Abstract: A controller controls the temperature of a hot plate and the degree of vacuum in a tightly closed space to a temperature and a pressure at levels at which a thinner contained in a resist applied to a wafer volatilizes and an acid generator, a quencher, and a polymer chain protecting group practically remain in the resist, for example, during heat processing. More specifically, the controller controls the temperature of the hot plate and the degree of vacuum in the tightly closed space to bring the temperature of the hot plate to about 40° C., and the degree of vacuum in the tightly closed space to approximately 5 Torr. Thereby, the heat processing can be performed for the wafer so that the acid generator is uniformly dispersed in the resist, or the quencher is uniformly formed on the front face of the resist without breakage of the polymer chain protecting group.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus comprising a substrate holding section for holding a substrate to be processed, a nozzle unit arranged and opposing the substrate holding section, having a discharge hole for continuously applying film-forming solution, in the form of a slender stream, to a surface of a substrate held by the substrate holding section, and a drive mechanism for driving the substrate and the nozzle unit relative to each other, thereby to coat the surface of the substrate with the solution, while the nozzle unit is applying the solution, in the form of a slender stream, to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A low-pressure dryer dries a substrate applied a coating solution thereon at low pressure. The dryer includes an airtight chamber installing a substrate table to place the substrate thereon; a diffuser plate, provided as facing the substrate placed on the substrate table with a gap, for discharging gas existing in the gap toward outside, the diffuser plate having a size almost the same as or larger than the substrate; a substrate-temperature adjuster, installed in the substrate table, for adjusting a temperature of the substrate; and a decompression mechanism for decompressing the airtight chamber. The diffuser plate has a temperature adjuster for making temperature adjustments to have a temperature difference between a first region and a second region of the diffuser plate, the first region facing a center region of the substrate, the second region being outside the first region and including a region facing an outer region of the substrate.

Abstract: In a coating apparatus for supplying a mixed solution of a resist solution and a thinner onto a wafer from a nozzle, the nozzle is connected to a mixed solution supply pipe, and the resist solution and the thinner are supplied to the mixed solution supply pipe from a resist solution supply pipe and a thinner supply pipe respectively through a junction pipe. The diameter of the junction pipe is set smaller than those of other supply pipes, whereby the resist solution and the thinner can be mixed efficiently in the junction pipe, and as a result the wafer is coated with the mixed solution so that a uniform film thickness can be obtained within the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention is a film forming unit for discharging a coating solution from a coating solution discharge nozzle toward a substrate to form a layer on a surface of the substrate, which has a supply flow path for supplying a cleaning fluid to a discharge flow path continuing to a discharging port of the coating solution discharge nozzle. When the cleaning fluid is positively supplied directly to the discharge flow path of the coating solution discharge nozzle, the supply pressure of the cleaning fluid as well as the capability of cleaning is added. Therefore, further effective cleaning is attained in compare with the conventional case where a coating solution discharge nozzle is simply dipped into a cleaning fluid. In consequence, even when the discharging port of the nozzle is minute, it is possible to perfectly remove the contamination. This allows the discharge pressure to remain constant so as to form a uniform coating layer on the substrate.

Abstract: With respect to a substrate on which a resist solution is applied, the inplane uniformity of the quality of a resist film is improved in a heating processing carried out before exposure, and the yields of products are improved. A substrate on which a resist solution is applied is mounted on a heating plate in a processing vessel. Then, a purge gas is supplied into the processing vessel, and heating is started. Above the mounting position of the substrate, a thickness detecting sensor for monitoring the thickness of the resist film formed on the surface of the substrate is provided. When the thickness becomes a predetermined value or less, a control part cause a lift pin to upwardly move so as to increase the distance between the substrate and the heating plate. Thus, the heating value applied to the substrate decreases, and thereafter, only the solvent is volatilized without having a bad influence on a polymer in the resist film.

Abstract: This invention aims to make it possible to obtain curing surfaces with different surface free energies, and to provide a method of curing an ionizing radiation curing resin composition which can be used as a coating material. Further, it aims to provide a surface modification method which permits surfaces of different surface free energy to be obtained. The above object is achieved by a method of curing a mixture comprising an ionizing radiation curing resin, characterized in that at least part of a mixture comprising 0.01-10 weight parts of a compound (b) having a surface free energy not exceeding 25 mN/m relative to 100 weight parts of an ionizing radiation curing resin composition (a) having a surface free energy of at least 30 mN/m, is cured by irradiating it with ionizing radiation in contact with a medium having a surface free energy higher than that of the ionizing radiation curing resin composition (a).

Abstract: An apparatus includes a holding portion for holding a substrate, a nozzle, provided to face the substrate held by the holding portion, for discharging a solution to the substrate, a driver for moving the nozzle along a surface of the substrate relatively with respect to the substrate while the solution is being discharged to the surface of the substrate from the nozzle, a mask unit covering a portion other than a film formation area of the substrate and including a mask member for catching the solution from the nozzle, and a cleaner provided in the mask unit. The coating solution can be supplied to the surface of the substrate in a way similar to a picture drawn with a single stroke of a brush. A cleaning unit for cleaning the mask member does not need to be provided separately, leading to the facilitation of cleaning and a reduction in space.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus for applying thermal processing to a substrate having a processed film thereon has a discharger for discharging process gas from a processing chamber and a ceiling plate provided between the substrate and the discharger, having apertures at different aperture ratios in accordance with distances from the center of the ceiling plate. The apparatus may have dischargers, provided over concentric circles of the substrate, for discharging process gas from the processing chamber and discharging-amount adjusters each for adjusting a discharging amount of the corresponding discharger. The apparatus may have gas suppliers, provided over the concentric circles of the substrate, for supplying process gas into the processing chamber and supply-amount adjusters each for adjusting a supply amount of the corresponding supplier.

Abstract: The present invention includes a current plate which is arranged above a substrate in a chamber. A pressure inside the chamber is reduced by exhaust means and drying processing is performed on, for example, a coating solution on the substrate. On a peripheral portion of an underneath surface of the current plate, formed is a ring-shaped protrusion corresponding to a peripheral portion of the substrate. A protruding portion of a coating solution at the peripheral portion of the substrate is made flat by air current generated when the pressure is reduced, and consequently a coating film with a uniform film thickness as a whole is formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A coating solution for used in a scan coating method contains a low vapor pressure solvent having a vapor pressure lower than 1 Torr (133.322 Pa) at room temperature.

Abstract: The present invention is a system for performing coating and developing treatment for a substrate, which comprises a treatment section having a coating treatment unit for forming a coating film on the substrate, a developing treatment unit for developing the substrate, a thermal treatment unit for performing thermal treatment for the substrate, and a first carrier unit for carrying the substrate into/out of these coating treatment unit, developing treatment unit, and thermal treatment unit. The system of the present invention further comprises an interface section having a second carrier unit for carrying the substrate through a route at least between the treatment section and an exposure processing unit provided outside the system for performing exposure processing for the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a film of a coating solution on a substrate includes steps of moving a coating solution discharge member relative to a substrate while a coating solution is being discharged from the coating solution discharge member to the surface of the substrate, and changing a discharge direction of the coating solution to an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to make the amount of application to the outer peripheral portion smaller than that to other portions. This can reduce the amount of application to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, thereby making it possible to restrain protuberance of the coating solution at the outer peripheral portion of the substrate caused by surface tension. Consequently, a coating film which is uniform also at the outer peripheral portion on the substrate is formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing coating and developing treatment for a substrate, which comprises the steps of: supplying a coating solution to the substrate to form a coating film on the substrate; performing heat treatment for the substrate on which the coating film is formed; cooling the substrate after the heat treatment; performing exposure processing for the coating film formed on the substrate; and developing the substrate after the exposure processing, and further comprises the step of supplying a treatment gas to form a treatment film on a surface of the coating film after the step of forming the coating film and before the step of performing the; exposure processing for the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate is horizontally held by a substrate holding portion freely movable in the Y-direction, and a nozzle portion is provided above and opposing the substrate, and movable in X-direction corresponding to the coating liquid feeding region of the substrate. A discharge opening is formed at a lower end of the nozzle portion, and a channel connecting the discharge opening with a coating liquid feed tube coupled to an upper end of the nozzle portion is formed within the discharge opening. At the midstream of the channel, a liquid pool portion larger in diameter than the discharge opening is formed, the inside of which is provided with a filtering member formed by porous bodies blocking the channel. The filtering member forms a pressure loss portion, which absorbs pulsation occurring at the coating liquid feed tube before it reaches the discharge opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing coating and developing treatment for a substrate, which comprises the steps of: supplying a coating solution to the substrate to form a coating film on the substrate; performing heat treatment for the substrate on which the coating film is formed; cooling the substrate after the heat treatment; performing exposure processing for the coating film formed on the substrate; and developing the substrate after the exposure processing, and further comprises the step of supplying a treatment gas to form a treatment film on a surface of the coating film after the step of forming the coating film and before the step of performing the exposure processing for the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a system for supplying a chemical to a substrate to form a liquid film of the chemical on the substrate, the system being capable of inhibiting particles from adhering to the surface of the substrate and improving the yields of a coating film formed on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a film of a coating solution on a substrate includes steps of moving a coating solution discharge member relative to a substrate while a coating solution is being discharged from the coating solution discharge member to the surface of the substrate, and changing a discharge direction of the coating solution to an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to make the amount of application to the outer peripheral portion smaller than that to other portions. This can reduce the amount of application to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, thereby making it possible to restrain protuberance of the coating solution at the outer peripheral portion of the substrate caused by surface tension. Consequently, a coating film which is uniform also at the outer peripheral portion on the substrate is formed.

Abstract: In an FAB having a plurality of coating and developing processing apparatus, atmospheric pressure is measured by a barometer provided in the FAB, and a measured value is sent to each of the coating and developing processing apparatus via a host computer. In each coating and developing processing apparatus, based on the value, the rotation speed of a substrate in a resist solution coating unit is regulated only when the atmospheric pressure value exceeds a predetermined allowable value which is preset according to the type of chemical. As a result, without causing the complication of the apparatus, plant and equipment investment can be held to minimum, and the coating film thickness of a substrate can be maintained at a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: The present invention includes a hermetic container provided therein with a mount for mounting thereon a substrate coated with a coating solution made by mixing a component of a coating film and a solvent; a vacuum exhauster connected to the hermetic container through an exhaust passage for reducing a pressure in the hermetic container to vaporize the solvent from the coating solution on the substrate; a current member provided to face a front face of the substrate mounted on the mount; and a current member raising and lowering mechanism for raising and lowering the current member. When the current member is raised and lowered to change in height position while the pressure inside the hermetic container is reduced to vaporize the solvent from the coating solution on the substrate, a liquid flow of the coating solution on the substrate is controlled, thereby controlling the film thickness of a film of the coating solution.