Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with a processing block including a liquid processing block disposed on the carrier block side and a heating processing block disposed on the interface block side. The liquid processing block includes a first unit block, a second unit block, and one or more of developing unit blocks overlying or underlying a stack of the first unit block and the second unit block. The first unit block includes antireflection film-forming modules and resist film-forming modules disposed on both sides of the transport passage thereof. The second unit block includes upper film-forming modules and hardening modules disposed on both sides of the transport passage thereof.

Abstract: A coating/developing device includes a processing block having a plurality of coating unit blocks stacked and a developing unit block stacked on the coating unit blocks. Each of the unit blocks is provided with a liquid processing unit for coating a liquid chemical on a substrate, a heating unit for heating the substrate, a cooling unit for cooling the substrate and a transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the units. The liquid processing unit is provided with a coating unit for coating a resist liquid on the substrate, a first bottom antireflection coating (BARC) forming unit for coating a liquid chemical for a BARC on the substrate before the resist liquid is coated thereon, and a second BARC forming unit for coating a liquid chemical for the BARC on the substrate after the resist liquid is coated thereon.

Abstract: Disclosed is an coating/developing apparatus and method thereof in which the processing time is shortened and the foot prints is reduced by shortening the travel distance of a wafer transfer arm. The coating/developing apparatus of the present disclosure includes, inter alia, liquid processing part (COT) that processes the substrate using a liquid, a cooling processing part (CA) provided to correspond to the liquid processing part (COT) and perform the cooling process for the substrate, a liquid processing unit (COTU) provided to correspond to the cooling processing part (CA) and equipped with a heating processing part (HP) that performs a heating processing for the substrate. The cooling processing part (CA) transfers the substrate to/from the liquid processing part (COT) and the heating processing part (HP).

Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus is provided which requires a smaller occupation space even when it incorporates a substrate inspection unit, while eliminating a disadvantageous layout. A coating film forming part B3 including a plurality of process units and transfer mechanisms A3 and A4, and a developing part B1 including a plurality of process units 31 and a transfer mechanism A1 are vertically arranged in a process block S2. There are disposed in the process block S2 on a side of a carrier block S1, a plurality of vertically arranged transfer units TRS for transferring a substrate W between the same and transfer mechanisms for the respective parts, and a vertically movable transfer mechanism D1 for the transfer unit for transferring a substrate between these transfer units. At least one of the coating film forming part and the developing part includes a substrate inspection unit 43 for inspecting a substrate transferred by the transfer mechanism for the corresponding part.

Abstract: Provided is a coating and developing apparatus composed of an assembly of plural unit blocks. A first unit-block stack and a second unit-block stack are arranged at different positions with respect to front-and-rear direction. Unit blocks for development, each of which comprises plural processing units including a developing unit that performs developing process after exposure and a transfer device that transfers a substrate among the processing units, are arranged at the lowermost level. Unit blocks for application, or coating, each of which comprises plural processing units including a coating unit that performs application process before exposure and a transfer device that transfers a substrate among the processing units, are arranged above the unit blocks for development. Unit blocks for application are arranged in both the first and second unit-block stacks.

Abstract: A substrate transfer system to reduce total processing time by transferring a substrate at a first delivery stage to a process block where processing can be carried out earliest. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first transfer device delivering a wafer with respect to a substrate carrier, and a second transfer device delivering a wafer between a plurality of process blocks and the first transfer device via a first delivery stage, to transfer the wafer with respect to the process blocks. The process block where there is no wafer or where processing of the last wafer within the relevant process block will be completed earliest is determined based on processing information of the wafers from the process blocks, and the wafer of the first delivery stage is transferred by the second transfer device to the relevant process block. This ensures smooth transfer of the wafer to the process block.

Abstract: A process block including a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, a first heating-process related block arranged on a carrier block side of the group of unit blocks, and a second heating-process related block arranged on an interface block side of the group of unit blocks. The group of liquid-process unit blocks includes doubled unit blocks for preprocessing for forming an antireflection film and a resist film, doubled unit blocks for post-processing for forming an upper layer film and performing a cleaning operation before exposure, and a unit block for developing. The first heating-process related block heats a substrate coated with a resist liquid and a substrate that has been developed. The second heating-process related block heats a substrate that has been exposed but is not yet developed, a substrate on which an antireflection film has been formed and a substrate on which an upper layer film has been formed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with a processing block including a liquid processing block disposed on the carrier block side and a heating processing block disposed on the interface block side. The liquid processing block includes a first unit block, a second unit block, and one or more of developing unit blocks overlying or underlying a stack of the first unit block and the second unit block. The first unit block includes antireflection film-forming modules and resist film-forming modules disposed on both sides of the transport passage thereof. The second unit block includes upper film-forming modules and hardening modules disposed on both sides of the transport passage thereof.

Abstract: A process block is formed by arranging a heating-process related block on the side of a carrier block, a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, and a heating block on the side of an interface block, in this order from the side of the carrier block to the side of the interface block. The group of liquid-process related unit blocks is composed of: a group of unit blocks for coating films that is formed by stacking upward a unit block for an antireflection film, a unit block for a resist film, and a unit bock for an upper layer film, in this order; and unit blocks for developing that are stacked on one another in the up and down direction with respect to the group of unit blocks for coating films. Liquid process modules of each of the liquid-process related unit blocks are arranged on the right and left sides of a transfer path for a substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with transfer units, provided between a stack of early-stage processing unit blocks and a stack of later-stage processing unit blocks to transfer a substrate between the transport mechanisms of laterally-adjacent unit blocks, and a vertically-movable auxiliary transfer mechanism for transporting a substrate between the transfer units. A stack of first developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of early-stage processing unit blocks, and a stack of second developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of later-stage processing unit blocks.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having two early-stage coating unit blocks, two later-stage coating unit blocks and two developing unit blocks, each unit blocks being vertically stacked on each other. The apparatus has at least two operation modes M1 and M2 adapted for abnormality. In mode M1 the processing module that processed the abnormal substrate in the developing unit blocks is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the processing module or modules, of the same type as the identified processing module, other than the identified processing module. In mode M2, the developing unit block that processed the abnormal substrate is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the developing unit block other than the identified developing unit block.

Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having at least one coating film-forming unit block stack and a vertically stacked developing unit block stack. Each unit block stack includes vertically stacked unit blocks, and each unit block includes processing modules containing liquid processing modules and heating modules. Each unit block includes a transport mechanism moveable along a transport passage from a carrier block side to an interface block side, to transport a substrate between the processing modules belonging to the unit block. Transfer units are provided on the carrier block sides of the coating film-forming unit blocks and the developing unit blocks respectively, for transferring a substrate to and from the transport mechanism of the associated coating film-forming or developing unit blocks. A first transfer mechanism transfers a substrate removed from a carrier to one of the transfer units associated with the coating film-forming unit blocks.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block including a vertical stack of early-stage processing unit blocks; a vertical stack of later-stage processing unit blocks disposed laterally adjacent to respective ones of the early-stage processing unit blocks; a vertical stack of developing unit blocks stacked on the early-stage processing unit blocks; a vertical stack of auxiliary processing unit blocks disposed laterally adjacent to respective ones of the developing unit blocks; first transfer units, each of which are disposed between the laterally adjacent early-stage processing unit and later-stage processing unit; second transfer units, each of which is disposed between the laterally adjacent developing unit block and auxiliary processing unit block; and a auxiliary transfer mechanism for transferring a substrate between the first transfer units and between the second transfer units.

Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus, includes an apparatus main body, a power room having an atmosphere separated from the clean room by a partition member, an air suction path configured to suction an air in the clean room and take the air into the power room, a temperature control part provided in the power room and configured to control at least a temperature of the air taken in via the air suction path, an air supplying path configured to supply the air from the temperature control part to the liquid processing unit, a ventilation part configured to take the air from the air suction path and supply the air via the air supplying path, and a cleaning filer configured to clean the air taken in from the air suction path.

Abstract: A heating apparatus is configured to include a hot plate at which a substrate is placed, a top plate opposed to the substrate, a gas discharging part provided on one end side of the hot plate for discharging gas between the hot plate and the top plate, an exhaust part provided to be opposed to the gas discharging part with the hot plate interposed therebetween, and a heating part independently heating a first region and a second region of the substrate. A heating process is performed with good within-wafer uniformity by forming an unidirectional flow to heat the first region and the second region at different temperatures.

Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus is provided which requires a smaller occupation space even when it incorporates a substrate inspection unit, while eliminating a disadvantageous layout. A coating film forming part B3 including a plurality of process units and transfer mechanisms A3 and A4, and a developing part B1 including a plurality of process units 31 and a transfer mechanism A1 are vertically arranged in a process block S2. There are disposed in the process block S2 on a side of a carrier block S1, a plurality of vertically arranged transfer units TRS for transferring a substrate W between the same and transfer mechanisms for the respective parts, and a vertically movable transfer mechanism D1 for the transfer unit for transferring a substrate between these transfer units. At least one of the coating film forming part and the developing part includes a substrate inspection unit 43 for inspecting a substrate transferred by the transfer mechanism for the corresponding part.

Abstract: A coating and developing system includes processing blocks of the same construction each built by stacking up a plurality of unit blocks including a film forming unit block and a developing unit block in layers. The processing blocks are arranged longitudinally between a carrier block and an interface block. The number of processing blocks like the processing blocks arranged between the carrier block and the interface block is adjusted to adjust the throughput of the coating and developing system. Thus, a coating and developing system capable of achieving a desired throughput can be easily designed and manufactured.

Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus, includes an apparatus main body, a power room having an atmosphere separated from the clean room by a partition member, an air suction path configured to suction an air in the clean room and take the air into the power room, a temperature control part provided in the power room and configured to control at least a temperature of the air taken in via the air suction path, an air supplying path configured to supply the air from the temperature control part to the liquid processing unit, a ventilation part configured to take the air from the air suction path and supply the air via the air supplying path, and a cleaning filer configured to clean the air taken in from the air suction path.

Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus is provided which requires a smaller occupation space even when it incorporates a substrate inspection unit, while eliminating a disadvantageous layout. A coating film forming part B3 including a plurality of process units and transfer mechanisms A3 and A4, and a developing part B1 including a plurality of process units 31 and a transfer mechanism A1 are vertically arranged in a process block S2. There are disposed in the process block S2 on a side of a carrier block S1, a plurality of vertically arranged transfer units TRS for transferring a substrate W between the same and transfer mechanisms for the respective parts, and a vertically movable transfer mechanism D1 for the transfer unit for transferring a substrate between these transfer units. At least one of the coating film forming part and the developing part includes a substrate inspection unit 43 for inspecting a substrate transferred by the transfer mechanism for the corresponding part.

Abstract: A solid-state image capturing apparatus is provided, and, in a pixel of a 3TR structure, the solid-state image capturing apparatus increases the reset electric potential of the signal charge accumulation section upon a reset operation so that an electric potential difference between the signal voltage and the reset voltage upon transferring of a signal charge is sufficiently secured, a complete transferring of the signal charge is easily performed from the photoelectric conversion element to the signal charge accumulation section, and a stable condition is provided.