Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus comprises an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block includes 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.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that subjects substrates to processing. [0003] 2. Description of the Background Art [0004] Substrate processing apparatuses are used to subject various types of substrates such as semiconductor substrates, substrates for liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, optical disks, magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, and photomasks, and other substrates to various types of processing. [0005] Such a substrate processing apparatus generally subjects a single substrate to a plurality of different types of processing successively. The substrate processing apparatus as described in JP 2003-324139 A comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block as an external device separate from the sub...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus that prevents operational troubles and processing defects due to liquid that has adhered to a substrate in an exposure device. The apparatus includes a processing section, an interface for transferring the substrate between the processing section and the exposure device, and a drying processing unit that subjects the substrate to drying processing. The drying processing unit includes a substrate holding device that holds the substrate horizontally, a rotation driving device that rotates the substrate, a liquid layer formation device that forms a liquid layer on the substrate, and a gas discharge device that discharges gas towards the center of the liquid layer on the substrate. The drying processing prevents particles and the like in the atmosphere from adhering to the liquid layer, which prevents processing defects in the substrate. The substrate is also dried to prevent the liquid layer from splashing outwardly from the substrate before the gas discharge device discharges the gas. The apparatus prevents operational troubles and processing defects, ensuring reliable and efficient substrate processing.

Problems solved by technology

With recent increases in density and integration of devices, making finer resist patterns has become an important problem.

Therefore, making finer resist patterns has had a limitation.

When the exposure device using the liquid immersion method as described in the above-mentioned WO99 / 49504 pamphlet is provided as an external device in the substrate processing apparatus according to the above-mentioned JP 2003-324139 A, therefore, the liquid adhering to the substrate that has been carried out of the exposure device may drop in the substrate processing apparatus, causing operational troubles such as abnormalities in an electric system of the substrate processing apparatus.

When the liquid adheres to the substrate that has been subjected to the exposure processing, particles and the like may easily adhere to the substrate, and the liquid that adheres to the substrate adversely affects a film formed on the substrate.

This causes processing defects to occur in the substrate.

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