Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for performing an exposure process by printing a pattern on a substrate coated with a photosensitive material includes an exposure part for performing an immersion exposure process, a cleaning part and a transport mechanism which are provided within an exposure chamber. After the exposure part performs the immersion exposure process on the substrate, the substrate is transported to the cleaning part and is cleaned therein. If the liquid used during the immersion exposure process remains on the substrate after the exposure process, the substrate is cleaned in the cleaning part immediately after the exposure process. This prevents the remaining liquid from adhering to and contaminating mechanisms within the substrate processing apparatus. Also, the cleaning part is able to clean a dummy substrate for use in an alignment process in the exposure part.

Abstract: The transporting process from cleaning and drying processing of a substrate in a cleaning/drying processing unit in a cleaning/drying processing group to post-exposure bake (PEB) of the substrate in a thermal processing group for post-exposure bake in a cleaning/drying processing block is described below. First, after the substrate after exposure processing is subjected to the cleaning and drying processing in the cleaning/drying processing group, a sixth central robot takes out the substrate from the cleaning/drying processing group and carries that substrate into the thermal processing group for post-exposure bake in the cleaning/drying processing block.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a substrate processing apparatus and a cleaning/drying apparatus. The 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 a first interface block. The cleaning/drying apparatus includes a cleaning/drying processing block and a second interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the second interface block. In the cleaning/drying processing block, cleaning processing is applied to a substrate before exposure processing and drying processing is applied to the substrate after the exposure processing.

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. These blocks are arranged in the substrate processing apparatus in the above order. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block of the substrate processing apparatus. A hydrophobic processing unit is arranged in the resist cover film processing block and applies hydrophobic processing to the substrate before exposure processing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an edge-cleaning processing 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 of the substrate processing apparatus. In the exposure device, exposure processing is applied to a substrate by a liquid immersion method. In the edge-cleaning processing group in the edge-cleaning processing block, an edge of the substrate before exposure processing is cleaned.

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 drying processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The drying processing block comprises a drying processing group. The interface block comprises an interface transport mechanism. A substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, and subsequently transported to the drying processing group by the interface transport mechanism. The substrate is subjected to cleaning and drying processing by the drying processing group.

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 processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing comprises a coating processing group for resist cover film and a removal processing group for resist cover film. The resist cover film is formed in the processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing before the exposure processing. The resist cover film is removed in the processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing after the exposure processing.

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 washing processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The washing processing block comprises washing processing group. A resist film is formed in the resist film processing block. Before the substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, the substrate is subjected to washing and drying processing in the washing processing group.

Abstract: An interface transport mechanism employs an upper hand during the transport of a substrate to an exposure device, and employs a lower hand during the transport of the substrate that has been carried out of the exposure device. A fifth central robot employs a lower hand during the transport of a substrate after the exposure processing by an exposure device, and employs an upper hand during the transport of a substrate after the drying processing that has been carried out of a drying processing group. That is, the upper hand is employed to transport a substrate to which no liquid is attached, and the lower hand is employed to transport a substrate to which a liquid is attached after the exposure processing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a washing/development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. A resist film is formed on a substrate by the resist film processing block. The substrate is washed and dried by the washing processing unit in the washing/development processing block before the substrate is subjected to the exposure processing by the exposure device.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a drying/development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The drying/development processing block comprises a drying processing group. The interface block comprises an interface transport mechanism. A substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, and subsequently transported to the drying processing group by the interface transport mechanism. The substrate is cleaned and dried by the drying processing group.

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, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. A resist film is formed on a substrate in the resist film processing block. A resist cover film is formed on the resist film in the resist cover film processing block before the substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to an interface block. The interface block comprises a drying processing group including two drying processing units and an interface transport mechanism. After a substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, the substrate is transported to the drying processing units in the drying processing group by the interface transport mechanism, where the substrate is subjected to cleaning and drying processings.

Abstract: An interface transport mechanism uses an upper hand when transporting a substrate from a substrate platform to an exposure device before exposure processing by an exposure device, and uses a lower hand when transporting the substrate from the exposure device to the substrate platform after the exposure processing by the exposure device. That is, the lower hand is used to transport a substrate to which a liquid is attached after exposure processing, and the upper hand is used to transport a substrate to which no liquid is attached before exposure processing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block comprises washing processing units and an interface transport mechanism. Before a substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, the substrate is transported to a washing processing unit by the interface transport mechanism. The substrate is washed and dried by the washing processing unit.

Abstract: An application processing unit forms a cover film of a component soluble in an aqueous alkaline solution on the surface of a substrate formed with a resist film. The application processing unit can supply a developer used in a development processing unit as a remover for removing a cover film component adhering to the peripheral edge of the substrate. Thus, it is possible to selectively remove the cover film from the peripheral edge of the substrate without influencing the resist film.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided with a film quality measuring device that measures the density of a resist film on a substrate as the film quality. Measurement of the density of the resist film is performed after resist-coating or during or after heat-treatment followed by the resist-coating. The film quality measuring device also measures the thickness of the resist film on the substrate before exposure after the heat-treatment followed by the resist-coating. A controller controls a processing condition in a coater or a heating device so that each of the density and thickness of the resist film on the substrate falls within an acceptable range.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided with five inspection devices that perform inspections of different kinds to a substrate. Among the five kinds of inspections, the film quality is measured after resist coating, and before post-coating heat-treatment. As the film quality, the amount of solvent remaining in a resist film is measured. The film thickness is measured after heat-treatment following resist coating and before exposure. Meanwhile, the line width and the superposition precision are measured and macroscopic defect inspection is performed after post-development heat-treatment and before the substrate is returned to an indexer.

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises: an induction type head for recording including a lower magnetic core, a writing gap film formed on the lower magnetic core, an upper magnetic core having a track portion and a portion spreading from the track portion, a plurality of insulating films laminated between the lower magnetic core and the upper magnetic core, and a coil formed between the plurality of insulating films. One of the plurality of insulating films is an insulating film determining a zero throat level position. The track portion of the upper magnetic core extends to an air bearing surface. A magnetoresistance effect type head for reproducing includes a lower shielding film and a magnetoresistance effect sensor film between the lower shielding film and the lower magnetic core.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus performing prescribed processing on a substrate is provided with a CD measuring unit serving as an inspection unit, an asher unit serving as a regenerative processing unit and a cleaning unit performing cleaning. After the substrate processing apparatus performs resist coating, exposure, development and the like on the substrate and terminates the development, a transport robot transfers the substrate to the CD inspection unit so that the CD inspection unit inspects whether or not the line width of a resist film formed through the development is within the range of a prescribed value. The transport robot transfers a substrate having a line width deviating from the prescribed value to the asher unit so that the asher unit regenerates the substrate by removing the resist film, the cleaning unit cleans the substrate and thereafter the substrate processing apparatus performs prescribed processing again.