Abstract: A method of and apparatus for cleaning a substrate which require shorter processing time with high processing efficiency are disclosed. A cleaning brush pivots about a pivot axis between two positions. An ultrasonic cleaning nozzle pivots about a pivot axis between two positions. To perform a cleaning process, the cleaning brush and the ultrasonic cleaning nozzle are driven in accordance with a processing pattern previously produced by an operator. The processing pattern is produced so that the movement of the cleaning brush between two positions and the movement of the ultrasonic cleaning nozzle between two positions are not caused simultaneously. Any processing pattern desired by the operator may be produced if this requirement is satisfied. Execution of the cleaning process in accordance with the processing pattern allows cleaning of a substrate using the cleaning brush and the ultrasonic cleaning nozzle at the same time.

Abstract: An atmospheric conditioning unit for supplying temperature- and humidity-controlled air to a chemical processing part (spin coater) is arranged immediately above a chemical processing part, between this chemical processing part and a heat treatment part (including a hot plate and a cool plate). Namely, the chemical processing part, the atmospheric conditioning unit and the heat treatment part are vertically arranged in a stacked manner. The atmospheric conditioning unit receives external air from an opening. A closed partition is provided to block air flow between the atmospheric conditioning unit and a transport area. The temperature- and humidity-controlled air supplied from the atmospheric conditioning unit to the spin coater forms a downflow in the spin coater, and thereafter rises through an opening and joins with the air flowing from the opening, to be introduced into the atmospheric conditioning unit again and reused.

Abstract: A substrate heat-treating apparatus includes a heat-treating plate, and support pins extending through the heat-treating plate to be vertically movable relative thereto. The support pins support each substrate at a lower surface thereof such that edges of the substrate are at a higher level than a central region of the substrate. This construction facilitates air flows into and out of a space between the lower surface of the substrate and the upper surface of the heat-treating plate when the substrate is vertically moved.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus reduces an instantaneous maximum power consumption at turn-on. Power receiving parts of a plurality of processing units are connected to one end of a turn-on switch respectively through switches. The other end of the turn-on switch is connected to an external power source through a breaker. Timer values are set in advance in the timers, respectively. When the turn-on switch is turned on, the timers turn on the associated switches respectively after times which are defined by the timer values, whereby the processing units are provided with electric power, each with a delay of a constant time.

Abstract: A unit arrangement part comprises a chemical cabinet on its lowermost part, while coating units for forming a resist film on a substrate and developing units for developing the substrate after exposure are arranged on four corners of an apparatus above the chemical cabinet. Further, multistage thermal processing units for thermal-processing the substrate are arranged on front and rear portions of the apparatus above these wet processing units. A cleaning unit for supplying a cleaning liquid such as pure water and cleaning the substrate is arranged on a front side of the apparatus between the coating units as a substrate processing unit. Thus provided is a substrate processing apparatus having excellent workability in maintenance with a high degree of freedom in arrangement of processing units.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a simple structure in which the number of nozzles is reduced. In a mixer part, photoresist which is supplied from a photoresist supply through a lower arm portion of the nozzle arm is mixed with solvent which is supplied from a solvent supply through a pipe. Following this mixing, the photoresist and the solvent flow through an upper arm portion and are ejected from a nozzle toward a substrate. In the nozzle arm, a viscometer is disposed to the upper arm portion. The viscometer measures a viscosity of photoresist solution which is obtained by mixing in the mixer part. In accordance with the measurement from the viscometer, the quantity of solvent supplied from the solvent supply is controlled, thereby obtaining a photoresist solution having a desired viscosity.

Abstract: A chemical supplied onto a substrate is contained in a chemical container. A chemical cooling unit keeps the chemical contained in the chemical container cooled to a proper temperature for storage. A chemical pressure-transferring portion causes the chemical to flow from the chemical container into a chemical introducing pipe. A chemical temperature controller portion changes the temperature of the chemical guided by the chemical introducing pipe to a proper temperature for application on a substrate. The chemical brought to the proper application temperature is guided to a chemical dispensing unit, which dispenses the chemical onto a substrate.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus holds a rotating substrate without idly rotating the substrate and keeps the substrate in proper balance while the substrate is rotated. In a revolvable holding member, a column-shaped holding part is disposed on a top surface of a column-shaped supporting part, at an eccentric position with respect to a rotation axis of the supporting part. The revolvable holding member is supported by a rotation base for free rotation, and linked to a magnet holding part which incorporates a permanent magnet. On the other hand, a ring-shaped magnet which is disposed in a processing liquid collecting cup is freely driven by an air cylinder in a vertical direction. As the ring-shaped magnet is moved upward or downward and crosses a predetermined line as viewed in a positional relationship relative to the permanent magnet, which is at a height where the permanent magnet is disposed, the direction of a magnetic line of flux of the ring-shaped magnet is reversed.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a first substrate transfer unit having a first transfer path and a second substrate transfer unit having a second transfer path. A spin coating unit and a spin developing unit are arranged along the first transfer path, and a substrate cassette is arranged along the second transfer path. A substrate transport robot of the second substrate transfer unit selectively introduces a substrate received from a substrate transport robot of the first substrate transfer unit in one of external exposure apparatuses arranged on both end portions of the second transfer path, and discharges the substrate from the exposure apparatus for transfering the same to the substrate transport robot of the first substrate transfer unit. Thereby the substrate processing apparatus can avoid or relieve reduction of operational efficiency even if its throughput is different from that of an exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having improved processing and cleanliness characteristics is provided with a developer unit (160) and an exposure unit (170) that are positioned with operation parts of these units being arranged linearly. An interface mechanism (IFD), disposed between the developer unit (160) and the exposure unit (170), includes a substrate transport apparatus (TR2) which supports a peripheral portion of a substrate while transporting the latter. The interface mechanism (IFD) also includes a substrate container cassette (120) serving as a substrate buffer in which a substrate is supported from the back by three pins. Ejection of a substrate from an indexer (IDA) is controlled in accordance with the number of substrates which are present in a reciprocal path between the processing units (160) and (170).

Abstract: A cleaning brush is fixed to a cleaner support that is mounted to a rotary element for vertical movement with respect thereto. The rotary element is rotatably supported by a forward portion of a support arm that is pivotable about a vertical axis at the rear of the support arm. A closed space defined by a bellows is connected to air piping having a pressure gauge and a regulator. The regulator is operable in response to variations of pressure resulting from engagement of the cleaning brush with a substrate, to control pressure within said bellows whereby the latter expands and contracts to raise or lower the cleaner support relative to the substrate as required to maintain the pressure in a predetermined range. The aforesaid construction responds fast enough to allow the cleaning brush to follow warping of the substrate with facility, and by so doing clean an entire substrate surface uniformly.

Abstract: A substrate spin cleaning apparatus includes a nozzle attached through a first and second support brackets to support shaft that is rotatable about a vertical axis. The nozzle delivers a cleaning liquid to the surface of a spinning substrate in a pin-point mode and under high pressure, while moving a liquid application point on the substrate surface between the substrate spin center and peripheral edge of the substrate. The first support bracket defines an arcuate slot extending within a plane including the spin center and a tip of the nozzle and along an imaginary circle about the spin center. The nozzle is attached to the second support bracket connected to the first support bracket which in turn is through the arcuate slot, to deliver the cleaning liquid to the spin center. The application point is movable through the spin center regardless of the inclination angle of the nozzle relative to the substrate surface.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a substrate treating station for performing a predetermined treatment of substrates by supplying a predetermined treating solution to the substrates, and at least one treating solution supply mechanism for supplying the treating solution in a forced feed under gas pressure to the substrate treating station. The solution supply mechanism has a treating solution storage tank, a pressurizing mechanism, a pressure release mechanism and a valve for selectively allowing and stopping supply of the treating solution. The storage tank begins to be pressurized a predetermined time before the treating solution is supplied to a first substrate in a lot including a plurality of substrates to be treated successively with the same solution. Pressure is released from the storage tank based on a time at which the treating solution is stopped being supplied to a last substrate in the lot or at a predetermined slightly later time. Such control is effected lot by lot.

Abstract: A plurality of brush support arms, each having a distal end unit brush attached thereto, stand by in juxtaposition in a standby position. The brush support arm having a desired brush attached thereto is selected from the plurality of brush support arms. Then, the selected brush support arm is connected at its proximal end to a distal end of a swing arm. The brush support arm engaged with the swing arm is swung with the swing arm about a pivotal point at a proximal end of the swing arm. As a result, the brush attached to the distal end of the selected brush support arm is moved between the standby position and the center of a substrate, to clean the substrate with this brush. Upon completion of this substrate cleaning, the brush support arm is returned to the standby position. A different brush support arm is selected in the standby position for use in a subsequent cleaning operation, and the substrate is cleaned with the brush connected to this different brush support arm.

Abstract: A plurality of nozzles and treating liquid supplying tubes are supported by rigid support arms forming part of temperature control piping for contacting the tubes to maintain treating liquids in the tubes to a constant temperature. The support arms are pivotable about a pivot axis located sideways from a substrate, such that the nozzles are movable between a dispensing position and a standby position displaced from above the substrate. A drive arm engages and swings a selected one of the support arms to move the nozzle attached to the selected support arm, between the dispensing position and standby position. With this construction, a nozzle selected from the plurality of nozzles is reliably moved in a predetermined posture to a predetermined position, while allowing sufficient temperature control of treating liquids by the temperature controlling piping, and avoiding inadvertent dripping of the treating liquids due to deformations of the treating liquid supplying tubes.

Abstract: A deck movable between cassettes arranged on a base for storing a plurality of substrates in multiple stages and a substrate cleaning section for cleaning the substrates, supports a substrate fetching arm for fetching the substrates from the cassettes, and a cleaned substrate depositing arm for depositing treated substrates. The depositing arm is vertically movable between a position in which a substrate supporting surface thereof is situated below a substrate supporting surface of the substrate fetching arm to render the latter operative, and a position in which the supporting surface of the depositing arm is situated above the supporting surface of the fetching arm to render the depositing arm operative.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus includes a rotary table rotatable about a vertical center axis for supporting a substrate in a horizontal plane, and substrate travel regulating pins fixed to the rotary table and arranged at positions in contact with the outer edge of the substrate so that the center of gravity of the substrate supported on the rotary table is spaced from the center axis for regulating the travel of the substrate in a horizontal direction. Centrifugal force generated with respect to the substrate when the rotary table rotates about the center axis, urges the periphery of the substrate towards the travel regulating pins so that the resulting frictional force prevents rotary slippage between the substrate and the rotary table as rotation of the latter relates to the latter. The structure of this apparatus is simple because the substrate holding portion does not include a movable portion.

Abstract: An interface apparatus for transferring substrates between processing apparatus which provide various treatments for the substrates. The interface apparatus includes a transfer mechanism which, during a normal operation, receives substrates from an upstream processing apparatus and delivers the substrates to a downstream processing apparatus. Upon occurrence of a trouble in the downstream processing apparatus, the substrates transported from the upstream processing apparatus to the transfer mechanism are deposited in a substrate storage by a depositing and fetching mechanism. After the trouble is eliminated, the transfer mechanism delivers the substrates taken out of the storage to the downstream processing apparatus.

Abstract: A light-transmitting plastic fiber comprising, as a core component, a methacrylimide group-containing polymer prepared by polymerizing methyl methacrylate in the absence of a chain transfer agent and then imidizing the methyl methacrylate polymer thus prepared, and another polymer as a sheath component.

Abstract: A methacrylimide group-containing polymer having good optical characteristics, especially a resistance to coloration under heating and above to retain good light-transmitting characteristics for a long time even at a high temperature, is prepared by polymerizing methacrylic acid, a methacrylic acid ester, or a monomer mixture predominantly comprised of methacrylic acid or an ester thereof in the absence of a mercaptan chain transfer agent, and then imidizing the thus-prepared polymer. The resulting polymer is useful as the core component of a light-transmitting fiber having a core-sheath structure.