defect inspection and pattern line width measurement may be arranged in the upside region of the indexer space.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a transport robot (TR1) formed with a telescopic vertical movement mechanism of a so-called telescopically nestable multi-tier construction. A drive mechanism (D1) is initially driven to move a support member (48) upwardly to simultaneously elevate a vertical movement member (42d). As the vertical movement member (42d) rises, a pulley (47c) simultaneously moves upwardly. As the pulley (47c) moves upwardly, a vertical movement member (42c) is lifted upwardly by a belt (L1). Similar actions elevate a pair of transport arms (31a, 31b) provided on the top of a vertical movement member (42a). The increase in the number of tiers of the nestable multi-tier structure precludes the increase in height of the transport robot (TR1) in its retracted position.