Abstract: An edge exposure apparatus performing an exposure process on an edge portion of a wafer having a coating film (resist film) formed thereon includes position detection means for detecting positional data of an outer edge of a wafer held by a spin chuck, an exposure portion for performing an exposure process on the edge portion of the wafer, a development nozzle supplying a developer to the exposed region, and alignment means for horizontally moving the spin chuck. An exposure process is performed by the exposure portion on the edge portion of the wafer held by the spin chuck while the alignment means is controlled, based on the positional data of the outer edge of the wafer which is detected by the position detection means, such that the positional relation between the outer edge of the wafer and the exposure portion is kept constant.

Abstract: A substrate processing system processes a plurality of substrates in a single-substrate processing mode by a plurality of processes and provided with a plurality of modules respectively for carrying out processes. When a defect is found in a substrate, a defective processing unit that caused the defect can be easily found out. The substrate processing system and a substrate processing method to be carried out by the substrate processing system can suppress the reduction of throughput when a large number of substrates are to be processed. The substrate processing system is provided with a plurality of modules for processing a plurality of substrates (W) in a single-substrate processing mode by a plurality of processes and includes a substrate carrying means (A4) for carrying a substrate (W) from a sending module to a receiving module, and a control means (6) for controlling the substrate carrying means (A4) on the basis of one of at least two carrying modes each assigning receiving modules to sending modules.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a coating and developing apparatus 1 whose decreases in substrate-conveying accuracy can be suppressed. A processing block S2 of the coating and developing apparatus 1 includes multiple resist-film forming blocks G2, G3, and a developing block G1. A conveyance element 12 for substrate loading into the processing block S2 is provided to convey substrates W from a carrier C to the resist-film forming blocks G2, G3. Also, a conveyance element I for substrate loading into an exposure apparatus S4 is provided in an interface block S3 to load the substrates W into the exposure apparatus S4 and after unloading the substrates W from the exposure apparatus S4, convey the substrates W to the developing block G1.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, and an interface block. The interface block includes a bevel portion inspection unit. The bevel portion inspection unit inspects a bevel portion of a substrate to determine whether or not the bevel portion of the substrate is contaminated. The substrate whose bevel portion is determined to be contaminated and the substrate whose bevel portion is determined that it is not contaminated are respectively subjected to different types of processing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device includes a processing section that subjects a substrate to processing and an interface provided adjacent to one end of the processing section configured to transfer and receive the substrate between the processing section and the exposure device. The processing section includes a photosensitive film formation unit configured to form a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material on the substrate that has not been subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, a top surface and edge cleaning unit configured to clean a top surface and an edge of the substrate, and a development unit configured to subject the substrate to development processing after the exposure processing by the exposure device.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block includes a placement/bake unit. A substrate that has been subjected to exposure processing in the exposure device is subjected to cleaning and drying processing in a second cleaning/drying processing unit, and is then transported to a placement/heating unit. In the placement/heating unit, the substrate is subjected to post-exposure bake processing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving the durability of an image on an imaging material, including increasing the press run length or a printing plate. The apparatus and method can involve the use of, as an example but not restricted to, an imaging device, a pre-bake oven, a processor, and a post-process treatment unit that employs infrared lamps adapted to irradiate the image.

Abstract: An exposure processing system comprises an exposure apparatus to expose a resist on a wafer, a heating apparatus comprising heating apparatus units, the heating apparatus heating the exposed resist by a heating apparatus unit in the heating apparatus units, a developing apparatus comprising developing apparatus units, the developing apparatus developing the exposed and heated resist by a developing apparatus unit in the developing apparatus units, and a control apparatus to control the exposure apparatus by using correction data so that a wafer on process object being exposed, the correction data being data for correcting a dimensional dispersion of a resist pattern caused by a pair of heating apparatus unit and developing apparatus unit used for the wafer on the process object, the pair of heating and developing apparatus unit comprising a heating and developing apparatus unit in the heating and developing apparatus used for the wafer on the process object.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus of the present invention includes: an exposure unit configured to expose photoresist coated on a substrate to light to transfer a pattern of a mask to the photoresist with respect to each of shot regions; and a controller configured to obtain a dose of light for each of the shot regions based on a lithography schedule for each of the shot regions, and to cause the exposure unit to expose each of the shot regions to light in accordance with the obtained dose of light.

Abstract: A coating/developing apparatus includes a first storage section that stores data comprising correlations of different pattern information units including at least a line width of the resist pattern, different values of a film thickness of the underlying film, and different light information profiles. The apparatus further includes a mechanism configured to use a film thickness distribution to obtain an estimated film thickness of the underlying film at a light-irradiation area on the surface of the substrate, and to check the estimated film thickness and a light information profile obtained at the light-irradiation area against the data to determine pattern information at the light-irradiation area.

Abstract: A substrate processing method and a substrate processing system exclude wafers W provided with a protective film having surface defects that will cause components of a resist to dissolve in an immersion liquid during an immersion exposure process, and rated abnormal from those to be processed by the immersion exposure process. The substrate processing system is provided with a protective film forming module for forming a protective film on a resist film formed on a surface of a wafer W, an exposure system 4 for processing the surface of the wafer W coated with a transparent immersion liquid layer by an immersion exposure process, and a developing module 28 for processing the wafer W by a developing process using a developer. A protective film inspecting device 33 detects surface defects in a protective film formed on a wafer W.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an edge-cleaning processing block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, a cleaning/drying processing block and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block of the substrate processing apparatus. In the exposure device, exposure processing is applied to a substrate by a liquid immersion method. In the edge-cleaning processing group in the edge-cleaning processing block, an edge of the substrate before exposure processing is cleaned.

Abstract: With regard to a group of substrates preceding a substrate of which residence time is under calculation, a time t1 and a time t2 are calculated, t1 being a time interval from a time point in which a substrate B1 under the consideration has become ready from being transferred out from a wait module to a time point in which a heating module used for the substrate B1 has been ready for processing the substrate B1, t2 being a time interface from a time on in which the substrate B1 under calculation has been transferred out from the wait module to a time point of reaching the heating module used for the substrate B1, and a waiting time t of the substrate B1 in the wait module is calculated according to t=t1?t2.

Abstract: A buffer module is installed in a coating film forming unit block of a coating and developing system to reduce the number of interface arms needed by an interface block, and the manufacturing cost and footprint of the coating and developing system. For example, buffer modules BF31 to BF34 capable of holding a number of wafers W greater by one than the number of coating modules COT1 to COT3 of a COT layer B3 is installed in the COT layer B3, In the COT layer B3, a wafer W is carried along a carrying route passing a temperature control module CPL3, COT1 to COT3, a heating and cooling module LHP3, and the buffer modules BF31 to BF34. A main arm A3 carries wafers W such that the number of wafers W placed in the modules on the downstream side of the CPL3 is greater by one than the number of modules between the CPL3 and the buffer module when a processing rate at which an exposure system processes wafers W is lower that at which the COT layer B3 processes wafers W.

Abstract: A coater/developer is disclosed that includes a heating module having a pair of rotary bodies configured to rotate about respective horizontal axles, the rotary bodies being spaced apart from each other in a direction along the conveyance path of a substrate so that the rotational axles thereof are parallel to each other; a conveyance path member engaged with and extended between the rotary bodies so as to move along an orbit, the conveyance path member forming a part of the conveyance path of the substrate placed on the conveyance path member; a first transfer part provided at the upstream end of the conveyance path; a second transfer part provided at the downstream end of the conveyance path; and a heating part provided between the upstream end and the downstream end of the conveyance path and configured to heat the substrate.

Abstract: A light source includes a plurality of light-emitting units arranged in a two-dimensional array. An optical element changes divergence angles of laser beams from the light-emitting units. A splitting element splits a part of each of the laser beams passing through the optical element. A compensating element compensates for a fluctuation in the divergence angle of each of the laser beams incident on the splitting element due to a change of temperature. A light-receiving element receives laser beams split by the splitting element. The light source, the optical element, the splitting element, the compensating element, and the light-receiving element are integrally supported.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station.

Abstract: In the present invention, when dense and sparse resist patterns are formed above a substrate, respective resist pattern dimensions are measured, and a correction value for a first processing unit is calculated based on the dimension measurement result of the dense resist pattern and a correction value for a second processing unit is calculated based on the dimension measurement result of the sparse resist pattern. Based on these calculation results, processing conditions in the first processing unit and the second processing unit are changed, and thereafter processing in these processing units are implemented under these changed conditions.

Abstract: A developing device according to the present invention comprises a turntable, a motor for rotating the turntable and a spraying nozzle for spraying mixture of developer and nitrogen gas onto the turntable in mist form. The turntable is rotated at a rotational speed of 200 rpm by driving the motor, the developer for developing the photoresist that has been formed on the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer fixed to the turntable is mixed with nitrogen gas, and the developer in mist form is sprayed from the spraying nozzle toward the turntable. The photoresist is surely removed due to the chemical reaction with the developer and the pressure of the spray of the developer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a resist layer on an underlayer, forming an exposed pattern in the resist layer, wherein the exposed pattern comprises a soluble layer and an insoluble layer, forming a resist pattern by removing the soluble layer from the resist layer in which the exposed pattern is formed, removing an intermediate exposed area from the resist pattern, forming a new soluble layer in a surface of the resist pattern from which the intermediate exposed area is removed by applying a reaction material to the resist pattern from which the intermediate exposed area is removed, wherein the reaction material generates a solubilization material that solubilizes the resist pattern, and removing the new soluble layer from the resist pattern.

Abstract: There are provided an adhesion promoting process using a comparatively small amount of an adhesion promoting gas for processing a workpiece, an adhesion promoting device for carrying out the adhesion promoting process, a coating and developing system including the adhesion promoting device, and a storage medium storing a program specifying a set of instructions for carrying out the adhesion promoting process.

Abstract: A coating/developing apparatus has a carrier block including a first transfer device, a process block including processing modules, an examination block including examination modules and a second transfer device, and first to forth stages. A controller executes a first operation mode preset to transfer substrates from the process block and carrier block into the examination block in parallel. The first operation mode includes transferring substrates processed by the process block to the third or fourth stage through or not through an examination module by the second transfer device, transferring substrates to be only examined from a carrier in the carrier block to the second stage by the first transfer device, and transferring these substrates from the second stage to an examination modules by the second transfer device, and transferring substrates thus examined from the examination block to the third or fourth stage by the second transfer device.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a first substrate-holding portion configured to hold a first area of a back surface of the substrate so that the top surface is kept face up; a second substrate-holding portion configured to hold a second area of the back surface of the substrate, the second area being not overlapped with the first area, and rotate the substrate; a top-surface cleaning nozzle configured to supply a top surface cleaning fluid to a top surface of the substrate; a bevel cleaning nozzle configured to supply a bevel cleaning fluid to a bevel portion of the substrate; a cleaning fluid supplying portion configured to supply a back surface cleaning fluid to the back surface of the substrate held by the first or the second substrate-holding portion; and a cleaning member configured to clean the back surface of the substrate held by the first or the second-substrate holding portion.

Abstract: Encoder heads and Z heads are installed in order to measure the position of a stage that moves within a predetermined plane. Measurement beams emitted from these heads are irradiated to scales arranged on the upper surface of the stage. During the idling, for example, the stage continues to be moved by driving and rotating the stage around the stop position of the stage serving as the center, or the stage is withdrawn to an area to which the measurement beams are not irradiated.

Abstract: In a coating/developing apparatus, a process section includes post-exposure baking units each having a waiting position and configured to perform a baking process on a substrate. An interface section transfer mechanism includes a first transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate to and from the process section and to load the substrate into the post-exposure baking units, and a second transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate to and from the light exposure apparatus. An interface section includes a relay position configured to place thereon the substrate transferred by the second transfer mechanism, and to allow the first transfer mechanism to receive the substrate therefrom. A control section is arranged to set the substrate on standby at the relay position and the waiting position, to make a time period constant among substrates from an end of the light exposure process to a start of a post-exposure baking process.

Abstract: A substrate carrying apparatus includes an arm body; supporting portion provided in the arm body and adapted to support a region inside the periphery of the rear face of the substrate; a one-side restricting portion and an other-side restricting portion provided at opposite positions across the periphery of the substrate to restrict the peripheral positions of the substrate; and liquid receivers provided between each supporting portion and each restricting portion. A liquid drop attached to the rear peripheral portion of the substrate flows down on the bottom face of each liquid receiver. Even though repeated substrate carrying operations are performed and thus the liquid drop is accumulated in each liquid receiver, there is no risk that the liquid drop in each liquid receiver would be scattered in the air by the action of the periphery of the substrate and hence the scattered liquid would be attached again onto the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In a pattern measuring unit installed in a coating and developing treatment system, the height of a pattern formed on a substrate is measured using the Scatterometry method. Based on the measured height of the pattern, an appropriate number of rotations of the substrate during application of a coating solution is calculated, so that the rotation of the substrate during the application is controlled by the calculated number of rotations of the substrate. Since the number of rotations of the substrate when the coating solution is applied to the substrate is controlled, it is unnecessary to stop the system which performs photolithography processing on the substrate, resulting in improved productivity of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for fabricating three-dimensional (3D) structures having micron or submicron features. The method includes providing a continuously-formed relief structured material, the relief structured material having a first layer comprising a material having a pattern of relief structures formed on a first surface thereof. The structured material includes second layer comprising a photosensitive material that is disposed on the first layer. The relief structured material is exposed to radiation through the first layer, where the pattern of relief structures formed on the first surface of the first layer generates a 3-dimensional light intensity pattern of the radiation that is incident on the second layer. The exposed material is developed, where the developed material comprises a plurality of 3D structures having micron or submicron features.

Abstract: A forward direction-only path (first substrate transport path) is formed for transporting substrates in a forward direction to pass the substrates on to an exposing apparatus. A separate, substrate transport path (second substrate transport path) is formed exclusively for post-exposure bake (PEB). Substrate transport along each path is carried out independently of substrate transport along the other. A fourth main transport mechanism is interposed as a predetermined substrate transport mechanism between transfer points consisting of a buffer acting as a temporary storage module for temporarily storing the substrates and a post-exposure bake (PEB) unit corresponding to a predetermined treating unit. This arrangement forms the path for transporting the substrates between the buffer and the PEB unit, to allow PEB treatment of the substrates to be performed smoothly. Similarly, the substrates are transported smoothly to the buffer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an information storage medium in which information is stored as a concave-convex pattern includes forming an inorganic-resist master disc by depositing on a substrate an inorganic resist layer reactive to thermal reaction associated with laser beam irradiation, recording on the inorganic-resist master disc by differentiating depths of thermal reaction portions in the inorganic resist layer by inputting information to be stored in the information storage medium and varying power of the laser beam striking the inorganic-resist master disc over at least three levels according to the input information, forming an information storage master disc having a concave-convex pattern in the inorganic resist layer by developing the recorded inorganic-resist master disc, forming a stamper to which the concave-convex pattern formed on the inorganic resist layer has been transferred on the basis of the information storage master disc, and forming the information storage medium using the stamper.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus includes a movable member, a support member which supports the movable member, a driving mechanism which moves the movable member supported by the support member, a first temperature regulating unit which regulates the temperature of the driving mechanism, and a second temperature regulating unit which regulates the temperature of the support member on the basis of the information provided from the first temperature regulating unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the apparatus may be provided. The manufacturing apparatus may include a liquid supplying portion for forming a liquid film, and a gas supplying unit that may rotate to discharge gas at a wide range of angles. The manufacturing method may include forming a shape and size of a liquid film common to the shape and size of an exposure region through adjusting the direction and pressure in which gas may be discharged to the substrate. Thus, the speed at which a substrate may be moved may be increased, and morphology differences of a substrate may be reduced.

Abstract: A substrate processing system is used for a light exposure apparatus which performs light exposure at least twice on each of substrates. The system includes a carrier block, and a process section configured to process each of substrates transferred from the carrier block one by one. The process section includes a first coating process section configured to perform a first coating process, a first developing process section configured to perform a first developing process, a second coating process section configured to perform a second coating process, and a second developing process section configured to perform a second developing process. The system further includes an interface block configured to transfer substrates between the process section and the light exposure apparatus, and a substrate transfer mechanism configured to transfer substrates among them.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate includes a substrate carrier for carrying a substrate, a chemical-applying unit for applying chemical to the substrate, and a development unit for developing the substrate.

Abstract: A photo process apparatus including: a loading/unloading unit that loads and unloads a substrate; a coating line that coats photoresist on the substrate; an exposure line that exposes the photoresist coated on the substrate; a development line that develops the exposed substrate; and a transferring line that temporarily stores the substrate coated with the photoresist and loads the substrate coated with the photoresist to the exposure line and temporarily stores the exposed substrate and loads the exposed substrate to the development line.

Abstract: A coating and developing system prevents wetting its component units with water when the coating and developing system forms a resist film on a substrate and processes the substrate processed by immersion exposure by a developing process. A substrate having a surface coated with a resist film and processed by immersion exposure is placed on a substrate support device and a liquid detector detects at least the liquid formed a liquid film for immersion exposure and remaining on the surface of the substrate. A decision is made as to whether or not the substrate needs to be dried on the basis of the result of detection made by the liquid detector. If it is decided that the substrate needs to be dried, the substrate is dried by a drying means. Thus wetting the interior of the coating and developing system with water can be prevented. Since only substrates that need to be dried are subjected to a drying process, the coating and developing system is able to operate at a high throughput.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that provide multiple lithography exposures on a wafer, for example, using interference lithography and optical photolithography. Various embodiments may balance the dosage and exposure rates between the multiple lithography exposures to provide the needed exposure on the wafer. Other embodiments provide for assist features and/or may apply resolution enhancement to various exposures. In a specific embodiment, a wafer is first exposed using optical photolithography and then exposed using interference lithography.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station.

Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 includes a checking apparatus 400 and a control section 500. The checking apparatus 400 is configured to measure and check a sidewall angle SWA of a resist pattern formed on a substrate W after a developing process. The control section 500 is configured to use a difference between a target value of the sidewall angle SWA of the resist pattern after the developing process and a check result of the sidewall angle SWA obtained by the checking apparatus 400, to set a process condition for a first heat process 71 to 74 or a second heat process 84 to 89 so as to cause the sidewall angle SWA to approximate the target value thereof after the developing process.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method and an apparatus for thermally developing a photosensitive element, and particularly to a method and apparatus for controlling vapor and condensate created during thermal treating of the photosensitive element.

Abstract: A lithography method is proposed employing a projection exposure system having a catoptric imaging optics comprising a mirror formed as phase mask in the imaging beam path, wherein the mirror formed as phase mask exhibits continuous regions having dielectric layers provided thereon. Optionally, the regions of the mirror formed as phase mask are configured such that an axial extension of an image of a point (DOF) of the imaging is increased or/and a lateral extension of an image of a point of the imaging is decreased. Preferably multiple exposures of a same radiation sensitive substrate are performed in order to achieve an increase in resolution and scaling down of the manufacturing trace structures (61, 61?), respectively.

Abstract: A temperature calibration method for a baking apparatus comprising forming a photoresist film onto a substrate, forming a latent image of a dose monitor mark onto the photoresist film, preparing baking processing apparatuses, baking the substrate or another substrate by temperature settings performed every repeat of a series of the forming the resist film and the forming the latent image with each prepared baking apparatus, cooling the baking-processed substrate, measuring a length of the latent image of the dose monitor mark after the cooling or a length of a dose monitor mark which being obtained by developing the resist film, determining relationship between a temperature setting and an effective dose in advance, and calibrating temperature settings corresponding to the each baking processing apparatus to be obtained a predetermined effective dose on the basis of the determining relationship and the measured length corresponding to the each baking processing apparatus.

Abstract: A developing method is used for subjecting a light-exposed resist film disposed on a wafer W to a developing process by a developing solution and a rinsing process by a rinsing liquid. In a state where the resist film on the wafer W is wet with the developing solution or rinsing liquid before a drying process is performed on the wafer W, a chemical liquid (curing chemical liquid), which contains a resist curing aid contributory to curing of a resist film remaining on the wafer W, is supplied onto a surface of the wafer W. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a surface of the wafer to cure a resist film remaining on the wafer W by a synergistic effect of the resist curing aid and the ultraviolet rays thus radiated, so as to prevent pattern fall.

Abstract: Provided is a method for managing manufacturing apparatuses used in a managed production line including a plurality of manufacturing processes for manufacturing an electronic device, each of the apparatuses being used in each of the processes, the method including: acquiring a property of a reference device manufactured in a predetermined reference production line including the manufacturing processes to be performed; performing at least one of the manufacturing processes in the managed production line, performing the other manufacturing processes in the reference production line, and manufacturing a comparison device; measuring a property of the comparison device; comparing the measured properties between the reference and the comparison devices; and judging whether the manufacturing apparatus used in the at least one manufacturing process is defective or not, based on a property difference between the reference and the comparison devices.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate coated with a photosensitive material to radiant energy comprises a first controller and a second controller. The first controller is configured to control a process of exposing the substrate. The second controller is configured to generate a control signal corresponding to a time at which the substrate is exposed under a control by the first controller, and to transmit the control signal to a developing apparatus.

Abstract: After a substrate is cleaned, a liquid supply nozzle moves outward from above the center of the substrate while discharging a rinse liquid with the substrate rotated. In this case, a drying region where no rinse liquid exists expands on the substrate. When the liquid supply nozzle moves to above a peripheral portion of the substrate, the rotational speed of the substrate is reduced. The movement speed of the liquid supply nozzle is maintained as it is. Thereafter, the discharge of the rinse liquid is stopped while the liquid supply nozzle moves outward from the substrate. Thus, the drying region spreads over the whole substrate so that the substrate is dried.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a coating and developing apparatus 1 whose decreases in substrate-conveying accuracy can be suppressed. A processing block S2 of the coating and developing apparatus 1 includes multiple resist-film forming blocks G2, G3, and a developing block G1. A conveyance element 12 for substrate loading into the processing block S2 is provided to convey substrates W from a carrier C to the resist-film forming blocks G2, G3. Also, a conveyance element I for substrate loading into an exposure apparatus S4 is provided in an interface block S3 to load the substrates W into the exposure apparatus S4 and after unloading the substrates W from the exposure apparatus S4, convey the substrates W to the developing block G1.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages which can be swapped between the alignment station and the exposure station. A first blowing unit blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the alignment station, and a second blowing unit blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the exposure station. The directions in which the first blowing unit and the second blowing unit blow the gases are substantially perpendicular to a direction along which the alignment station and the exposure station are arranged.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a drying/development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The drying/development processing block comprises a drying processing group. The interface block comprises an interface transport mechanism. A substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, and subsequently transported to the drying processing group by the interface transport mechanism. The substrate is cleaned and dried by the drying processing group.

Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 is configured to execute a series of processes, which includes a first heat process for performing a heat process on a substrate W after a resist liquid coating process, a light exposure process for performing light exposure on a resist film in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a second heat process for promoting a chemical reaction in the resist film after the light exposure, a developing process for developing the resist film after the light exposure, and an etching process for etching an oxide film by use of a resist pattern formed by the developing process as a mask. The system includes a checking apparatus 400 configured to measure and check a state of a pattern formed after the etching process, and a control section 500 configured to use a check result to set a condition for the first heat process and/or the second heat process so as to cause the state of the pattern to be uniform on a surface of the substrate W after the etching process.