Abstract: A processing fluid is not only supplied toward a surface side of a substrate (W) from supply nozzles (13, 13), but also flow directions (R1, R1) of the processing fluid supplied from the respective supply nozzles 13 deviate from each other within the surface of the substrate (W). Therefore, a whirling flow (TF) of the processing fluid is formed over the surface of the substrate (W) and the processing fluid comes into contact with the surface of the substrate (W), thereby performing a predetermined surface treatment (e.g. cleaning, first rinsing, second rinsing and drying).

Abstract: Liquid for prevention of substrate drying is supplied into a processing chamber so that a pool of the liquid is created as an anti-drying atmosphere in advance inside a processing chamber, and substrates, as they are dipped in the pool, are kept on stand-by in a substrate board. In this manner, air drying of the substrates which are kept on stand-by is prevented. When the number of the substrates in the substrate board reaches a certain number, the anti-drying atmosphere is removed from the processing chamber, which is followed by introduction of an SCF into the processing chamber and supercritical drying (high pressure drying) of all of the plurality of substrates inside the processing chamber, namely, batch supercritical drying.

Abstract: Liquid for prevention of substrate drying is supplied into a processing chamber so that a pool of the liquid is created as an anti-drying atmosphere in advance inside a processing chamber, and substrates, as they are dipped in the pool, are kept on stand-by in a substrate board. In this manner, air drying of the substrates which are kept on stand-by is prevented. When the number of the substrates in the substrate board reaches a certain number, the anti-drying atmosphere is removed from the processing chamber, which is followed by introduction of an SCF into the processing chamber and supercritical drying (high pressure drying) of all of the plurality of substrates inside the processing chamber, namely, batch supercritical drying.

Abstract: With respect to any one of processing units, a main transportation path, a developing unit, a dedicated transportation robot and a high-pressure processing unit are disposed linearly in this order in a direction. Hence, even if a processing fluid adhering to a substrate or an evaporant of the processing fluid moves toward the main transportation path while the high-pressure processing unit transports the substrate wet with the processing fluid, there are the processing units located which the processing fluid or its evaporant must arrive at before reaching the main transportation path.

Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.

Abstract: When the hatch of a substrate washing chamber 5 is opened to place a substrate therein, valves V1, V2, V3, V4 and V6 are closed, only a valve V5 being opened. Thus, gaseous CO2 is supplied into the substrate washing chamber 5 to perform a chamber purge for preventing surrounding air components from straying in. As the hatch of the substrate washing chamber 5 is closed, the valve V6 is further closed to form a vent line for the substrate washing chamber 5. Thus, the gas residing within the substrate washing chamber 5 and the conduits is expelled by CO2 gas, into the surrounding air, thereby performing a chamber purge to prevent any unwanted surrounding air components from being left. Thereafter, super critical CO2 is used to wash the substrate.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a substrate includes performing a wet process by supplying a working liquid to a substrate in a wet processing apparatus, transferring the substrate in a non-dry state from the wet processing apparatus to a drying apparatus, and subjecting the substrate to a supercritical drying by a supercritical fluid in the drying apparatus.

Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus for removing unnecessary matters on objects to be processed by bringing a high-pressure fluid and a chemical liquid other than the high-pressure fluid into contact with the objects to be processed in a pressurized state is provided with a plurality of high-pressure processing chambers, a common high-pressure fluid supply unit for supplying the high-pressure fluid to each one of the high-pressure processing chambers, a common chemical liquid supply unit for supplying the chemical liquid to the each high-pressure processing chambers, and a separating unit for separating gaseous components from a mixture of the high-pressure fluid and the chemical liquid discharged from the high-pressure processing chambers after the objects are processed.

Abstract: A fluid heating apparatus is provided which comprises a heat-generating bent tube formed of an electrically conductive material in a tubular configuration and having opposite ends connected in communication to piping through which fluid to be heated is passed, a coil provided outside the heat-generating bent tube and wound to surround the heat-generating bent tube, and a power supply unit for feeding a high-frequency current through the coil. The fluid heating apparatus suppresses the generation of particles in the path of the fluid and may be used to heat gas or liquid in an apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates and flat panel substrates.

Abstract: A fluid heating apparatus is provided which comprises a heat-generating bent tube formed of an electrically conductive material in a tubular configuration and having opposite ends connected in communication to piping through which fluid to be heated is passed, a coil provided outside the heat-generating bent tube and wound to surround the heat-generating bent tube, and a power supply unit for feeding a high-frequency current through the coil. The fluid heating apparatus suppresses the generation of particles in the path of the fluid and may be used to heat gas or liquid in an apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates and flat panel substrates.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus receiving substrates held in a common carrier in a horizontal attitude, the substrates are transferred in the horizontal attitude from the common carrier to an exclusive carrier. The exclusive carrier is rotatable on a horizontal axis. By rotating the exclusive carrier, the substrates are turned from the horizontal attitude to a vertical attitude. Then, the substrates held in the vertical attitude are taken out of the exclusive carrier and transferred to a processing part for processing in the vertical attitude. This allows a simple and speedy turn of the plurality of substrates. Further, even the apparatus for processing the substrates in a vertical attitude can transfer the substrates into and out of the apparatus in the horizontal attitude by using the common carrier.

Abstract: A cover is provided to an opening of a chamber in such a manner to open and close the opening and when the cover closes the opening, the chamber and the cover form a sealed drying process space. In this drying process space, nitrogen gas is supplied to purge the gas in the drying process space to turn into an inert gas filled space. Thereafter, substrates to be treated are brought into the drying process space. nitrogen gas is further supplied to the drying process space and then the substrates are being rotated to dry the same.

Abstract: A treating liquid first in a treating bath is replaced with a second treating liquid by supplying the second treating liquid to an upper position of the treating bath while discharging the first treating liquid from a lower position of the treating bath. The replacement is effected with a balance maintained between a quantity of the first treating liquid discharged and a quantity of the second treating liquid supplied. With this method, the first treating liquid in the treating bath is replaceable with a reduced quantity of the second treating liquid. This treating liquid replacing method allows a substrate to be treated efficiently with a plurality of treating liquids in one treating bath.

Abstract: Deionized water is supplied into a rinsing bath from its bottom portion and overflows from the upper portion of the rinsing bath to form an upflow of deionized water in the rinsing bath. A substrate is rinsed by being immersed in the upflow of deionized water. After rinsing, the substrate is removed from deionized water, and at this tim the surroundings of the substrate are supplied with vapor of an organic solvent soluble in water which serves to lower surface tension of deionized water to the substrate. Thereafter, the substrate is dried in a sealed chamber that is evacuated and the surroundings of the substrate are reduced in pressure. As a result, during drying the substrate surface after rinsing same with deionized water, it is possible to reduce adhesion of particles to the substrate surface, and to dry the substrate surface rapidly without heating the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat-treating wafers including: a cylindrical body having an infrared reflection film formed on an interior peripheral surface thereof; a furnace core tube disposed within the cylindrical body for accommodating therein the wafers; a heater element provided within the cylindrical body for heating the furnace core tube, the heater being positioned outwardly remotely from an exterior peripheral surface of the furnace core tube in a manner to surround the tube; and a plurality of insulating heat-resistant bar members provided within the cylindrical body and extending in a direction parallel to the central axis of the furnace core tube for supporting the heater element.

Abstract: A heat processing apparatus for manufacturing semiconductors is constructed such that an airtightly sealing part is provided at the tubular end having equal diameter to that of a main body of the apparatus, a ring shaped packing is wound on the outer circumference of a cylindrical tube adjacent to the end to be pressed between a pair of ring bodies which are formed with tapered edges of opposite inner sides, an inner tube having an equal diameter to that of the tube is connected with the end of the cylindrical tube through a cushioning material, on the outer circumference of the inner tube an outer tube is constructed integrally with one of the ring bodies, opening ends of both the inner and the outer tubes are adapted to be closed with a lid, and to the outer tube there are provided an exhausting tube for exhausting gas in the cylindrical tube and a gas introducing tube which interrupts an open air from the cylindrical tube with the flow of inert gas which flows when the lid is opened, and exhausting holes w