Abstract: A film-forming method is provided in which generation of an edge bead can be prevented even in a case where the thickness of a coating solution is large, and includes the steps of applying a coating solution onto a substrate to be treated such that thickness of the coating solution is 20 ?m or more, placing the substrate into a heating space defined within an oven unit in which heating devices are provided in upper and lower portions of the heating space, and heating the substrate at a temperature-rising rate of 80 to 120° C./10 min so as to remove a solvent within the coating solution while keeping the substrate in a non-contact state with respect to the heating devices.

Abstract: A method for forming a coating film, comprises the steps of: applying a raw material of a low dielectric constant onto a surface of a plate-like material; reducing oxygen concentration in the atmosphere surrounding the plate-like material to be less than or equal to 1% before a surface temperature of said plate-like material to be treated rises to 200° C.; thereafter heating said plate-like material to a temperature greater than or equal to 400° C.; and then maintaining the oxygen content in the atmosphere to be less than or equal to 1% until the surface temperature of said plate-like material to be treated lowers to 200° C. The raw material is an organic SOG obtained by hydrolyzing and condensing at least one alkoxysilane compound into an organic solvent under an acid catalyst.

Abstract: A multi-stage type processing apparatus which can be positioned in a limited space without having a complicated driving mechanism, includes processing units which are stacked in a multi-stage state in the vertical direction. Each processing unit has a cup surrounding a substrate and a chuck for retaining and rotating a substrate, and the cup can be elevated and lowered with respect to the chuck. A cylinder unit is contracted and thereby all the cups are unitarily lowered, so that the top surface of the chuck is located in a slightly upper position with respect to the top surface of the cup. In this state, a substrate is mounted on the chuck and attracted. Next, the cylinder unit is extended and thereby all the cups are unitarily elevated so as to accommodate the substrate therein.

Abstract: A tray, used for transferring a substrate and conducting a coating process, includes a recessed portion to accommodate a substrate, the depth of the recessed portion being substantially the same as the thickness of the substrate, and a one-step-lower gutter which is provided on an outer periphery of said recessed portion or inside the outer periphery of said recessed portion.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus suitable for forming a thick film having a thickness on a surface of a substrate such as a glass substrate, a semiconductor wafer or the like. In the apparatus according to the present invention, a stock station for a substrate and a treatment station for a substrate are adjacent to each other, portions for coating, film-forming, cleaning and drying are provided in the treatment station, a tray having a concave portion for accommodating a substrate defined on the surface thereof is provided, and a transfer device circulates the tray around the portions for coating, film-forming, cleaning and drying.

Abstract: A film-forming method is provided in which generation of an edge bead can be prevented even in a case where the thickness of a coating solution is large. A substrate to be treated W is heated while being mounted on pins which are provided in the upper surface of a partition plate. A resist solution applied onto the substrate to be treated W is formed into a film by heating. After heating, a slight projection is formed at a position measured 4 mm from the outer peripheral end of the film towards the inside in a radial direction. However, since the projection does not substantially affect the uniformity, it is enough to remove the outer peripheral portion measured 2 mm from the outer peripheral end toward the inside in a radial direction by using a rinse liquid.

Abstract: A method for forming a coating film, comprises the steps of: applying a raw material of a low dielectric constant onto a surface of a plate-like material to be treated; reducing oxygen concentration in the atmosphere surrounding the plate-like material to be less than or equal to 1% before a surface temperature of said plate-like material to be treated rises to 200° C.; thereafter heating said plate-like material to be treated to a temperature greater than or equal to 400° C.; and then maintaining the oxygen content in the atmosphere to be less than or equal to 1% until the surface temperature of said plate-like material to be treated lowers to 200° C.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus for a nozzle comprising a brush which can be moved in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction while being rotated.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a multi-stage type processing apparatus which can be positioned in a limited space without having a complicated driving mechanism. The processing apparatus is comprised of processing units which are stacked in a multi-stage state in the vertical direction. Each processing unit has a cup surrounding a substrate and a chuck for retaining and rotating a substrate, and the cup can be elevated and lowered with respect to the chuck. A cylinder unit is contracted and thereby all the cups are unitarily lowered, so that the top surface of the chuck is located in a slightly upper position with respect to the top surface of the cup. In this state, a substrate is mounted on the chuck and attracted. Next, the cylinder unit is extended and thereby all the cups are unitarily elevated so as to accommodate the substrate therein.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a tray suitable for transferring a substrate and conducting a coating process. A stock station for a substrate and a treatment station for a substrate are adjacent to each other, portions for coating, film-forming, cleaning and drying are provided in the treatment station. A tray having a recessed portion for accommodating a substrate on the surface thereof is circulated around the portions for coating, film-forming, cleaning and drying. The tray has a pre-dispensing area, respective attracting passages, and a one-step-lower gutter.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus comprises: a chamber; a cooling plate and a heating plate disposed within the chamber vertically spaced from each other; plural lift pins used to support a material to be treated; a supporting member for supporting the plural lift pins; and an elevator member to which the supporting member is attached through a joint so that the supporting member can be selectively made rotatable and can be fixed at any inclined angle, wherein distances of tips of each of the lift pins from the heating or cooling plate are initially adjusted to be uniform through inclination of the supporting member while the tips contact the heating or cooling plate, after which the supporting member is fixed in an adjusted inclined angle and then the material to be treated is lifted up with the plural lift pins to closely approach the heating or cooling plate during heat treatment.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus suitable for forming a thick film having a thickness on a surface of a substrate such as a glass substrate, a semiconductor wafer or the like. In the apparatus according to the present invention, a stock station for a substrate and a treatment station for a substrate are adjacent to each other, portions for coating, film-forming, cleaning and drying are provided in the treatment station, a tray having a concave portion for accommodating a substrate defined on the surface thereof is provided, and a transfer device circulates the tray around the portions for coating, film-forming, cleaning and drying.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a heat treatment apparatus in which the surface of a material to be treated is accurately adjusted to be horizontal with respect to the heating plate or the cooling plate which is provided at the upper portion of a chamber. In this apparatus, gas is introduced into the gap between the fixed portion 7a and the movable portion 7b, and thereby the supporting plate 8 is brought into a condition where inclining movement is possible. The lift pins 9 are elevated, without having a material to be treated W mounted thereon, by driving of the motor 4, and thereby the upper edge of all lift pins is made to push onto the lower surface of the cooling plate 2. The movable portion 7b is fixed with respect to the fixed portion 7a by aspirating the gas, and, keeping this condition, the lift pins 9 are lowered together with the supporting plate 8.

Abstract: The present invention aims at maintaining a low dielectric constant in a case of forming an interlayer insulation film by baking SOG. When a plate-like material to be treated W, on the surface of which an applying film is formed, is entered into an apparatus, an elevator means 3 is lowered, so that the plate-like material to be treated W comes close to the cool plate 2, and further N2 gas is introduced into the apparatus. Then, the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is reduced to less than or equal to 1% before the surface temperature of the plate-like material to be treated W rises to 200° C. Thereafter, while maintaining the oxygen concentration to be less than or equal to 1%, the elevator means 3 is elevated, so that the plate-like material to be treated W comes close to the hot plate 1, and the surface of the plate-like material to be treated W is heated to be greater than or equal to 400° C. After such a condition is continued for a predetermined period of time, the temperature is lowered.

Abstract: A processing unit structure 1 a plurality of processing units 2, . . . , assembled together continuously in a horizontal direction, wherein a transfer portion 3 is provided on the top of each processing unit 2, . . . , for transferring the plate-like material to be processed between adjacent one of the processing units. A transfer device, such as a shuttle (SH) is provided in each of the transfer portions 3. Each processing unit 2 performs a series of processes on the plate-like material and is constructed with processing blocks 4 and 4 and a transfer portion 3 in the form of a transfer robot (R) positioned between the processing blocks 4 and 4. Further, each processing unit 2. . . is independent from one another so that it is possible to selectively add and remove different ones of the processing units with respect to the processing unit structure 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the formation of a pattern, which comprises applying an antireflective coating film-forming composition solution comprising (A) a compound which undergoes crosslinking reaction when irradiated with actinic rays and (B) a dye to a substrate to form a coating film thereon, entirely irradiating the coating film with actinic rays to form an antireflective coating film, applying a resist solution to the antireflective coating film, drying the coated material to form a resist layer, and then subjecting the coated material to lithographic treatment to form a resist pattern on the antireflective coating film. The method enables the formation of a resist pattern having an excellent dimensional accuracy and section shape without causing the formation of an intermixed layer between the resist composition and antireflective coating film.