Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method including: supplying a developing liquid to a surface of an exposed substrate to form a resist pattern; supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate to remove a residue generated in the developing step from the substrate; supplying a replacing liquid to the surface of the substrate to replace the cleaning liquid existing on the substrate with the replacing liquid, the replacing liquid having a surface tension of 50 mN/m or less and containing a percolation inhibitor for restraining the replacing liquid from percolating into a resist wall portion constituting the resist pattern; and forming a dry region by supplying a gas to a central portion of the substrate while rotating the substrate so as to dry the surface of the substrate by expanding the dry region to a peripheral edge portion of the substrate with a centrifugal force.

Abstract: In a coating step, a substrate is rotated at a high speed, and in that state a resist solution is discharged from a first nozzle to a central portion of the substrate to apply the resist solution over the substrate. Subsequently, in a flattening step, the rotation of the substrate is decelerated and the substrate is rotated at a low speed to flatten the resist solution on the substrate. In this event, the discharge of the resist solution by the first nozzle in the coating step is performed until a middle of the flattening step, and when the discharge of the resist solution is finished in the flattening step, the first nozzle is moved to move a discharge position of the resist solution from the central portion of the substrate. According to the present invention, the resist solution can be applied uniformly within the substrate.

Abstract: Resist coating treatments for application of a resist solution to removal of a resist film on a wafer edge portion. A laser irradiation unit applies a laser light in a resist coating unit. At the time of resist coating treatment, the resist solution is discharged onto a central portion of the rotated wafer from a resist solution supply nozzle to form a resist film on the wafer. Thereafter, the laser irradiation unit moves to an outer peripheral portion of the wafer and applies the laser light onto the resist film on the outer peripheral portion to dry the resist film on the outer peripheral portion. The application of laser light is continued, and the solvent supply nozzle moves to a position above the edge portion and supplies solvent to the resist film on the edge portion. The solvent dissolves and removes the resist film on the edge portion.

Abstract: In a coating step, a substrate is rotated at a high speed, and in that state a resist solution is discharged from a first nozzle to a central portion of the substrate to apply the resist solution over the substrate. Subsequently, in a flattening step, the rotation of the substrate is decelerated and the substrate is rotated at a low speed to flatten the resist solution on the substrate. In this event, the discharge of the resist solution by the first nozzle in the coating step is performed until a middle of the flattening step, and when the discharge of the resist solution is finished in the flattening step, the first nozzle is moved to move a discharge position of the resist solution from the central portion of the substrate. According to the present invention, the resist solution can be applied uniformly within the substrate.

Abstract: A resist coating apparatus supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then decelerates the rotation of the substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, or until rotational halt, makes the deceleration smaller in the deceleration step as the rotational speed becomes closer to the second rotational speed or the rotational halt, and accelerates the rotation of the substrate to a third rotational speed higher than the second rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.

Abstract: The present invention supplies a solvent to a front surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate. The substrate is acceleratingly rotated to a first number of rotations, and a resist solution is supplied to a central portion of the substrate during the accelerating rotation and the rotation at a first number of rotations. The substrate is deceleratingly rotated to a second number of rotations, and after the number of rotations of the substrate reaches the second number of rotations, the resist solution is discharged to the substrate. The substrate is then acceleratingly rotated to a third number of rotations higher than the second number of rotations so that the substrate is rotated at the third number of rotations. According to the present invention, consumption of the resist solution can be suppressed and a high in-plane uniformity can be obtained for the film thickness of the resist film.

Abstract: In a coating step, a substrate is rotated at a high speed, and in that state a resist solution is discharged from a first nozzle to a central portion of the substrate to apply the resist solution over the substrate. Subsequently, in a flattening step, the rotation of the substrate is decelerated and the substrate is rotated at a low speed to flatten the resist solution on the substrate. In this event, the discharge of the resist solution by the first nozzle in the coating step is performed until a middle of the flattening step, and when the discharge of the resist solution is finished in the flattening step, the first nozzle is moved to move a discharge position of the resist solution from the central portion of the substrate. According to the present invention, the resist solution can be applied uniformly within the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention includes: a first step of discharging a coating solution from a nozzle to a center portion of the substrate to apply the coating solution on a surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate; a second step of decelerating, after the first step, the rotation of the substrate and continuously rotating the substrate; and a third step of accelerating, after the second step, the rotation of the substrate to dry the coating solution on the substrate, wherein: the substrate is rotated at a fixed speed of a first speed immediately before the first step; and in the first step, the rotation of the substrate which is at the first speed before start of the first step is gradually accelerated after the start of the first step so as to make the speed continuously change, and the acceleration of the rotation of the substrate is gradually decreased so as to make the speed of the rotation of the substrate converge in a second speed higher than the first speed at end of the first step.

Abstract: There is provided a coating method which can efficiently apply a coating liquid, such as a liquid resist, to the entire surface of a wafer even when the coating liquid is supplied in a smaller amount than a conventional one, and can therefore reduce the consumption of the coating liquid. The coating method includes: a first step of rotating the substrate at a first rotating speed while supplying the coating liquid onto approximately the center of the rotating substrate; a second step of rotating the substrate at a second rotating speed which is lower than the first rotating speed; a third step of rotating the substrate at a third rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed; and a fourth step of rotating the substrate at a fourth rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed and lower than the third rotating speed.

Abstract: A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then reduces a rotational speed of the target substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, reduces the rotational speed of the target substrate to a third rotational speed lower than the second rotational speed or until rotational halt to adjust the film thickness of the resist solution, and accelerates the rotation of the target substrate to a fourth rotational speed higher than the third rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.

Abstract: The present invention supplies a solvent to a front surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate. The substrate is acceleratingly rotated to a first number of rotations, and a resist solution is supplied to a central portion of the substrate during the accelerating rotation and the rotation at a first number of rotations. The substrate is deceleratingly rotated to a second number of rotations, and after the number of rotations of the substrate reaches the second number of rotations, the resist solution is discharged to the substrate. The substrate is then acceleratingly rotated to a third number of rotations higher than the second number of rotations so that the substrate is rotated at the third number of rotations. According to the present invention, consumption of the resist solution can be suppressed and a high in-plane uniformity can be obtained for the film thickness of the resist film.

Abstract: The present invention supplies a solvent to the front surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate. Subsequently, the substrate is acceleratingly rotated to a first number of rotations, and a resist solution is supplied to a central portion of the substrate during the accelerating rotation and the rotation at the first number of rotations. Thereafter, the substrate is deceleratingly rotated to a second number of rotations, and after the number of rotations of the substrate reaches the second number of rotations, the resist solution is discharged to the substrate. The substrate is then acceleratingly rotated to a third number of rotations higher than the second number of rotations so that the substrate is rotated at the third number of rotations. According to the present invention, in application of the resist solution by spin coating, the consumption of the resist solution can be suppressed, and a high in-plane uniformity can be obtained for the film thickness of the resist film.

Abstract: A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then reduces a rotational speed of the target substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, reduces the rotational speed of the target substrate to a third rotational speed lower than the second rotational speed or until rotational halt to adjust the film thickness of the resist solution, and accelerates the rotation of the target substrate to a fourth rotational speed higher than the third rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.

Abstract: A pretreatment process, carried out prior to a developing process, spouts pure water, namely, a diffusion-assisting liquid for assisting the spread of a developer over the surface of a wafer, through a cleaning liquid spouting nozzle onto a central part of the wafer to form a puddle of pure water. The developer is spouted onto the central part of the wafer for prewetting while the wafer is rotated at a high rotating speed to spread the developer over the surface of the wafer. The developer dissolves the resist film partly and produces a solution. The rotation of the wafer is reversed, for example, within 7 s in which the solution is being produced to reduce the water-repellency of the wafer by spreading the solution over the entire surface of the wafer. Then, the developer is spouted onto the rotating wafer to spread the developer on the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then reduces a rotational speed of the target substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, reduces the rotational speed of the target substrate to a third rotational speed lower than the second rotational speed or until rotational halt to adjust the film thickness of the resist solution, and accelerates the rotation of the target substrate to a fourth rotational speed higher than the third rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.

Abstract: Resist coating treatments for application of a resist solution to removal of a resist film on a wafer edge portion. A laser irradiation unit applies a laser light in a resist coating unit. At the time of resist coating treatment, the resist solution is discharged onto a central portion of the rotated wafer from a resist solution supply nozzle to form a resist film on the wafer. Thereafter, the laser irradiation unit moves to an outer peripheral portion of the wafer and applies the laser light onto the resist film on the outer peripheral portion to dry the resist film on the outer peripheral portion. The application of laser light is continued, and the solvent supply nozzle moves to a position above the edge portion and supplies solvent to the resist film on the edge portion. The solvent dissolves and removes the resist film on the edge portion.

Abstract: A resist coating apparatus supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then decelerates the rotation of the substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, or until rotational halt, makes the deceleration smaller in the deceleration step as the rotational speed becomes closer to the second rotational speed or the rotational halt, and accelerates the rotation of the substrate to a third rotational speed higher than the second rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.

Abstract: To perform a series of resist coating treatments from application of a resist solution to removal of a resist film on a wafer edge portion in a shorter time. A laser irradiation unit for applying a laser light is provided in a resist coating unit. At the time of resist coating treatment, the resist solution is discharged onto a central portion of the rotated wafer from a resist solution supply nozzle to form a resist film on the wafer. Thereafter, the laser irradiation unit moves to an outer peripheral portion of the wafer and applies the laser light onto the resist film on the outer peripheral portion to dry the resist film on the outer peripheral portion. After the resist film on the outer peripheral portion dries, the application of laser light is continued, and the solvent supply nozzle moves to a position above the edge portion of the wafer and supplies the solvent to the resist film on the edge portion of the wafer.

Abstract: A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then decelerates the rotation of the substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, or until rotational halt, makes the deceleration smaller in the deceleration step as the rotational speed becomes closer to the second rotational speed or the rotational halt, and accelerates the rotation of the substrate to a third rotational speed higher than the second rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.

Abstract: There is provided a coating method which can efficiently apply a coating liquid, such as a liquid resist, to the entire surface of a wafer even when the coating liquid is supplied in a smaller amount than a conventional one, and can therefore reduce the consumption of the coating liquid. The coating method includes: a first step of rotating the substrate at a first rotating speed while supplying the coating liquid onto approximately the center of the rotating substrate; a second step of rotating the substrate at a second rotating speed which is lower than the first rotating speed; a third step of rotating the substrate at a third rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed; and a fourth step of rotating the substrate at a fourth rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed and lower than the third rotating speed.