Abstract: After a developing step, a substrate is spun at high speeds without supplying a cleaning liquid to a surface of the substrate. This causes a large centrifugal force to act on a developer on a resist film. Consequently, the developer can be removed rapidly from the surface of the substrate. As a result, development can be stopped at an expected timing. Moreover, a circuit pattern having an expected dimension can be obtained. At this time, a dissolved product is also removable with the developer from the substrate. This can avoid failure in development caused by the dissolved product. Consequently, suitably maintained quality of negative development can be achieved with a reduced usage amount of the cleaning liquid.

Abstract: A treating section has substrate treatment lines arranged one over the other for treating substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally. An IF section transports the substrates fed from each substrate treatment line to an exposing machine provided separately from this apparatus. The substrates are transported to the exposing machine in the order in which the substrates are loaded into the treating section. The throughput of this apparatus can be improved greatly, without increasing the footprint, since the substrate treatment lines are arranged one over the other. Each substrate can be controlled easily since the order of the substrates transported to the exposing machine is in agreement with the order of the substrates loaded into the treating section.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a plurality of substrate treatment lines arranged vertically. Each substrate treatment line has a plurality of main transport mechanisms arranged horizontally, and a plurality of treating units provided for each main transport mechanism for treating substrates. A series of treatments is carried out for the substrates, with each main transport mechanism transporting the substrates to the treating units associated therewith, and transferring the substrates to the other main transport mechanism horizontally adjacent thereto. The substrate treating apparatus realizes increased processing capabilities by treating the substrates in parallel through the substrate treatment lines.

Abstract: After a developing step, a substrate is spun at high speeds without supplying a cleaning liquid to a surface of the substrate. This causes a large centrifugal force to act on a developer on a resist film. Consequently, the developer can be removed rapidly from the surface of the substrate. As a result, development can be stopped at an expected timing. Moreover, a circuit pattern having an expected dimension can be obtained. At this time, a dissolved product is also removable with the developer from the substrate. This can avoid failure in development caused by the dissolved product. Consequently, suitably maintained quality of negative development can be achieved with a reduced usage amount of the cleaning liquid.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device and includes first, second and third processing units, includes forming a photosensitive film on the substrate by said first processing unit before exposure processing by said exposure device and applying washing processing to the substrate by supplying a washing liquid to the substrate in said second processing unit after the formation of said photosensitive film and before the exposure processing. The method also includes applying drying processing to the substrate in said second processing unit after the washing processing by said second processing unit and before the exposure processing and applying development processing to the substrate by said third processing unit after the exposure processing. Applying the drying processing to the substrate includes the step of supplying an inert gas onto the substrate, to which the washing liquid is supplied.

Abstract: The invention provides coating units, heat-treating units, and a first main transport mechanism for transporting substrates to each of these treating units. The substrates are transferred from the first main transport mechanism to a second main transport mechanism through a receiver. When a substrate cannot be placed on the receiver, this substrate is placed on a buffer. Thus, the first main transport mechanism can continue transporting other substrates. The other substrates in the treating units are transported between the treating units without delay, to receive a series of treatments including coating treatment and heat treatment as scheduled. This prevents lowering of the quality of treatment for forming film on the substrates.

Abstract: The invention provides coating units, heat-treating units, and a first main transport mechanism for transporting substrates to each of these treating units. The substrates are transferred from the first main transport mechanism to a second main transport mechanism through a receiver. When a substrate cannot be placed on the receiver, this substrate is placed on a buffer. Thus, the first main transport mechanism can continue transporting other substrates. The other substrates in the treating units are transported between the treating units without delay, to receive a series of treatments including coating treatment and heat treatment as scheduled. This prevents lowering of the quality of treatment for forming film on the substrates.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device and includes first, second and third processing units, includes the steps of: forming a photosensitive film made of a photosensitive material on the substrate by said first processing unit before exposure processing by said exposure device. The method also includes applying washing processing to the substrate by said second processing unit after the formation of said photosensitive film by said first processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device and transporting the substrate after the washing processing to said exposure device. The method further includes transporting the substrate from said exposure device and applying development processing by said third processing unit to the substrate transported after the exposure processing by said exposure device.

Abstract: The invention provides coating units, heat-treating units, and a first main transport mechanism for transporting substrates to each of these treating units. The substrates are transferred from the first main transport mechanism to a second main transport mechanism through a receiver. When a substrate cannot be placed on the receiver, this substrate is placed on a buffer. Thus, the first main transport mechanism can continue transporting other substrates. The other substrates in the treating units are transported between the treating units without delay, to receive a series of treatments including coating treatment and heat treatment as scheduled. This prevents lowering of the quality of treatment for forming film on the substrates.

Abstract: A substrate treating method for treating substrates with a substrate treating apparatus having an indexer section, a treating section and an interface section includes performing resist film forming treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section and performing developing treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating block including a plurality of cells arranged one over another. Each cell has treating units for treating substrates and a single main transport mechanism disposed in a transporting space for transporting the substrates to the treating units. The treating units include solution treating units and heat-treating units. The solution treating units are arranged at one side of the transporting space, the heat-treating units are arranged at the other side of the transporting space, and the main transport mechanism and the treating units are in substantially the same layout in plan view for the respective cells. The solution treating units are in substantially the same layout in side view for the respective cells, the heat-treating units are in substantially the same layout in side view for the respective cells, and treatments of the substrates carried out in the respective cells are the same.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating block including a plurality of cells arranged one over another. Each cell has treating units for treating substrates and a single main transport mechanism for transporting the substrates to the treating units. Each cell also has a blowout unit for supplying a clean gas into a transporting space of the main transport mechanism and an exhaust unit for exhausting gas from the transporting space. The blowout unit and the exhaust unit are arranged one over the other in the transporting space to separate the transporting space of each cell from that of another cell.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing comprises a coating processing group for resist cover film and a removal processing group for resist cover film. The resist cover film is formed in the processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing before the exposure processing. The resist cover film is removed in the processing block for liquid immersion exposure processing after the exposure processing.

Abstract: A joint nozzle that delivers a developer, a rinsing liquid and nitrogen gas is disposed adjacent the spin center of a substrate in plan view. A controller operates electromagnetic switch valves to continue supply of the developer, while spinning the substrate, in a developing process, and to start supply of the rinsing liquid in a rinsing process, immediately after the supply of the developer ends, thereby achieving a shortened period of the developing process. A switching is made to a drying process by starting supply of the nitrogen gas immediately after completion of the rinsing process. Thus, even if the substrate has a large angle of contact, formation of droplets of the rinsing liquid is inhibited to prevent post-develop defects.

Abstract: A joint nozzle that delivers a developer, a rinsing liquid and nitrogen gas is disposed adjacent the spin center of a substrate in plan view. A controller operates electromagnetic switch valves to continue supply of the developer, while spinning the substrate, in a developing process, and to start supply of the rinsing liquid in a rinsing process, immediately after the supply of the developer ends, thereby achieving a shortened period of the developing process. A switching is made to a drying process by starting supply of the nitrogen gas immediately after completion of the rinsing process. Thus, even if the substrate has a large angle of contact, formation of droplets of the rinsing liquid is inhibited to prevent post-develop defects.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device and includes first, second and third processing units, includes forming a photosensitive film on the substrate by said first processing unit before exposure processing by said exposure device and applying washing processing to the substrate by supplying a washing liquid to the substrate in said second processing unit after the formation of said photosensitive film and before the exposure processing. The method also includes applying drying processing to the substrate in said second processing unit after the washing processing by said second processing unit and before the exposure processing and applying development processing to the substrate by said third processing unit after the exposure processing. Applying the drying processing to the substrate includes the step of supplying an inert gas onto the substrate, to which the washing liquid is supplied.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device and includes first, second and third processing units, includes the steps of: forming a photosensitive film made of a photosensitive material on the substrate by said first processing unit before exposure processing by said exposure device. The method also includes applying washing processing to the substrate by said second processing unit after the formation of said photosensitive film by said first processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device and transporting the substrate after the washing processing to said exposure device. The method further includes transporting the substrate from said exposure device and applying development processing by said third processing unit to the substrate transported after the exposure processing by said exposure device.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device and includes first, second and third processing units, includes the steps of forming a film made of a photosensitive material on the substrate by said first processing unit before exposure processing by said exposure device.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus for treating substrates includes a plurality of substrate treatment lines arranged vertically for carrying out plural types of treatment on the substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally, and a controller for changing processes of treatment carried out on the substrates for each of the substrate treatment lines. By changing the processes of treatment carried out for the substrates for each substrate treatment line, the processes of treatment carried out for the substrates can be changed for each substrate conveniently. Thus, a plurality of different processes of treatment corresponding to the number of substrate treatment lines can be carried out in parallel for the respective substrates.

Abstract: A treating section has substrate treatment lines arranged one over the other for treating substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally. An IF section transports the substrates fed from each substrate treatment line to an exposing machine provided separately from this apparatus. The substrates are transported to the exposing machine in the order in which the substrates are loaded into the treating section. The throughput of this apparatus can be improved greatly, without increasing the footprint, since the substrate treatment lines are arranged one over the other. Each substrate can be controlled easily since the order of the substrates transported to the exposing machine is in agreement with the order of the substrates loaded into the treating section.