Abstract: A circulation system for a high refractive index liquid includes a first collecting section configured to collect a high refractive index liquid used in an immersion light exposure section; a first supply section configured to supply the high refractive index liquid collected in the first collecting section to a cleaning section as a cleaning liquid; a second collecting section configured to collect the high refractive index liquid used in the cleaning section; and a second supply section configured to supply the high refractive index liquid collected in the second collecting section to the immersion light exposure section, wherein the high refractive index liquid is circulated between the immersion light exposure section and the cleaning section.

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 substrate transfer system to reduce total processing time by transferring a substrate at a first delivery stage to a process block where processing can be carried out earliest. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first transfer device delivering a wafer with respect to a substrate carrier, and a second transfer device delivering a wafer between a plurality of process blocks and the first transfer device via a first delivery stage, to transfer the wafer with respect to the process blocks. The process block where there is no wafer or where processing of the last wafer within the relevant process block will be completed earliest is determined based on processing information of the wafers from the process blocks, and the wafer of the first delivery stage is transferred by the second transfer device to the relevant process block. This ensures smooth transfer of the wafer to the process block.

Abstract: A device includes a rotary base; an approach stage; a substrate holding table and a nozzle head. The substrate holding table holds the work by suction, and comes into intimate contact with the approach stage and the rotary base through first and second annular seal members to form a liquid storage space, respectively. When the suction holding and the intimate contact are released, the substrate becomes rotatable together with the rotary base and the approach stage.

Abstract: In immersion exposure, a resist pattern forming method suppressing resist pattern defects comprises mounting a substrate formed a resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus, supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the solution, the first liquid film having a flow and being formed between the resist film and a projection optical system, transferring the pattern of the reticle to the resist film through the first liquid film to form a latent image, supplying a second chemical solution onto the resist film to clean the resist film, heating the resist film, and developing the resist film to form a resist pattern from the resist film.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus including: a processing cup having an opening opened upward to allow a substrate to be loaded and unloaded, an exhaust port for exhausting an unnecessary atmosphere produced in forming a film applied on the substrate, and an aspiration port for aspirating external air; and an aspiration device aspirating the unnecessary atmosphere through the exhaust port, wherein when the substrate is accommodated in the opening of the processing cup, the substrate has a perimeter spaced from the opening by a predetermined gap, and below the substrate accommodated in the processing cup there is formed an exhaust flow path extending from the aspiration port to the exhaust port.

Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus has: a treatment block-including a water repellent module performing water repellent treatment on a substrate, a coating module, and a developing module; a substrate side-surface portion water repellent module for performing water repellent treatment on a side surface of a substrate; and a control unit controlling operations of the modules to execute steps of performing water repellent treatment at least on a side surface portion of a substrate and performing a first resist coating on an entire surface of the substrate; performing a first development after a first liquid-immersion exposure is performed; performing a second resist coating on the entire surface, and performing a second development after a second liquid-immersion exposure is performed, and further to execute a step of performing water repellent treatment on the side surface portion of the substrate after the first development and before the second exposure is performed.

Abstract: Provided is a coating and developing apparatus composed of an assembly of plural unit blocks. A first unit-block stack and a second unit-block stack are arranged at different positions with respect to front-and-rear direction. Unit blocks for development, each of which comprises plural processing units including a developing unit that performs developing process after exposure and a transfer device that transfers a substrate among the processing units, are arranged at the lowermost level. Unit blocks for application, or coating, each of which comprises plural processing units including a coating unit that performs application process before exposure and a transfer device that transfers a substrate among the processing units, are arranged above the unit blocks for development. Unit blocks for application are arranged in both the first and second unit-block stacks.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a resist processing apparatus to perform a process of applying a resist on a substrate, a process of heating a resist film on the substrate, and a process of developing the resist film on the substrate, an immersion exposure apparatus including a projection optical system which projects an image of a pattern on a photomask onto the resist film and configured to perform exposure through liquid located on an optical path between the projection optical system and resist film, a transporting apparatus connected to the resist processing and immersion exposure apparatuses to perform transportation of the substrate between the resist processing and immersion exposure apparatuses, and a temperature/humidity control apparatus configured to control at least one of temperature and humidity in at least one of the resist processing and transporting apparatuses based on temperature and humidity or the in humidity the immersion exposure apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a lithography apparatus. The apparatus includes an exposure module designed for exposure processing; a baking module embedded in the exposure module and designed for post exposure baking (PEB); and a control module designed to control the exposure module and the baking module.

Abstract: A coating and developing system that includes two rotating members having parallel horizontal axes of rotation and disposed longitudinally opposite to each other, a carrying passage forming mechanism extended between the rotating members to form a carrying passage, and capable of moving along an orbital path to carry a wafer supported thereon, a sending-in transfer unit disposed at the upstream end of the carrying passage, a sending-out transfer unit disposed at the downstream end of the carrying passage, a developer pouring nozzle for pouring a developer onto the wafer, a cleaning nozzle for pouring a cleaning liquid onto the wafer, and a gas nozzle for blowing a gas against the wafer. The developer pouring nozzle, the cleaning nozzle, and the gas nozzle are arranged in a direction in which the wafer is carried along the carrying passage between the upstream and the downstream end of the carrying passage.

Abstract: A resist pattern forming method using a coating and developing apparatus and an aligner being connected thereto which are controlled to form a resist film on a surface of a substrate with a base film and a base pattern formed thereon, followed by inspecting at least one of a plurality of measurement items selected from: reflection ratio and film thickness of the base film and the resist film, line width after a development, an accuracy that the base pattern matches with a resist pattern, a defect on the surface after the development, etc. A parameter subject to amendment is selected based on corresponding data of each measurement item, such as the film thickness of the resist and the line width after the development, and amendment of the parameter is performed. This results in a reduced workload of an operator, and the appropriate amendment can be performed.

Abstract: A developing apparatus, a developing processing method, a developing processing program, and a computer readable recording medium recording the program, which can reduce the consumption amount of the developing solution and the developing processing time irrespective of the type of resist materials or the shape of resist patterns, are provided. A step of horizontally holding a substrate and rotating the substrate around a vertical axis at a prescribed rotation rate, and a step of intermittently supplying a developing solution to a center of the substrate from a discharge port of a developing solution nozzle arranged opposing to the surface of the substrate are executed. In the step of intermittently supplying the developing solution to the center of the substrate, an intermittence time and a substrate rotation rate in the intermittence time are set to prevent the developing solution supplied to the substrate from drying.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a substrate processing apparatus and a cleaning/drying apparatus. The 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 a first interface block. The cleaning/drying apparatus includes a cleaning/drying processing block and a second interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the second interface block. In the cleaning/drying processing block, cleaning processing is applied to a substrate before exposure processing and drying processing is applied to the substrate after the exposure processing.

Abstract: In the present invention, a substrate transfer unit into/from which a substrate is transferred from/to the outside of a treatment container and a developing treatment unit in which development of the substrate is performed are arranged side by side in the treatment container, and a carrier mechanism is provided which carries the substrate while grasping an outside surface of the substrate from both sides, between the substrate transfer unit and the developing treatment unit. A developing solution supply nozzle for supplying a developing solution onto the substrate and a gas blow nozzle for blowing a gas to the substrate, are provided between the substrate transfer unit and the developing treatment unit and above a carriage path along which the substrate is carried, and a cleaning solution supply nozzle is provided in the developing treatment unit for supplying a cleaning solution onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method of determining temperatures at localized regions of a substrate during processing of the substrate in a photolithography process includes the following steps: independently illuminating a photoresist layer including a photoresist pattern at a plurality of locations on the substrate with a light source, so that light is diffracted off the plurality of locations of the photoresist pattern; measuring the diffracted light from the plurality of locations to determine measured diffracted values associated with respective locations from the plurality of locations; and comparing the measured diffracted values against a library to determine a pre-illumination process temperature of the photoresist layer at the plurality of locations.

Abstract: A developing apparatus has a substrate holder to hold a substrate, a heater which is provided in a substrate holder, and heats a substrate on a substrate holder for processing a resist film by PEB, a cooler to cool a substrate on a substrate holder, a developing solution nozzle to supply a developing solution to a substrate on a substrate holder, and a controller to control a heater, a cooler and a developing nozzle.

Abstract: A resist film formed on a substrate is coated with a water-repellent protective film and the substrate is subjected to a developing process after the substrate has been processed by an immersion exposure process. The protective film is removed from the substrate after the resist film has been processed by the immersion exposure process, the substrate is processed by a heating process, and then the substrate is subjected to a developing process. The surface of the substrate is cleaned with a cleaning liquid before the protective film is removed and after the substrate has been processed by the immersion exposure process or the surface of the substrate is cleaned with a cleaning liquid after removing the protective film and before the substrate is subjected to the heating process.

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 resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. A resist film is formed on a substrate in the resist film processing block. A resist cover film is formed on the resist film in the resist cover film processing block before the substrate is subjected to 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 comprises first and second cleaning/drying processing units. A substrate W is subjected to cleaning and drying processing before exposure processing in the first cleaning/drying processing unit, while being subjected to cleaning and drying processing after the exposure processing in the second cleaning/drying processing unit.

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 device manufacturing apparatus includes a conveying device which conveys a substrate, an acquiring device to acquire an amount of warpage of the substrate, based on a measurement or an input, a storing device which stores a database representing a correspondence between a parameter related to a conveying condition and the warpage amount of the substrate, and a controller which controls, based on the database, the conveying device to convey the substrate in accordance with a parameter corresponding to the warpage amount acquired by the acquiring device.

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 resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block includes a substrate replacement group. The substrate replacement group has a stack of three cleaning/drying processing units. The cleaning/drying processing unit subjects the substrate after exposure processing to cleaning and drying processing.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is equipped with a main controller that decides an operation of the exposure apparatus based on information on maintenance from a C/D. Therefore, the main controller can decide to perform a specific operation, which is necessary for maintaining performance of the exposure apparatus and requires stop of the primary operation of the exposure apparatus, during maintenance of the C/D, that is, when the primary operation of the exposure apparatus has to be stopped by necessity, in parallel with the maintenance of the C/D. As a consequence, downtime of the exposure apparatus necessary for performing the specific operation can be decreased as a whole, which makes it possible to improve the operating rate without lowering apparatus performance of the exposure apparatus that is inline connected to a substrate processing apparatus.

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: Apparatus and methods for heating a substrate in a pressurized environment inside of a thermal processing system. The substrate is placed in a gaseous environment inside a processing chamber of the thermal processing system. The substrate is supported in the gaseous environment. The gas pressure inside the processing chamber is increased above atmospheric pressure, which increases the temperature of the gaseous environment. Heat is transferred from the pressurized gaseous environment to the substrate for thermally processing a layer on the substrate.

Abstract: Accurate coating and developing having high intrasurface uniformity is achieved by suppressing the influence of components of a resist that may be eluted while a substrate coated with the resist is processed by immersion exposure. A coating unit coats a surface of a substrate with a resist. then, a first cleaning means including a cleaning nozzle cleans the substrate and then the substrate is subjected to an exposure process. Since only a small amount of components of the resist dissolves in a transparent liquid layer formed on the substrate for exposure, an exposure process can form lines in accurate line-widths. Consequently, a resist pattern of lines having accurate line-widths having high intrasurface uniformity can be formed on the substrate by developing the exposed resist.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes, to process substrates each coated with a resist and processed by an exposure process by a developing process, includes: plural developing units each provided with a substrate holding device for stably pouring a developer onto the substrate, a first developer nozzle to be used in common by the plural developing units to pour the developer in a band-shaped flow onto the substrates held by each of the substrate holding devices, a nozzle driving mechanism for carrying the first developer nozzle from one to another of the developing units, and moving the first developer nozzle with one end of a band-shaped area into which the developer is to be poured through the first developer nozzle directed toward the center of the substrate in each of the developing units such that a part in a surface of the substrate onto which the developer is poured moves from a central part toward a peripheral part or from a peripheral part toward a central part in the surface of the substrate to coat the

Abstract: A processing block S2 includes unit blocks, a BCT layer B3, COT layer B4 and TCT layer B5, for forming coating films, and further includes DEV layers B1, B2 layered with the unit blocks B3, B4, B5 and used as unit blocks for a developing process. Beside the unit blocks B1 to B5, a group G of transfer sections comprising transfer sections adapted to transfer each wafer W with each main arm A1 to A5 of the unit block B1 to B5 and hydrophobicity rendering units adapted to provide a hydrophobicity rendering process to the wafer W is provided. The wafer W is transferred by a transfer arm D between the transfer sections and the hydrophobicity rendering units. In this case, since it is not necessary to transfer the wafer W to the hydrophobicity rendering unit by using, for example, a main arm A4 of a COT layer B4, the load on the arm A4 can be reduced, thereby enhancing the carrying throughput.

Abstract: An interface transport mechanism uses an upper hand when transporting a substrate from a substrate platform to an exposure device before exposure processing by an exposure device, and uses a lower hand when transporting the substrate from the exposure device to the substrate platform after the exposure processing by the exposure device. That is, the lower hand is used to transport a substrate to which a liquid is attached after exposure processing, and the upper hand is used to transport a substrate to which no liquid is attached before exposure processing.

Abstract: A development apparatus has a holder which horizontally holds a substrate, a nozzle which supplies a developer to a resist film on the substrate held by the holder, a liquid flow suppressing member whose size in a two-dimensional plane viewing field is equal to or larger than that of the substrate and which has a mesh having many openings and hydrophilic properties with respect to the developer and transmits the developer supplied from the nozzle through the openings of the mesh to form a liquid film of the developer between the mesh and the substrate, and a moving mechanism which movably supports this liquid flow suppressing member, sets the mesh to face the resist film on the substrate and brings the mesh into contact with a surface of the liquid film of the developer or immerges the mesh in the liquid film.

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: 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 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: 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: A developing method comprising a developing step in which, while a wafer horizontally held by a spin chuck is being rotated, the wafer is developed by supplying a developer onto a surface of the wafer, wherein provided before the developing step is a pre-wetting step in which, simultaneously with the developer being supplied from a first nozzle that is located on a position near a central part of the surface of the rotating wafer, a deionized water as a second liquid is supplied from a second nozzle that is located on a position nearer to an outer peripheral part of the wafer than the first nozzle, to thereby spread out the developer in the rotating direction of the wafer by a wall that is formed by the deionized water flowing the outer peripheral side of the wafer with the rotation of the wafer.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus that is designed provide an inclined transfer function that improves liquid saving efficiency of a process solution (developing solution) during the transfer of the substrate. The substrate transfer apparatus includes a first transfer unit for transferring a substrate, a second transfer unit spaced apart from an end of the first transfer unit, a third transfer unit disposed between the first and second transfer units and providing an inclined transfer that is capable of saving a developing solution adhered to the substrate during transfer of the substrate, and a transfer controller for controlling an inclined transfer angle and a connection state of the third transfer unit.

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: In the present invention, when trouble occurs and the operation of a substrate processing apparatus is stopped, substrate information containing positions and processing states of the substrates located in the apparatus at that time is stored, and the power supply of the apparatus is then turned off. When the apparatus is restarted, the substrates located in the apparatus are collected into a substrate housing unit, and each of the substrates in the substrate housing unit is then sequentially transferred to a plurality of processing units following the same transfer recipe as that before occurrence of trouble, and substrate processing is not performed in a processing unit in which processing has already been completed, whereas substrate processing is performed in a processing unit in which processing has not been performed yet, based on the substrate information.

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: 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: 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 puddle of developer supplied from a developer discharge nozzle is placed on a substrate held stationary. Next, the substrate is held stationary for a predetermined length of time, with the puddle of developer allowed to remain on the substrate. This causes a development reaction to proceed. Subsequently, deionized water is supplied from a deionized water discharge nozzle to the substrate to stop the development reaction, and the substrate is rotated while part of the puddle of developer is allowed to remain on the surface of the substrate. This makes a dissolution product easy to diffuse in the developer remaining on the surface of the substrate to promote the dissolution of the resist. A rinsing process and a drying process are performed to complete the development process.

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 method for monitoring photolithography processing includes monitoring application of a light sensitive material to the surface of each of a plurality of substrates and detecting that a supply of the light sensitive material applied to the substrates has changed from a first batch of light sensitive material to a second batch light sensitive material. A change in photolithography process results caused by the change from the first batch to the second batch of light sensitive material is determined. Also included is initiating corrective action based on the change in photolithography process results.

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: In semiconductor processing, the critical dimensions of structures formed on a wafer are controlled by first developing photoresist on top of a film layer on a wafer using a developer tool, the photoresist development being a function of developer tool process variables including temperature and length of time of development. After developing the photoresist, one or more etching steps are performed on the film layer on the wafer using an etch tool. After the one or more etching steps are performed, critical dimensions of structures at a plurality of locations on the wafer are measured using an optical metrology tool. After the critical dimensions are measured, one or more of the developer tool process variables are adjusted based on the critical dimensions of structures measured at the plurality of locations on the wafer.