Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned by placing the semiconductor wafers in a processing vessel, forming a pure water film on the surfaces of the wafers, forming an ozonic water film by dissolving ozone gas in the pure water film, and removing resist films formed on the wafers by the agency of the ozonic water film. The pure water film is formed by condensing steam on the surfaces of the wafers. The resist films formed on the surfaces of the wafers can be removed by also using hydroxyl radicals produced by interaction between steam and ozone gas supplied into the processing vessel. Thus, the resist films can be removed highly effectively.

Abstract: Resists can be removed while metal contamination of wafers, etc. and generation of particles, and growth of oxide films are suppressed. An ozone gas feed system 40 for feeding ozone gas 2 into a processing vessel 10 holding wafers W, and a steam feed means 30 for feeding steam 1 into the processing vessel 10 are provided. An on-off valve 49 inserted in the ozone gas feed pipe 42, an on-off valve 36 inserted in the steam feed pipe 34 and a switch 48 and an on-off valve 49 of ozone gas generator 41 are connected to CPU 100 which is control means and are controlled by the CPU 100. Ozone gas 2 is fed into the processing vessel 10 to pressurize the atmosphere surrounding the wafers W, and then steam 1 is fed into the processing vessel 10 while ozone gas 2 is fed into the processing vessel 10, whereby a resist of the wafers W can be removed with the steam 1 and the ozone 2 while metal corrosion, etc. can be prevented.

Abstract: On the occasion of developing processing, a mixed solution produced by stirring a developing solution and a solution with a specific gravity smaller than the developing solution is supplied to the front surface of a substrate and left as it is for a fixed period of time. After the mixed solution is separated into two layers of which the lower layer is the developing solution and the upper layer is the solution, developing progresses all at once in the entire surface of the substrate. Hence, time difference in start time of developing does not occur in the surface of the substrate, thereby enabling uniform developing and an improvement in line width uniformity of a resist pattern film in the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process including a chemical liquid treatment and a rinse liquid treatment on a substrate, more particularly to a technique for reducing consumption of a chemical liquid while achieving uniform process and preventing particle generation. In a specific embodiment, the process is performed for removing a silicon oxide film formed on a silicon wafer. The process includes three subsequently performed steps, in which (1) diluted hydrofluoric acid (DHF), (2) DHF and de-ionized water (DIW), (3) DIW are supplied, respectively, onto a rotating wafer. Transition from step (1) to step (2) is done immediately before the hydrophilic silicon oxide film is dissolved to expose the underlying hydrophobic silicon layer.

Abstract: A silylation treatment unit includes a chamber, a heating mechanism provided in this chamber for heating a substrate, a supplying mechanism for supplying a vapor including a silylation reagent into the chamber. The unit also has a substrate holder for holding the substrate in the chamber, in which an interval between the heating mechanism and the substrate is adjustable to at least three levels or more. The substrate is received such that it is least influenced by a heat in the chamber by maximizing the interval from the heating mechanism. The interval is brought comparatively closer to the heating mechanism to wait until the temperature inside the chamber obtains a high planer uniformity. The interval is brought further closer to the heating mechanism after a high planer uniformity is obtained such that a silylation reaction occurs.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus removes resist films formed on wafers by holding the wafers in a processing vessel and exposing the wafers to a mixed gaseous fluid of steam and an ozone-containing gas into the processing vessel. The inner surfaces, to be exposed to the mixed gaseous fluid, of the processing vessel and the surfaces, to be exposed to the mixed gaseous fluid, of component members placed in the processing vessel are coated with SiO2 film to protect the same from the corrosive action of the mixed gaseous fluid.

Abstract: A solution having a photosensitive radical is applied onto a resist film, a developing solution is applied thereonto, and the entire surface of the solution having the photosensitive radical is exposed all at once. Developing of the resist film progresses all at once after a coating film of the solution having the photosensitive radical dissolves in the developing solution, and hence time difference in the start time of developing does not occur in the surface of a substrate, thereby enabling uniform developing and an improvement in line width uniformity (CD value uniformity) in the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A silylation treatment unit includes a chamber, a heating mechanism provided in this chamber for heating a substrate, a supplying mechanism for supplying a vapor including a silylation reagent into the chamber. The unit also has a substrate holder for holding the substrate in the chamber, in which an interval between the heating mechanism and the substrate is adjustable to at least three levels or more. The substrate is received such that it is least influenced by a heat in the chamber by maximizing the interval from the heating mechanism. The interval is brought comparatively closer to the heating mechanism to wait until the temperature inside the chamber obtains a high planer uniformity. The interval is brought further closer to the heating mechanism after a high planer uniformity is obtained such that a silylation reaction occurs.

Abstract: On the occasion of developing processing, a mixed solution produced by stirring a developing solution and a solution with a specific gravity smaller than the developing solution is supplied to the front surface of a substrate and left as it is for a fixed period of time. After the mixed solution is separated into two layers of which the lower layer is the developing solution and the upper layer is the solution, developing progresses all at once in the entire surface of the substrate. Hence, time difference in start time of developing does not occur in the surface of the substrate, thereby enabling uniform developing and an improvement in line width uniformity of a resist pattern film in the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus and method which can prevent accidents in advance so as to ensure safety against interruption of operations of the apparatus and leakage of processing substances. In a substrate processing method in which wafers W are processed are processed by feeding an ozone gas 5 to the wafers W loaded in a processing vessel 2 while an interior atmosphere in the processing vessel is being exhausted to be passed through an ozone killer 10, the ozone gas 5 is fed under the conditions that the processing vessel 2 is tightly closed, and the ozone killer in its normal state. When the processing is interrupted, an interior atmosphere in the processing vessel 2 is forcedly exhausted. When the gas leaks, the interior atmosphere and a peripheral atmosphere of the processing vessel 2 are forcedly exhausted while the feed of the ozone gas 5 is paused.

Abstract: In an organic insulating film coating apparatus, an organic insulating film is applied onto a wafer by a spin coating. Thereafter, the wafer is subjected to heat processing and an inorganic insulating film is applied onto the wafer by a spin coating in an inorganic insulating film coating apparatus. After the coating of the inorganic insulating film, the wafer is subjected to aging processing and exchange-chemical coating processing. Thereafter, a solvent in the coating film is removed in a low-temperature heat processing apparatus and a low-oxygen and high-temperature heat processing apparatus, and thermal processing is performed for the wafer in a low-oxygen curing and cooling processing apparatus.

Abstract: On the occasion of developing processing, a mixed solution produced by stirring a developing solution and a solution with a specific gravity smaller than the developing solution is supplied to the front surface of a substrate and left as it is for a fixed period of time. After the mixed solution is separated into two layers of which the lower layer is the developing solution and the upper layer is the solution, developing progresses all at once in the entire surface of the substrate. Hence, time difference in start time of developing does not occur in the surface of the substrate, thereby enabling uniform developing and an improvement in line width uniformity of a resist pattern film in the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate With a processing fluid is provided. The apparatus includes holding members 60 for holding the substrate W, a chuck member 61 for supporting the holding members 60 and a top-face member 62 approaching the substrate W to cover its surface. In arrangement, since the top-face member 62 is supported by the chuck member 61, the holding members 60 can rotate together with the top-face member 62 in one body. With this structure, it is possible to reduce the influence of particles on the substrate W and also possible to provided a low-cost substrate processing apparatus occupied as little installation space as possible.

Abstract: The wafers W are dipped and rinsed in pure water in the processing bath 60, and then dichloromethane is fed into the processing bath 60, thereby changing the state of the wafer W from being dipped in pure water to being dipped in dichloromethane. Thereafter, the wafers W is raised up to the drying chamber 61, and dichloromethane remained on the surface of each wafer W is evaporated, and the hot N2 gas is discharged onto the wafers W. Thereby, no water marks are produced, and no resist is dissolved, and the substrate can be dried in safety.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned by placing the semiconductor wafers in a processing vessel, forming a pure water film on the surfaces of the wafers, forming an ozonic water film by dissolving ozone gas in the pure water film, and removing resist films formed on the wafers by the agency of the ozonic water film. The pure water film is formed by condensing steam on the surfaces of the wafers. The resist films formed on the surfaces of the wafers can be removed by also using hydroxyl radicals produced by interaction between steam and ozone gas supplied into the processing vessel. Thus, the resist films can be removed highly effectively.

Abstract: A processing apparatus essentially includes a rotatable rotor 21 for carrying semiconductor wafers W, a motor 22 for driving to rotate the rotor 21, a plurality of processing chambers for surrounding the wafers W carried by the rotor 21, for example, an inner chamber 23 and an outer chamber 24, a chemical supplying unit 50, an IPA supplyig unit 60, a rinse supplying unit 70 and a drying fluid supplying unit 80. With this constitution of the apparatus, it is possible to prevent the wafers from being contaminated due to the reaction of treatment liquids of different kinds, with the improvement of processing efficiency and miniaturization of the apparatus.

Abstract: A solvent of a resist solution is dropped from a solvent supply nozzle onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer held by a spin chuck. The semiconductor wafer is rotated by the spin chuck to spread the resist solution over the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer W. Simultaneously, the resist solution is dropped from a resist solution supply nozzle onto the semiconductor wafer and spread following the solvent. During the processing, the processing space is isolated from the outer atmosphere by closing a lid of a processing vessel and a sprayed solvent is supplied into the processing space. The processing space is thus filled with the mist of solvent. In the processing space supplied with the solvent, evaporation of the solvent from the resist solution is suppressed. A film of the resist solution is formed with a uniform film thickness to the edge of the semiconductor wafer W.

Abstract: A processing apparatus essentially includes a rotatable rotor 21 for carrying semiconductor wafers W, a motor 22 for driving to rotate the rotor 21, a plurality of processing chambers for surrounding the wafers W carried by the rotor 21, for example, an inner chamber 23 and an outer chamber 24, a chemical supplying unit 50, an IPA supplying unit 60, a rinse supplying unit 70 and a drying fluid supplying unit 80. With this constitution of the apparatus, it is possible to prevent the wafers from being contaminated due to the reaction of treatment liquids of different kinds, with the improvement of processing efficiency and miniaturization of the apparatus.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing part 46 for processing a substrate by a processing liquid and a processing-liquid recovery path 137 allowing of a passage of the processing liquid discharged from the substrate processing part 46. The processing-liquid recovery path 137 is provided with foreign substance removal lines 181, 182 including filters 200, 201 for removing an foreign substance from the processing liquid and cleaners 201, 211 for cleaning the filters 200, 201 respectively. With this constitution, it is possible to cancel the blocking of foreign substances in pipes etc. and also possible to lengthen the life span of the filters.

Abstract: A resist processing method includes (a), to a substrate having a circuit pattern with an uneven surface formed thereon, coating a photoresist solution to, by doing so, form a photoresist film, (b) subjecting the substrate to heat processing to cause a portion of the photoresist film to be chemically modified to create a modified resist layer of a substantially uniform thickness from the uneven surface of the circuit pattern, and (c) selectively removing only a resist portion unmodified at the step (b) to leave a modified resist layer on the uneven surface of the circuit pattern.