Abstract: The present invention provides a resist coating and developing apparatus, a resist coating and developing method, a resist-film processing apparatus, and a resist-film processing method, capable of reducing a line width roughness by planarizing a resist pattern. The resist coating and developing apparatus comprises: a resist-film forming part configured to coat a resist onto a substrate to form a resist film thereon; a resist developing part configured to develop the exposed resist film to obtain a patterned resist film; and a solvent-gas supply part configured to expose the resist film, which has been developed and patterned by the resist developing part, to a first solvent of a gaseous atmosphere having a solubility to the resist film. A solvent supply part supplies, to the resist film which has been exposed to the first solvent, a second solvent in a liquid state having a solubility to the resist film.

Abstract: A resist coating/developing apparatus includes: a resist film-forming unit configured to apply a resist onto a substrate to form thereon a resist film; a resist developing unit configured to develop the resist film after exposure to pattern the resist film; a solvent gas generator configured to generate a solvent gas containing a vapor of a solvent having a property of dissolving the resist film; a solvent gas conditioner connected to the solvent gas generator and configured to condition the solvent gas generated in the solvent gas generator; a processing chamber configured to house the substrate having thereon the resist film which has been developed and patterned in the resist developing unit, and connected to the solvent gas conditioner so that the solvent gas, which has been conditioned in the solvent gas conditioning section, is supplied to the substrate housed in the processing chamber; and an exhaust system connected to the processing chamber to evacuate the processing chamber to a reduced pressure.

Abstract: A resist film processing unit is disclosed that can improve an etching resistance of a resist film formed on a substrate. The resist film processing unit includes a light source to irradiate an ultraviolet light on a resist film patterned by a development process, a heating part configured to heat the resist film irradiated with the ultraviolet light by the light source, and a solvent processing unit configured to expose the resist film to a solvent gas including a solvent that contains a benzene ring, during or after heating of the resist film by the heating part.

Abstract: A developing treatment method includes: a treatment solution supplying step of supplying a treatment solution made by diluting a hydrophobizing agent hydrophobizing a resist pattern with hydrofluoroether onto a substrate on which a rinse solution has been supplied after development of the resist pattern; a hydrophobic treatment stabilizing step of stabilizing a hydrophobic treatment of the resist pattern with the supply of the treatment solution stopped and rotation of the substrate almost stopped; and a treatment solution removing step of removing the treatment solution from a top of the substrate on which the treatment solution has been supplied. The hydrophobizing agent is trimethylsilyldimethyl-amine.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus which uniformly forms a fine resist pattern with a desired dimension within a plane of a substrate is disclosed. In a solvent vapor supply unit, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle is provided which can discharge a solvent vapor for swelling a resist pattern while moving above the front surface of a wafer. The wafer for which developing treatment has been finished and on which a resist pattern has been formed is carried into the solvent vapor supply unit, and the solvent vapor discharge nozzle is moved above the front surface of the wafer, so that the solvent vapor discharge nozzle supplies the solvent vapor onto the front surface of the wafer. This uniformly supplies a predetermined amount of solvent vapor to the resist pattern on the front surface of the wafer. As a result, the solvent vapor causes the resist pattern to evenly swell by a predetermined dimension, so that a resist pattern with a desired dimension is finally uniformly formed within the plane of the wafer.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method capable of preventing pattern collapse when a rinse solution is removed from a substrate on which a microscopic resist pattern is formed and also capable of reducing cost for processing the substrate by decreasing an amount of usage of a hydrophobicizing agent. The substrate processing method includes a rinse solution supply process (step S12) for supplying the rinse solution onto the substrate on which the resist pattern is formed; and a rinse solution removing process (steps S14 to S16) for removing the rinse solution from the substrate in an atmosphere including vapor of a first processing solution that hydrophobicizes the resist pattern.

Abstract: A resist coating/developing apparatus includes: a resist film-forming unit configured to apply a resist onto a substrate to form thereon a resist film; a resist developing unit configured to develop the resist film after exposure to pattern the resist film; a solvent gas generator configured to generate a solvent gas containing a vapor of a solvent having a property of dissolving the resist film; a solvent gas conditioner connected to the solvent gas generator and configured to condition the solvent gas generated in the solvent gas generator; a processing chamber configured to house the substrate having thereon the resist film which has been developed and patterned in the resist developing unit, and connected to the solvent gas conditioner so that the solvent gas, which has been conditioned in the solvent gas conditioning section, is supplied to the substrate housed in the processing chamber; and an exhaust system connected to the processing chamber to evacuate the processing chamber to a reduced pressure.

Abstract: To improve the surface roughness of a resist film formed on a wafer. In a coating and developing treatment system, a wafer W on which a resist film has been formed and subjected to exposure and developing treatment is adjusted to a predetermined temperature. A solvent gas is supplied to the surface of the temperature-adjusted wafer W to dissolve the surface of the resist film. The wafer W is then heated to volatilize the solvent in the resist film to thereby heat shrink the resist film. This levels the projections and depressions on the surface of the resist film so as to improve the surface roughness of the resist film.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus which uniformly forms a fine resist pattern with a desired dimension within a plane of a substrate is disclosed. In a solvent vapor supply unit, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle is provided which can discharge a solvent vapor for swelling a resist pattern while moving above the front surface of a wafer. The wafer for which developing treatment has been finished and on which a resist pattern has been formed is carried into the solvent vapor supply unit, and the solvent vapor discharge nozzle is moved above the front surface of the wafer, so that the solvent vapor discharge nozzle supplies the solvent vapor onto the front surface of the wafer. This uniformly supplies a predetermined amount of solvent vapor to the resist pattern on the front surface of the wafer. As a result, the solvent vapor causes the resist pattern to evenly swell by a predetermined dimension, so that a resist pattern with a desired dimension is finally uniformly formed within the plane of the wafer.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus which uniformly forms a fine resist pattern with a desired dimension within a plane of a substrate is disclosed. In a solvent vapor supply unit, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle is provided which can discharge a solvent vapor for swelling a resist pattern while moving above the front surface of a wafer. The wafer for which developing treatment has been finished and on which a resist pattern has been formed is carried into the solvent vapor supply unit, and the solvent vapor discharge nozzle is moved above the front surface of the wafer, so that the solvent vapor discharge nozzle supplies the solvent vapor onto the front surface of the wafer. This uniformly supplies a predetermined amount of solvent vapor to the resist pattern on the front surface of the wafer. As a result, the solvent vapor causes the resist pattern to evenly swell by a predetermined dimension, so that a resist pattern with a desired dimension is finally uniformly formed within the plane of the wafer.

Abstract: A resist film processing unit is disclosed that can improve an etching resistance of a resist film formed on a substrate. The resist film processing unit includes a light source to irradiate an ultraviolet light on a resist film patterned by a development process, a heating part configured to heat the resist film irradiated with the ultraviolet light by the light source, and a solvent processing unit configured to expose the resist film to a solvent gas including a solvent that contains a benzene ring, during or after heating of the resist film by the heating part.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resist coating and developing apparatus, a resist coating and developing method, a resist-film processing apparatus, and a resist-film processing method, capable of reducing a line width roughness by planarizing a resist pattern. The resist coating and developing apparatus comprises: a resist-film forming part configured to coat a resist onto a substrate to form a resist film thereon; a resist developing part configured to develop the exposed resist film to obtain a patterned resist film; and a solvent-gas supply part configured to expose the resist film, which has been developed and patterned by the resist developing part, to a first solvent of a gaseous atmosphere having a solubility to the resist film. A solvent supply part supplies, to the resist film which has been exposed to the first solvent, a second solvent in a liquid state having a solubility to the resist film.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus enables an efficient collection of a solvent vapor discharged via a nozzle onto a wafer on which a resist pattern is formed. A retaining base that retains the wafer is moved relative to the nozzle, which includes a nozzle head. A pair of leakage preventing portions are disposed opposite to each other across the nozzle head. Each of the leakage preventing portions has an opening via which the solvent vapor discharged out of the discharge opening can be sucked, or a solvent vapor blocking gas can be discharged selectively. A solvent vapor supply source and a gas supply source are switchably connected to the supply opening of the nozzle head via a first switching valve. An exhaust pump and a solvent-vapor-blocking gas supply source are switchably connected to the openings of the leakage preventing portions via a second switching valve.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus for treating a substrate on a surface of which a treatment film has been formed and subjected to exposure processing and developing treatment. The treatment apparatus includes a nozzle for supplying a solvent gas of the treatment film to the surface of the treatment film on the substrate, and a moving mechanism for moving the nozzle which is supplying the solvent gas, relative to the substrate. The nozzle has an elongated discharge portion at least longer than a diameter of the substrate and partition plates at a front and a rear in the moving direction of the nozzle.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding stage to hold a substrate having a surface facing up, the substrate having an exposed and developed resist pattern over the surface, a rotation driving mechanism to rotate the substrate holding stage around a vertical axis, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle having a discharge hole capable of discharging solvent vapor to swell the resist pattern onto the surface of the substrate and a vacuum opening capable of absorbing the solvent vapor discharged from the discharge hole, and a moving mechanism to move the solvent vapor discharge nozzle from an edge to a center of the substrate. The substrate is rotated around the vertical axis while moving the solvent vapor discharge nozzle from the edge to the center of the substrate, discharging the solvent vapor from the discharge hole, to supply the solvent vapor over the substrate in a spiral manner.

Abstract: A solvent vapor is made to adhere efficiently to the surface of a resist pattern without using an ultraviolet irradiation process to improve processing accuracy, to reduce processing time and to suppress the diffusion of the solvent outside a substrate processing system. The surface of a resist pattern R formed on a semiconductor wafer W by an exposure process and a developing process is coated with water molecules m. A solvent vapor of a water-soluble solvent, such as NMP, is spouted on the surface of the resist pattern R coated with the water molecules m. A surface layer of the resist pattern R is swollen by the solvent vapor combined with the water molecules m to achieve a smoothing process. The water molecules m and the solvent s remaining on the resist pattern R on the wafer W after the smoothing process are removed by drying.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding stage to hold a substrate having a surface facing up, the substrate having an exposed and developed resist pattern over the surface, a rotation driving mechanism to rotate the substrate holding stage around a vertical axis, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle having a discharge hole capable of discharging solvent vapor to swell the resist pattern onto the surface of the substrate and a vacuum opening capable of absorbing the solvent vapor discharged from the discharge hole, and a moving mechanism to move the solvent vapor discharge nozzle from an edge to a center of the substrate. The substrate is rotated around the vertical axis while moving the solvent vapor discharge nozzle from the edge to the center of the substrate, discharging the solvent vapor from the discharge hole, to supply the solvent vapor over the substrate in a spiral manner.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus enables an efficient collection of a solvent vapor discharged via a nozzle onto a wafer on which a resist pattern is formed. A retaining base that retains the wafer is moved relative to the nozzle, which includes a nozzle head. A pair of leakage preventing portions are disposed opposite to each other across the nozzle head. Each of the leakage preventing portions has an opening via which the solvent vapor discharged out of the discharge opening can be sucked, or a solvent vapor blocking gas can be discharged selectively. A solvent vapor supply source and a gas supply source are switchably connected to the supply opening of the nozzle head via a first switching valve. An exhaust pump and a solvent-vapor-blocking gas supply source are switchably connected to the openings of the leakage preventing portions via a second switching valve.

Abstract: In the present invention, a resist pattern size shrink liquid is applied onto a resist pattern of the substrate. The substrate is then heated, whereby a lower layer portion of the resist pattern size shrink liquid in contact with the front surface of the resist pattern is changed in quality to insoluble to pure water. An upper layer portion of the resist pattern size shrink liquid is then removed with the removing solution. In this removing step, a solution film of pure water is first formed on the substrate with the substrate at rest to dissolve the upper layer portion of the resist pattern size shrink liquid by the solution film of pure water. Pure water is then supplied to the substrate with the substrate being rotated to remove the upper layer portion of the resist pattern size shrink liquid from a top of the substrate. The substrate is then rotated to be dried.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to uniformly form a fine resist pattern with a desired dimension within a plane of a substrate. In a solvent vapor supply unit, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle is provided which can discharge a solvent vapor for swelling a resist pattern while moving above the front surface of a wafer. The wafer for which developing treatment has been finished and on which a resist pattern has been formed is carried into the solvent vapor supply unit, and the solvent vapor discharge nozzle is moved above the front surface of the wafer, so that the solvent vapor discharge nozzle supplies the solvent vapor onto the front surface of the wafer. This uniformly supplies a predetermined amount of solvent vapor to the resist pattern on the front surface of the wafer. As a result, the solvent vapor causes the resist pattern to evenly swell by a predetermined dimension, so that a resist pattern with a desired dimension is finally uniformly formed within the plane of the wafer.