Abstract: A light irradiating device includes a processing chamber in which a substrate is accommodated; a beam source chamber in which a beam source of an energy beam is accommodated; a partition wall configured to partition the processing chamber and the beam source chamber; multiple window members provided at the partition wall to transmit the energy beam outputted from the beam source toward the substrate within the processing chamber; and multiple gas discharge units respectively disposed around the multiple window members within the processing chamber, and configured to discharge an inert gas along surfaces of the multiple window members.

Abstract: A light irradiating device includes a processing chamber in which a substrate is accommodated; a beam source chamber in which a beam source of an energy beam is accommodated; a partition wall configured to partition the processing chamber and the beam source chamber; multiple window members provided at the partition wall to transmit the energy beam outputted from the beam source toward the substrate within the processing chamber; and multiple gas discharge units respectively disposed around the multiple window members within the processing chamber, and configured to discharge an inert gas along surfaces of the multiple window members.

Abstract: An optical processing apparatus includes: a housing; a stage; and a light irradiation unit configured to cause a light source unit to emit light so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending over an area wider than a width of a substrate in a right and left direction. The stage and the light irradiation unit are moved by a moving mechanism relatively to each other in a back and forth direction. Light emitted from the light irradiation unit is deviated by a light-path changing unit from a relative movement area of a substrate. When a substrate is relatively moved below the light irradiation unit without the intension of being subjected to a light irradiation process, a control unit outputs a control signal such that an irradiation area is not formed on a surface of the substrate by the light-path changing unit, while the light source unit emitting light.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a stage on which a substrate is placed, a plurality of light irradiation units configured to emit light independently of each other to different positions in a right and left direction on a surface of the substrate, so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending from one end of the surface of the substrate to the other end of the substrate, a stage moving mechanism configured to move the stage in a back and forth direction relative to the irradiation area, such that the whole surface of the substrate is exposed, and a light receiving unit configured move in the irradiation area between one end and the other end of the irradiation area in order to detect an illuminance distribution of the irradiation area in a longitudinal direction of the irradiation area.

Abstract: An illuminance distribution response amount as the change amount of the illuminance distribution pattern, associating the position in the irradiation region in the lengthwise direction with the change amount of the illuminance with respect to the change in the drive current, has previously been acquired and stored in a storage unit for each light-emitting block. There is provided an arithmetic processing unit that determines (estimates) a current command value of each of the light-emitting blocks based on a present current command value of each of the light-emitting blocks and the change amount of the illuminance distribution pattern of each light-emitting block in order to bring a present illuminance distribution pattern in the irradiation region in a lengthwise direction close to a target illuminance distribution pattern.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes: a stage on which a substrate is placed; a plurality of light irradiation units configured to emit light independently of each other, so as to form a strip-like irradiation area; a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the substrate relative to the irradiation area; a stage moving mechanism configured to move the stage relative to the irradiation area in a back and forth direction; and a control unit configured to make the exposure apparatus perform a first step that rotates the substrate relative to the irradiation area having a first illuminance distribution such that the whole surface of the substrate is exposed, and a second step that moves the substrate in the back and forth direction relative to the irradiation area having a second illuminance distribution while rotation of the substrate is being stopped, such that the whole surface of the substrate is exposed.

Abstract: A technique which, in forming a resist pattern on a wafer, can achieve high resolution and high in-plane uniformity of pattern line width. After forming a resist film on a wafer W and subsequently performing pattern exposure by means of a pattern exposure apparatus, the entire pattern exposure area is exposed by using a flood exposure apparatus. During the flood exposure, the exposure amount is adjusted depending on the exposure position on the wafer based on information on the in-plane distribution of the line width of a resist pattern, previously obtained from an inspection apparatus. Methods for adjusting the exposure amount include a method which adjusts the exposure amount while moving a strip-shaped irradiation area corresponding to the diameter of the wafer, a method which involves intermittently moving an irradiation area, corresponding to a shot area in the preceding pattern exposure, to adjust the exposure amount for each chip.

Abstract: A substrate treatment system for treating a substrate, includes: a treatment station in which a plurality of treatment apparatuses which treat the substrate are provided; an interface station which directly or indirectly delivers the substrate between an exposure apparatus which is provided outside the substrate treatment system and performs exposure of patterns on a resist film on the substrate, and the substrate treatment system; a light irradiation apparatus which performs post-exposure using UV light on the resist film on the substrate after the exposure of patterns is performed; and a post-exposure station which houses the light irradiation apparatus and is adjustable to a reduced pressure or inert gas atmosphere, wherein the post-exposure station is connected to the exposure apparatus directly or indirectly via a space which is adjustable to a reduced pressure or inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: An illuminance distribution response amount as the change amount of the illuminance distribution pattern, associating the position in the irradiation region in the lengthwise direction with the change amount of the illuminance with respect to the change in the drive current, has previously been acquired and stored in a storage unit for each light-emitting block. There is provided an arithmetic processing unit that determines (estimates) a current command value of each of the light-emitting blocks based on a present current command value of each of the light-emitting blocks and the change amount of the illuminance distribution pattern of each light-emitting block in order to bring a present illuminance distribution pattern in the irradiation region in a lengthwise direction close to a target illuminance distribution pattern.

Abstract: An optical processing apparatus includes: a housing; a stage; and a light irradiation unit configured to cause a light source unit to emit light so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending over an area wider than a width of a substrate in a right and left direction. The stage and the light irradiation unit are moved by a moving mechanism relatively to each other in a back and forth direction. Light emitted from the light irradiation unit is deviated by a light-path changing unit from a relative movement area of a substrate. When a substrate is relatively moved below the light irradiation unit without the intension of being subjected to a light irradiation process, a control unit outputs a control signal such that an irradiation area is not formed on a surface of the substrate by the light-path changing unit, while the light source unit emitting light.

Abstract: A substrate treatment system includes: a treatment station including a plurality of treatment apparatuses; an interface station which delivers a substrate to/from an exposure apparatus provided outside the system and including a plurality of exposure stages; a plurality of substrate inspection apparatuses; a substrate transfer mechanism which transfers the substrate between each of the treatment apparatuses in the treatment station and the substrate inspection apparatus; and a control apparatus which identifies an exposure stage which has been used in exposure processing of a substrate from among the plurality of exposure stages, and controls the substrate transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate after the exposure processing to a substrate inspection apparatus previously made to correspond to the identified exposure stage.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes: a stage on which a substrate is placed; a plurality of light irradiation units configured to emit light independently of each other to different positions in a right and left direction on a surface of the substrate, so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending from one end of the surface of the substrate to the other end of the substrate; a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the substrate placed on the stage relative to the irradiation area; a stage moving mechanism configured to move the stage relative to the irradiation area in a back and forth direction; and a control unit configured to output control signals that make said exposure apparatus perform a first step that rotates the substrate relative to the irradiation area having a first illuminance distribution such that the whole surface of the substrate is exposed, and a second step that moves the substrate in the back and forth direction relative to the irradiation area having a second illuminance distributi

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a stage on which a substrate is placed, a plurality of light irradiation units configured to emit light independently of each other to different positions in a right and left direction on a surface of the substrate, so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending from one end of the surface of the substrate to the other end of the substrate, a stage moving mechanism configured to move the stage in a back and forth direction relative to the irradiation area, such that the whole surface of the substrate is exposed, and a light receiving unit configured move in the irradiation area between one end and the other end of the irradiation area in order to detect an illuminance distribution of the irradiation area in a longitudinal direction of the irradiation area.

Abstract: A light irradiation apparatus includes: a rotary holding unit that rotates a substrate around a rotary axis while holding the substrate; a lighting unit positioned to face the rotary holding unit; a light shielding mask positioned between the rotary holding unit and the lighting unit, and widened along a direction orthogonal to the rotary axis; and a driving unit that linearly moves the lighting unit along the direction orthogonal to the rotary axis. The light shielding mask overlaps with the substrate when viewed in the direction of the rotary axis. The light shielding mask has an opening portion. An opening width of the opening portion at a side away from the rotary axis is larger than the opening with near the rotary axis. The lighting unit irradiates light through the opening portion toward the surface of the substrate while being moved above the opening portion by the driving unit.

Abstract: A substrate treatment system for treating a substrate, includes: a treatment station in which a plurality of treatment apparatuses which treat the substrate are provided; an interface station which directly or indirectly delivers the substrate between an exposure apparatus which is provided outside the substrate treatment system and performs exposure of patterns on a resist film on the substrate, and the substrate treatment system; a light irradiation apparatus which performs post-exposure using UV light on the resist film on the substrate after the exposure of patterns is performed; and a post-exposure station which houses the light irradiation apparatus and is adjustable to a reduced pressure or inert gas atmosphere, wherein the post-exposure station is connected to the exposure apparatus directly or indirectly via a space which is adjustable to a reduced pressure or inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A technique which, in forming a resist pattern on a wafer, can achieve high resolution and high in-plane uniformity of pattern line width. After forming a resist film on a wafer W and subsequently performing pattern exposure by means of a pattern exposure apparatus, the entire pattern exposure area is exposed by using a flood exposure apparatus. During the flood exposure, the exposure amount is adjusted depending on the exposure position on the wafer based on information on the in-plane distribution of the line width of a resist pattern, previously obtained from an inspection apparatus. Methods for adjusting the exposure amount include a method which adjusts the exposure amount while moving a strip-shaped irradiation area corresponding to the diameter of the wafer, a method which involves intermittently moving an irradiation area, corresponding to a shot area in the preceding pattern exposure, to adjust the exposure amount for each chip.

Abstract: A substrate treatment system includes: a treatment station including a plurality of treatment apparatuses; an interface station which delivers a substrate to/from an exposure apparatus provided outside the system and including a plurality of exposure stages; a plurality of substrate inspection apparatuses; a substrate transfer mechanism which transfers the substrate between each of the treatment apparatuses in the treatment station and the substrate inspection apparatus; and a control apparatus which identifies an exposure stage which has been used in exposure processing of a substrate from among the plurality of exposure stages, and controls the substrate transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate after the exposure processing to a substrate inspection apparatus previously made to correspond to the identified exposure stage.

Abstract: A light irradiation apparatus includes: a rotary holding unit that rotates a substrate around a rotary axis while holding the substrate; a lighting unit positioned to face the rotary holding unit; a light shielding mask positioned between the rotary holding unit and the lighting unit, and widened along a direction orthogonal to the rotary axis; and a driving unit that linearly moves the lighting unit along the direction orthogonal to the rotary axis. The light shielding mask overlaps with the substrate when viewed in the direction of the rotary axis. The light shielding mask has an opening portion. An opening width of the opening portion at a side away from the rotary axis is larger than the opening with near the rotary axis. The lighting unit irradiates light through the opening portion toward the surface of the substrate while being moved above the opening portion by the driving unit.