KR100830762B1 - Processing apparatus and processing method of substrate subjected to exposure treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

The substrate subjected to the exposure treatment by the exposure apparatus is transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus of the substrate treatment apparatus. In order to provide a certain time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the completion of the cleaning treatment, the completion time of the cleaning treatment is controlled by adjusting the presence time (more detail, waiting time or cleaning time) of the exposed substrate in the cleaning treatment apparatus. Adjust This adjustment provides a constant time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment, and likewise provides a constant time interval between the completion of the wash treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment. This further improves the linewidth uniformity of the pattern formed when a chemically amplified resist is used.

Substrate treatment device, substrate treatment method, exposure treatment, time interval control, line width, line width uniformity, exposure treatment, bake treatment

Description

Apparatus for and Method of Processing Substrate Subjected to Exposure Process}

1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention;

2 is a front view of the liquid processing unit,

3 is a front view of the heat treatment unit,

4 is a view showing the configuration around the substrate mounting portion,

5A is a plan view of the transport robot,

5B is a front view of the transport robot,

6 is a view for explaining the configuration of the washing treatment apparatus,

7A is a side cross-sectional view of a heat treatment unit having a temporary substrate seating portion,

7B is a plan view of a heat treatment unit having a temporary substrate seating portion,

8 is a side view of the interface block,

9 is a block diagram schematically showing a control mechanism,

10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure from the end of the exposure of the exposure apparatus to the start of the post-exposure bake treatment of the heat treatment unit,

11 is a time chart showing the process from the end of the exposure to the post-exposure bake treatment.

The present invention relates to a method for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate subjected to an exposure process, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a photomask, a substrate for an optical disk, and the like, and a substrate processing apparatus for performing the method. It is about.

As is well known, semiconductors and liquid crystal displays are manufactured by performing a series of processes including washing, resist coating, exposure, development, etching, interlayer insulating film formation, heat treatment, dicing, and the like on the substrate. During the process, a so-called coater-and-developing device is widely used, which performs a resist coating process on a substrate for transferring the substrate to the exposure apparatus and receives the exposed substrate from the exposure apparatus and develops it on the exposed substrate. Used.

An exposure apparatus (also known as a stepper) for an exposure process is generally provided in parallel with the coater-and-developer and prints a circuit pattern on a substrate on which a resist film is formed. As recently exposed line widths have decreased, lamps used for printing in patterns such as exposure devices have changed from traditional ultraviolet light sources to krF excimer laser sources and ArF excimer laser sources. When the pattern is printed using a krF light source or an ArF light source, a chemically amplified resist is used. Chemically amplified resist is an acid formed by photochemical reactions during exposure and acts as a catalyst for resist reactions such as crosslinking, polymerization, and reactions in subsequent heat treatment steps to change resist solubility in the developer, thereby patterning It is a photoresist in which printing is completed.

When chemically amplified resists are used, minor changes in treatment conditions have a significant effect on linewidth uniformity, since very small amounts of acidic catalysts are formed during exposure. In particular, the time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake process has the greatest influence on the line width uniformity. Thus, a technique for controlling the time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-43208 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-342654 have. This technique can improve linewidth uniformity when chemically amplified resists are used.

Unfortunately, even if the time interval between the last instant of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment is constant, a slight deviation in line width still occurs. In particular, substrates subjected to immersion exposure should undergo a deionized water cleaning process in the coater-and-developer. In this case, it is conceivable that the time interval between the moment when the deionized water wash is completed and the moment after the post-exposure bake is performed is also important. However, traditionally, controlling this time interval has not been considered.

The present invention makes it easy to process substrates reliably and also provides a method of treating substrates subjected to exposure.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing method and a processing apparatus that can further improve the line width uniformity of the pattern.

These and other objects, arrangements, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus disposed adjacent to an exposure apparatus.

According to the present invention, a substrate treating apparatus includes: a washing treatment portion for performing at least a washing treatment on a substrate subjected to exposure treatment by an exposure apparatus; A heat treatment unit for performing heat treatment on the substrate subjected to the cleaning treatment; A transport mechanism for receiving the substrate from the exposure apparatus and transferring the substrate to the heat treatment portion via the cleaning treatment portion; And provide a substantially constant time interval between the first process between the time when the exposure apparatus completes the exposure treatment of the substrate and the moment when the heat treatment portion starts heat treatment of the substrate, wherein the time when the cleaning treatment portion completes the cleaning treatment of the substrate and the heat treatment portion A controller for providing a substantially constant time interval between second processes between the moments of starting heat treatment of the substrate.

This provides a constant processing flow of the substrate, thereby further improving the linewidth uniformity of the pattern.

Preferably, the controller adjusts the moment at which the washing treatment unit completes the washing process to provide a substantially constant time interval between the first processes and to provide a substantially constant time interval between the second processes.

EXAMPLE

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a liquid processing unit, FIG. 3 is a front view of a heat treatment unit, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a configuration around substrate rest parts. An XYZ Cartesian coordinate system in which the XY plane is defined horizontally and the Z axis extends in the vertical direction is additionally shown in the accompanying drawings for the purpose of clarifying the directional relationship therebetween.

A substrate treating apparatus according to a preferred embodiment is an apparatus (so-called coater-and-developer) for forming an antireflection film and a photoresist film on a substrate such as a semiconductor by coating and for performing a developing treatment on a substrate subjected to a pattern exposure treatment. . The substrate to be processed by the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to a semiconductor wafer, and may include a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device.

The substrate processing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment includes an indexer block 1, a BARC (bottom antireflective coating) block 2, a resist coating block 3, a developing block 4, and an interface block 5. In the substrate processing apparatus, five processing blocks 1-5 are arranged in a cooperative relationship. According to the present invention, an exposure device (or stepper) EXP, which is an external device separated from the substrate processing apparatus, is provided and connected to the interface block 5. That is, the substrate processing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment is disposed adjacent to the exposure apparatus EXP. The substrate processing apparatus and exposure apparatus according to the preferred embodiment are connected to the host computer 100 via a LAN line (not shown).

The indexer block 1 transfers the unprocessed substrate received from the outside of the substrate processing apparatus to the BARC block 2 and the resist coating block 3 and transfers the processed substrate received from the developing processing block 4 to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus. Processing block. The indexer block 1 is a table 11 for arranging a plurality of (four in this preferred embodiment) cassettes (or carriers) C arranged in parallel, and the unprocessed substrate W from each cassette is taken out and each cassette And a mechanism 12 for storing the substrate W treated with (C). The substrate processing mechanism 12 is a base 12a movable in the horizontal direction (Y direction) along the table 11, and a holding arm 12b mounted on the movable base 12a to fix the substrate W in the horizontal direction. ). The holding arm 12b is movable up and down (Z direction) on the movable base 12a, pivots in a horizontal plane, and moves back and forth in the turning radius direction. Thus, the substrate transport mechanism 12 allows the holding arm 12b to access each cassette C, thereby removing the unprocessed substrate W from each cassette and treating the substrate W with each cassette C. Save). Cassette C may be in the form of: a standard mechanical interface (SMIF) pod, an OC (open cassette) that exposes the stored substrate W to the atmosphere, and a FOUP that additionally stores the substrate in a closed or sealed space. (Front Open Integration Pod).

The BARC block 2 is provided adjacent to the indexer block 1. A compartment 13 is provided between the indexer block 1 and the BARC block 2 to block communication with the atmosphere. The compartment 13 is provided with substrate mounting portions PASS1 and PASS2 arranged vertically, which transfer the substrate W between the indexer block 1 and the BARC block 2 to position the substrate W, respectively. It is to let.

The upper substrate seating portion PASS1 is used to transfer the substrate from the indexer block 1 to the BARC block 2. The substrate branch PASS1 includes three support pins. The substrate transport mechanism 12 of the indexer block 1 positions the untreated substrate taken out of one of the cassettes C over the three support pins of the substrate seating portion PASS1. The transport robot TR1 of the BARC block 2, which will be described later, receives the substrate located on the substrate mounting portion PASS1. The lower substrate seating portion PASS2 also includes three support pins. The transport robot TR1 of the substrate seating portion PASS2 positions the processed substrate on three support pins of the substrate seating portion PASS2. The substrate transport mechanism 12 receives the substrate located on the substrate seating portion PASS2 and stores the substrate in one of the cassettes C. FIG. The substrate seat pairs PASS3 to PASS10 will be described later and are structurally similar to the substrate seats PASS1 and PASS2.

Substrate seating portions PASS1 and PASS2 extend through the compartments. Each substrate mounting portion PASS1 and PASS2 includes an optical sensor (not shown) for sensing the presence or absence of the substrate W thereon. Based on the detection signal from each sensor, it is determined whether the transport robot TR1 of the substrate transport mechanism 12 and the BARC block 2 transfers and receives the substrate between the substrate mounting portions PASS1 and PASS2.

Next, the BARC block 2 will be described. The BARC block 2 is a processing block for forming an antireflection film (i.e., an inner coating film for the photoresist film) by the bottom coating of the photoresist film in order to reduce standing waves or halation occurring during exposure. The BARC block 2 is a bottom coating processor (BRC) for coating an anti-reflection film on the surface of the substrate, a pair of heat treatment towers 21 for performing heat treatment involving the formation of an anti-reflection film by coating, and a bottom coating processor (BRC). ) And a transport robot TR1 for transferring and receiving the substrate between the pair of heat treatment towers 21).

In the BARC block 2, a bottom coating processor BRC and a heat treatment tower 21 pair are disposed on the opposite side of the transport robot TR1. In particular, the bottom coating processor (BRC) is located on the front of the substrate processing apparatus and the heat treatment tower (21) pair is located on the rear. In addition, a heat barrier, not shown, is provided on the front surface of the pair of heat treatment towers 21. Therefore, the thermal effect of the pair of heat treatment towers 21 on the bottom coating processor BRC can be avoided by providing a thermal barrier with space to separate the floor coating processor BRC from the heat treatment tower 21 pair.

As shown in FIG. 2, the floor coating processor BRC includes three coating apparatuses BRC1, BRC2, and BRC3 which are structurally similar to each other and are stacked in a bottom-ceiling order. Unless otherwise identified, the three coating apparatuses BRC1, BRC2 and BRC3 are collectively referred to as the bottom coating process BRC. Each coating treatment apparatus BRC1, BRC2, BRC3 has a spin chuck 22, spin chuck 22 for rotating the substrate W in a substantially horizontal plane while the substrate W is fixed in a substantially horizontal position under suction. A coating nozzle 23 for applying the anti-reflective coating solution on the substrate fixed to the substrate, a spin motor for rotating the spin chuck 22 (not shown), and a substrate W fixed on the spin chuck 22. Cups (not shown) and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, one of the heat treatment towers 21 closer to the indexer block 1 cools the six hotplates HP1 to HP6 for heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature, and heats the heated substrate to the predetermined temperature. Cool plates CP1 to CP3 for maintaining at a predetermined temperature. The cool plates CP1 to CP3 and the hot plates HP1 to HP6 are arranged in this heat-treating tower 21 in a bottom-ceiling order. The other one of the heat treatment towers 21 further away from the indexer block 1 comprises three adsorption promoting treatment units (AHL1 to AHL3) arranged in a bottom-ceiling order, which is HMDS (hexamethyl disilazine). The substrate is heat-treated to promote the adsorption of the resist film onto the substrate in the vapor of. The position marked X in FIG. 3 is the empty space of the conduit and wiring portion or the occupied processing apparatus to be added later.

Therefore, the coating apparatuses BRC1 to BRC3 and the heat treatment apparatuses (hot plates HP1 to HP6, the cool plates CP1 to CP3, and the adsorption accelerators AHL1 to AHL3 in the BARC block 2 are reduced in space. To provide less space occupied by the substrate processing apparatus.

The cooperative arrangement of the heat treatment tower 21 pairs is advantageous in facilitating the maintenance of the heat treatment apparatus, eliminating the need to extend the conduit and place the power supply for the heat treatment apparatus even higher.

5A and 5B are diagrams describing the transport robot TR1 provided in the BARC block 2. 5A is a plan view of the transport robot, and FIG. 5B is a front view of the transport robot. The transport robot TR1 includes a pair of (upper and lower) holding arms 6a and 6b that hold the substrate in a substantially horizontal position and are close to each other. Each holding arm 6a and 6b comprises a distal end of the substantially C-shaped planar structure, a plurality of pins 7 projecting inwardly from the inside of the substantially C-shaped distal end for supporting the edge edge of the substrate from below. .

The transport robot TR1 further includes a base 8 fixedly mounted to the device base (or device frame). The guide shaft 9c is mounted upright on the base 8, and the threaded shaft 9a is rotatably mounted and supported upright on the base. A motor for rotating the threaded shaft 9a is fixedly mounted on the base. The lift 10a is screwed with the threaded shaft 9a and slides freely with respect to the guide shaft 9c. Due to this arrangement, the lift 10a is guided up and down vertically (in the Z direction) by the guide shaft 9c, so that the motor rotates the threaded shaft 9a.

Arm base 10b is mounted to lift 10a so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis. The lift 10a includes a motor 10c for pivoting the arm base 10b. A pair of (upper and lower) holding arms 6a and 6b are provided on the arm base 10b. Each holding arm 6a and 6b is independently movable back and forth in the horizontal direction (in the turning radius direction of the arm base 10b) by a sliding drive mechanism (not shown) mounted on the arm base 10b.

Due to this arrangement, the transport robot TR1 has a holding apparatus 6A and 6b with substrate holding portions PASS1 and PASS2, a coating treatment apparatus provided in the bottom coating processor BRC, and a substrate mounting portion PASS3 to be described later. And PASS4) independently, thereby transferring and receiving a substrate between the devices, as shown in FIG. 5A. Next, the resist coating block 3 will be described. The resist coating block 3 is provided sandwiched between the BARC block 2 and the developing block 4. A section 25 that blocks communication with the atmosphere is also provided between the resist coating block 3 and the BARC block 2. The compartment 25 is arranged with a pair of vertically seated substrate seats PASS3 and PASS4, which position the substrate thereon to transfer the substrate between the resist coating block 3 and the BARC block 2, respectively. It is to let. The substrate mounting portions PASS3 and PASS4 are structurally similar to the substrate mounting portions PASS1 and PASS2.

The upper substrate seating portion PASS3 is used to transfer the substrate from the BARC block 2 to the resist coating block 3. In particular, the transport robot TR2 of the resist coating block 3 receives the substrate positioned on the upper substrate seating portion PASS3 by the transport robot TR1 of the BARC block 2. On the other hand, the lower substrate seating portion PASS4 is used to transfer the substrate from the resist coating block 3 to the BARC block 2. In particular, the transport robot TR2 of the BARC block 2 receives a substrate positioned on the lower substrate seating portion PASS4 by the transport robot TR2 of the resist coating block 3.

Substrate seating portions PASS3 and PASS4 extend through the compartments. Each substrate seating portion PASS3 and PASS4 includes an optical sensor (not shown) for sensing the presence or absence of a substrate thereon. Based on the detection signal from each sensor, it is determined whether the transport robots TR1 and TR2 transfer and receive the substrate between the substrate mounting portions PASS1 and PASS2. A pair of cool plates WCP in the form of coolant for roughly cooling the substrate are provided below the substrate seats PASS3 and PASS4 and extend through the compartment 25 (see FIG. 4).

The resist coating block 3 is a processing block for supplying a resist to form a resist film on a substrate coated with an antireflection film by the BARC block 2. In a preferred embodiment, chemically amplified resist is used as the photoresist. The resist coating block 3 is a resist coating processor (SC) for forming a resist film by coating on an anti-reflection film serving as an uncoated film, a pair of heat treatment towers (31) for performing heat treatment with a resist coating process, and resist coating It includes a transport robot (TR2) for transmitting and receiving a substrate between the processor (SC) and the heat treatment tower (31) pair.

In the resist coating block 3, the resist coating processor SC and the heat treatment tower 31 pair are disposed on the opposite side of the transport robot TR2. In particular, the resist coating processor (SC) is located on the front of the substrate processing apparatus and the heat treatment tower (31) pair is located on the rear. In addition, a heat barrier, not shown, is provided on the front surface of the pair of heat treatment towers 31. Therefore, the thermal effect of the pair of heat treatment towers 31 on the resist coating processor SC can be avoided by providing a thermal barrier with a space that separates the bottom coating processor BRC from the heat treatment tower 21 pair.

As shown in FIG. 2, the resist coating processor SC includes three coating apparatuses SC1, SC2 and SC3 that are structurally similar to each other and arranged in a bottom-ceiling order. Unless otherwise identified, the three coating apparatuses SC1, SC2, SC3 are collectively referred to as a resist coating processor SC. Each coating apparatus SC1, SC2, SC3 is a spin chuck 32, spin chuck 22 for rotating the substrate W in a substantially horizontal plane while the substrate W is fixed in a substantially horizontal position under suction. Spin motors (not shown) for rotating the wafers, cups (not shown) surrounding the substrate W fixed on the spin chuck 32, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, one of the heat treatment towers 31 closer to the indexer block 1 is arranged in a bottom-ceiling order so that six heating parts (PHP1 to PHP6) are used to heat the substrate to a predetermined temperature. ). The other one of the heat treatment towers 31 farther from the indexer block 1 is arranged in a bottom-ceiling order and includes a cool plate (CP4 to CP9) for cooling the heated substrate to a predetermined temperature and maintaining the predetermined temperature. do.

Each heating section PHP1 to PHP6 has a temporary substrate seat for placing the substrate in an upper position away from the hot plate, in addition to the usual hot plate for heating the substrate located thereon, and the hot plate and the temporary substrate seat. A heat treatment apparatus comprising a local transport mechanism 34 (see FIG. 1) for transferring a substrate therebetween. The local transport mechanism 34 is movable up and down and back and forth and includes a mechanism therein for cooling the substrate delivered by the coolant circulation.

A local transport mechanism 34 is provided from the transport robot TR2 on the opposite side of the hot plate and the temporary substrate seat, i.e. on the rear of the substrate processing apparatus. The temporary substrate seating portion has both an open surface facing the transport robot TR2 and an open surface facing the local transport mechanism 34. On the other hand, the hot plate has one open face facing the local transport mechanism 34 and a closed face facing the transport robot TR2. Thus, both the transport robot TR2 and the local transport mechanism 34 can access the temporary substrate seat, but only the local transport mechanism 34 can access the hotplate. The heating sections PHP1 to PHP6 are generally structurally similar to the heating sections (PHP7 to PHP12) of the developing block 4 to be described later.

The substrate is transferred to each of the heating parts PHP1 to PHP6 having a structure in the manner described below. First, the transport robot TR2 positions the substrate on the temporary substrate seat. The local transport mechanism 34 then receives the substrate from the temporary substrate seat and transfers it to the hot plate. The hot plate performs heat treatment on the substrate. The local transport mechanism 34 takes out the heat treated substrate by the hot plate and transfers the substrate to the temporary substrate seat. During the transfer, the substrate is cooled by the cooling function of the local transport mechanism 34. Thereafter, the transport robot TR2 takes out the heat treated substrate and transfers the substrate to the temporary substrate seat.

In this way, the transport robot TR2 transfers and receives the substrate only from the temporary substrate seats fixed in the respective heating units PHP1 to PHP6 at room temperature, but does not directly transfer and receive the substrate on the hot plate. This avoids the temperature rise of the transport robot TR2. The hot plate having only an open surface facing the local transport mechanism 34 prevents hot air from leaking from the hot plate under the influence of the transport robot TR2 and the resist coating processor SC. The transport robot TR2 directly transfers and receives the substrate from the cool plate CP4 to CP9.

The transport robot TR2 is structurally identical to the transport robot TR1. Accordingly, the transport robot TR2 has a substrate mounting portion PASS3 and PASS4, a heat treatment apparatus provided in the heat treatment tower 31, a coating treatment apparatus provided in the resist coating processor SC, and a substrate to be described later. It allows independent access to the seats PASS5 and PASS6, thereby transferring and receiving the substrate from the devices.

Next, the development processing block 4 will be described. The developing block 4 is provided sandwiched between the resist coating block 3 and the interface block 5. A section 35 that blocks communication with the atmosphere is also provided between the resist coating block 3 and the developing block 4. The compartment 35 is provided with the substrate seating portions PASS5 and PASS6 arranged vertically, which transfer the substrate W between the indexer block 1 and the BARC block 2, respectively, to separate the substrate W. For positioning. The substrate mounting portions PASS5 and PASS6 are structurally similar to the substrate mounting portions PASS1 and PASS2.

The upper substrate seating portion PASS5 is used to transfer the substrate from the resist coating block 3 to the developing block 4. In particular, the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4 receives the substrate located on the substrate seat PASS5 by the transport robot TR2 of the resist coating block 3. On the other hand, the lower substrate seating portion PASS6 is used to transfer the substrate from the developing block 4 to the resist coating block 3. In particular, the transport robot TR2 of the resist coating block 3 receives the substrate located on the substrate seating portion PASS6 by the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4.

Substrate seating portions PASS5 and PASS6 extend through compartment 35. Each substrate mounting portion PASS5 and PASS6 includes an optical sensor (not shown) for sensing the presence or absence of the substrate W thereon. Based on the detection signal from each sensor, it is determined whether the transport robots TR2 and TR3 transfer and receive the substrate between the substrate mounting portions PASS5 and PASS6. A pair of cool plates (WCP) in the form of coolant to roughly cool the substrate are provided below the substrate seats PASS5 and PASS6 and extend through the compartment 35 (see FIG. 4).

The development block 4 is a processing block for performing development on the substrate subjected to the exposure. The developing block 4 may detail and dry the substrate subjected to the immersion exposure treatment. The developing block 4 includes a developing processor SD for supplying a developing solution to a substrate exposed in a pattern to perform a developing process, and a cleaning processor for performing a washing process and a drying process on a substrate subjected to the immersion exposure process. SOAK), a pair of heat treatment towers 41 and 42 for performing heat treatment with developing treatment, and a substrate between a developing processor SD, a cleaning processor SOAK and a pair of heat treatment towers 41 and 42 It includes a transport robot (TR3) for transmitting and receiving. The transport robot TR3 is structurally precisely identical to the transport robots TR1 and TR2.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the developing processors SD include internal developing devices SD1, SD2, SD3, and SD4 arranged in a similar structure to each other and stacked in a bottom-ceiling order. Unless otherwise identified, the three developing devices SD1 to SD4 are collectively referred to as the developing processor SD. Each coating developing device SD1 to SD4 has a spin chuck 43 and a spin chuck 43 for rotating the substrate W in a substantially horizontal plane while the substrate W is fixed in a substantially horizontal position under suction. A coating nozzle 44 for applying developer onto a fixed substrate, a spin motor (not shown) for rotationally driving the spin chuck 43, and a cup surrounding the substrate W fixed on the spin chuck 43. (Not shown) and the like.

The washing processor SOAK includes one washing treatment apparatus SOAK1. As shown in FIG. 2, the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 is disposed below the developing treatment apparatus SD1. 6 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1. The cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 includes a spin chuck 421 for rotating the substrate W about a vertical axis of rotation through the center of the substrate while the substrate W is fixed in a substantially horizontal position under suction.

The spin chuck 421 is fixed to the upper end of the rotary shaft 425 which is rotated by an electric motor (not shown). Spin chuck 421 is formed with a suction passage (not shown). Due to the substrate located above the spin chuck 421, the exhaust air from the suction passages causes the lower side of the substrate to be held in vacuum at the spin chuck 421 which allows the substrate to be held in a horizontal position.

The first swing motor 460 is provided on one side of the spin chuck 421. The first swing shaft 461 is connected to the first swing motor 460. The first arm 462 is connected to the first pivot shaft 461 so as to extend in the horizontal direction, and a washing treatment nozzle 450 is provided at the end of the first arm 462. The first swing motor 460 drives the first swing shaft 461 to rotate, and the first arm 462 to swing, so that the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 is fixed by the spin chuck 421. On the substrate.

An end of the cleaning feed pipe 463 is connected in communication with the cleaning treatment nozzle 450. The washing feed pipe 463 is connected in communication with the washing liquid supply source R1 and the rinsing liquid supply source R2 through the valve Va and the valve Vb, respectively. The control of opening and closing the valves Va and Vb makes it possible to select the treatment liquid to be supplied to the washing feed pipe 463 and to adjust its supply amount. In particular, the washing liquid is supplied to the washing supply pipe 463 by the opening of the valve Va, and the rinsing liquid is supplied to the washing supply pipe 463 by the opening of the valve Va.

The rinse liquid supplied from the rinse liquid source R1 or the rinse liquid supplied from the rinse liquid source R2 is supplied to the washing treatment nozzle 450 through the washing feed pipe 463. This supplies the cleaning liquid or rinse liquid from the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 to the surface of the substrate. Examples of washing solutions used herein include deionized water, complex (ionized) solution in deionized water, and fluorine-based chemical solubilizers. Examples of rinse liquids used herein include deionized water, carbonated water, hydrogen dissolved water, electroionic water, and HFE (hydrofluoroether). A two-fluid nozzle that mixes the droplets with gas to spray the mixture is used as the washing nozzle 450.

The second swing motor 470 is provided on the other side of the spin chuck other than the side. The second swing shaft 471 is connected to the second swing motor 470. The second arm 472 is coupled to the second pivot shaft 471 to extend in the horizontal direction, and a drying treatment nozzle 451 is provided at the end of the second arm 472. The second swing motor 470 drives the second pivot shaft 471 to rotate, and the second arm 472 pivots, thereby drying the nozzle 451 fixed to the spin chuck 421. Allow movement on the substrate.

The end of the drying supply pipe 473 is connected in communication with the drying treatment nozzle 451. The dry supply pipe 473 is connected in communication with the internal gas supply source R3 through the valve Vc. Control of the opening and closing of the valve Vc makes it possible to adjust the amount of internal gas supplied to the dry supply pipe 473.

The internal gas supplied from the internal gas supply source R3 is transferred to the drying treatment nozzle 451 through the dry supply pipe 473. This provides the internal gas from the drying treatment nozzle 451 to the surface of the substrate. Examples of internal gas used herein include nitrogen (N 2) and argon (Ar).

When supplying the fresh or rinse liquid to the substrate, the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 is positioned on the substrate fixed by the spin chuck 421 and the drying treatment nozzle 451 is pushed to a predetermined position. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6, when supplying the internal gas to the surface of the substrate, the drying treatment nozzle 451 is located on the substrate fixed by the spin chuck 421 and the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 is a predetermined position Retreat to

The substrate fixed by the spin chuck 421 is surrounded by the processing cup 423. The cylindrical dividing wall 433 is provided inside the processing cup 423. A drainage space 431 for draining the processing liquid (washing liquid or rinse liquid) for substrate processing is formed in the partition wall 433 so as to be surrounded by the spin chuck 421. A collection liquid space 432 for collecting the processing liquid for substrate processing is formed between the outer wall of the processing cup 423 and the partition wall 433 so as to be surrounded by the drain space 431.

A drain pipe 434 for conveying the treatment liquid to a wastewater treatment device (not shown) is connected to the drainage space 431, and a collection pipe 435 for delivering the treatment liquid to the collection treatment device is connected to the collection liquid space 432. do.

A splash guard 424 is provided over the processing cup 423 to prevent the processing liquid from the substrate from splashing out. The splash guard 424 has a rotationally symmetrical configuration with respect to the rotary shaft 425. A drain guide groove 441 of the dog-leg portion is formed in an annular shape at the inner surface of the upper end of the splash guard 424. A collection liquid guide portion 442 defined by an outwardly inclined surface is formed on the inner surface of the lower distal end of the splash guard 424. A groove receiving partition wall 443 that receives the partition wall 433 in the processing cup 423 is formed near the upper end of the collection liquid guide part 442.

The splash guard 424 is moved up and down in the vertical direction by a guard driving mechanism (not shown) including a ball screw mechanism and the like. The guard driving mechanism splash guard 424 is moved up and down between the collector and the drain. In the collecting portion, the collection liquid guide portion 442 surrounds the edge of the substrate fixed by the spin chuck 421, and in the drain portion, the drain guide groove 441 has a corner portion of the substrate fixed by the spin chuck 421. Surround. When the splash guard 424 is in the collecting portion (or the position shown in FIG. 6), the processing liquid spattered from the edge of the substrate is guided to the collecting liquid space 432 by the collecting liquid guide portion 442, and It is then collected through the collection pipe 435. On the other hand, when the splash guard 424 is in the drainage position, the processing liquid spattered from the edge of the substrate is guided to the drainage space 431 by the drainage guide groove 434, and then through the drainage pipe 434. Drained. In this way, the drainage and collection of the treatment liquid can optionally be performed.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the heat treatment tower 41 closer to the indexer block 1 has five hot plates HP1 to HP11 that heat the substrate to a predetermined temperature and cool the heated substrate to a predetermined temperature and at a predetermined temperature. Cool plate CP10 to CP13 for holding. The cool plates CP10 to CP13 and the hot plates HP7 to HP11 are arranged in the heat-treating tower 41 in a bottom-ceiling order.

On the other hand, the heat treatment tower 42 farther from the indexer block 1 includes six heating parts PHP7 to PHP12 and cool plates CP14 arranged in a stacked relationship. Like the heating units PHP1 to PHP6, each of the heating units PHP7 to PHP12 is a heat treatment apparatus including a temporary substrate seating unit and a local transport mechanism.

7A and 7B schematically show the structure of a heating portion PHP7 having a temporary substrate seat. 7A is a side cross-sectional view of the heating portion, and FIG. 7B is a plan view of the heating portion. Although the heating portion PHP7 is shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, the heating portions PHP8 to PHP12 are structurally precisely identical to the heating portion PHP7. The heating part PHP7 has a heating plate 710 for performing heat treatment on the substrate thereon, and a temporary substrate seat for positioning the substrate in an upper or lower position (upper position in the preferred embodiment) away from the heating plate 710. The unit 719 includes a local transport mechanism 720 that embodies a heat treatment unit for transferring the substrate between the heating plate 710 and the temporary substrate seat 719. The heating plate 710 is provided with a number of moving support pins 721 that can extend out of the plate surface and enter therein. A vertically movable top cover 722 is provided over the heating plate 710 to cover the substrate during the heat treatment. The temporary substrate seat 719 is provided with a plurality of fixed support pins 723 for substrate support.

The local transport mechanism 720 includes a retaining plate 724 for holding the substrate in a substantially horizontal position. The retaining plate 724 is moved up and down by the screw feed driving mechanism 725, and is moved back and forth by the belt driving mechanism 726. The retaining plate 724 includes a plurality of slits such that the retaining plate 724 does not contact the moving support pin 721 and the fixed support pin 723 when the retaining plate 724 moves over the heating plate 710 and into the temporary substrate seat 719. Comes with.

The local transport mechanism 720 further includes a cooling component for cooling the substrate when transferring the substrate from the heating plate 710 to the temporary substrate seat 719. As shown in FIG. 7B, the cooling component may be configured such that a coolant passage 724b through which coolant flows is provided inside the retaining plate 724. For example, the cooling component may be configured such that a Peltier device or the like is provided in the retaining plate 724.

The local transport mechanism 720 is provided behind the heating plate 710 and the temporary substrate seat 719 (ie, relatively on the + Y side). The transport robot TR4 of the interface block 5 is disposed on the + X side relative to the heating plate 710 and the temporary substrate seat 719, and the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4 is a heating plate. 710 and the temporary substrate seat 719 are disposed on the -Y side. In the upper part of the enclosure 727 covering the heating plate 710 and the temporary substrate seat 719, that is, the part of the enclosure 727 covering the temporary substrate seat 719, the transport robot TR4 is located on the temporary substrate seat. An opening 719a for entering 719 is provided on the + X side, and an opening 719b for allowing the local transport mechanism 720 to enter the temporary substrate seat 719 is provided on the + Y side. In the lower part of the enclosure 727, i.e., in part of the enclosure 727 that covers the heating plate 710, the openings are + X and -Y (i.e., the enclosure 727 opposite the transport robot TR3 and transport robot TR4). And an opening 719c is provided on the + Y side to allow the local transport mechanism 720 to enter the heating plate 710.

It is treated in and out of the heating part PHP7 in a manner to be described below the substrate. First, the transport robot TR4 of the interface block 5 holds the expanded substrate and positions the substrate to the fixed support pin 723 of the temporary substrate seat 719. The retaining plate 724 of the local transport mechanism 720 then moves down the substrate and slightly up to receive the substrate from the fixed support pin 723. The retaining plate 724 holding the substrate moves out from the outside of the enclosure 727 and moves down to a position opposite the heating plate 710. At this time, the moving support pin 721 of the heating plate 710 is located at the bottom, the top cover 722 is located at the top. The holding plate 724 holding the substrate moves over the heating plate 710. After the moving support pin 721 moves up and receives the substrate at the receiving position, the retaining plate 724 moves back out of the enclosure 727. Subsequently, the moving support pin 721 moves down to position the substrate on the heating plate 710, and the top cover 722 moves down to cover the substrate. In this state, the substrate is heat treated. After the heat treatment, the top cover 722 moves up, and the moving support pin 721 moves up to lift the substrate. Next, after the retaining plate 724 moves under the substrate, the moving support pin 721 moves down to transfer the substrate to the retaining plate 724. The retaining plate 724 holding the substrate moves back out of the enclosure 727 and then moves up to transfer the substrate to the temporary substrate seat 719. In this transfer process, the substrate supported by the retaining plate 724 is cooled by the cooling component of the retaining plate 724. The retaining plate 724 brings the cooled (close to room temperature) substrate from the temporary substrate seat 719 to the fixed support pin 723. The transport robot TR4 takes out the substrate and delivers it.

The transport robot TR4 transmits and receives the substrate only from the temporary substrate seat 719, but does not receive and receive the substrate from the heating plate 710. This avoids the temperature rise of the transport robot TR4. In addition, the substrate is placed in and removed from the heating plate 710 through the opening 719c and the opening 719c is formed only at the side of the local transport mechanism 720. This prevents the heating atmosphere leaking through the opening 719c from raising the temperatures of the transport robots TR3 and TR4 and affecting the developer SD and the wash processor SOAK.

As described above, the transport robot TR4 of the interface block 5 provides access to the heating parts PHP7 to PHP12 and the cooling plate CP14, but the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4 is provided. Is not accessible. The transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4 can access a heat treatment apparatus embodied in the heat treatment tower 41.

A pair of substrate seating portions PASS7 and PASS8 arranged vertically in close proximity to each other to transfer the substrate between the developing block 4 and the interface block 5 is embodied at the top layer of the heat treatment tower 42. The upper substrate seating portion PASS7 is used to transfer the substrate from the developing block 4 to the interface block 5. In particular, the transport robot TR4 of the interface block 5 receives a substrate located on the substrate seating portion PASS7 by the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4. On the other hand, the upper substrate seating portion PASS8 is used to transfer the substrate from the interface block 5 to the developing block 4. In particular, the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4 receives the substrate located on the substrate seat PASS8 by the transport robot TR4 of the interface block 5. Each substrate mounting portion PASS7 and PASS8 includes an open surface facing the transport robot TR3 of the developing block 4 and an open surface facing the transport robot TR4 of the interface block 5.

Next, the interface block 5 will be described. The interface block 5 is a block provided adjacent to the development processing block 4. The interface block 5 receives a substrate having a resist film formed by a resist coating process for transferring the substrate from the resist coating block 3 to the exposure apparatus EXP. The exposure apparatus EXP is an external device separated from the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. Similarly, the interface block 5 receives the exposed substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP for transferring the substrate to the developing block 4. The interface block 5 of the preferred embodiment includes a transport mechanism 55 for transferring and receiving the substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP, corner exposure apparatus EEW1 and EEW2 for exposing the edge of the substrate formed with the resist film, and development. A heating robot (PHP7 to PHP12) provided in the processing block (4) and the edge exposure apparatus (EEW1 and EEW2) and a transport robot (TR4) for transferring and receiving the substrate from the cooling plate (CP14).

As shown in FIG. 2, each corner exposure device EEW1 and EEW2 (unless otherwise identified, referred to as integrated into the corner exposure device EEW) is substantially in the position while the substrate is held in a substantially horizontal position under suction. And a spin chuck 56 for rotating the substrate in a horizontal plane, and a light irradiation apparatus 57 for exposing the edge of the substrate fixed to the spin chuck 56. The pair of edge exposure devices EEW1 and EEW2 are arranged in a vertical stack at the center of the interface block 5. The heat treatment tower 42 of the edge exposure apparatus EEW and the developing block 4 are similar in structure to the transport robots TR1 to TR3.

This will continue to be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 8. 8 is a side view of the interface block 5 viewed from the + X side. A return buffer RBF for returning the substrate is provided under the edge exposure devices EEW1 and EEW2, and a pair of vertically disposed substrate seating portions PASS9 to PASS10 is provided below the return buffer RBF. If the current wound block 4 cannot develop the substrate due to some kind of malfunction, the return buffer RBF is exposed after exposure in the heating section PHP7 to PHP12 of the developing block 4. It is provided for temporarily storing the baked substrate. The return buffer RBF includes a cabinet capable of storing a plurality of substrate layers. The upper substrate seating portion PASS9 is used to transfer the substrate from the transport robot TR4 to the transport mechanism 55. The lower substrate seating portion PASS10 is used to transfer the substrate from the transport mechanism 55 to the transport robot TR4. The transport robot TR4 approaches the return buffer RBF.

As shown in FIG. 8, the transport mechanism 55 includes a moving base 55a screwed to the threaded shaft 522. The threaded shaft 522 is rotatably supported by a pair of support bases 523 along the Y axis such that its axis of rotation extends. The threaded shaft 522 has one end coupled to the motor M1. The motor M1 drives the screw shaft 522 to rotate, thereby rotating the moving base 55a horizontally along the Y axis.

A pair of holding arms 59a and 59b for holding the substrate is mounted to the moving base 55a so as to be disposed vertically. The pair of holding arms 59a and 59b are independently movable up and down, pivotable, and movable back and forth in the turning radius direction by the drive mechanism embodied in the movable base 55a. Due to this arrangement, the transport mechanism 55 transfers and receives the substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP, transfers and receives the substrate from the substrate seating portions PASS9 and PASS10, and stores the substrate in the substrate transfer transfer buffer SBF. And pull it out. The transfer buffer SBF is provided for temporarily storing the substrate prior to the exposure process if the exposure apparatus EXP cannot access the substrate, and includes a cabinet capable of storing a plurality of substrate layers.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 has an opening 58 on the + X side. Thus, the transport mechanism 55 can transfer and receive the substrate from the cleaning apparatus SOAK1 through the opening 58.

With the above-described indexer block (1), BARC block (2), resist coating block (3), developing block (4) and interface block (5) blocks 1 to 1 to avoid side effects of flotation dust and gas flow. In the process of 5) a downdraft of clean air is always provided. In addition, a pressure slightly higher than the external environment of the substrate processing apparatus is maintained in the blocks 1 to 5 to prevent dust and contaminants from entering the blocks 1 to 5 from the external environment.

As described above, the indexer block 1, the BARC block 2, the resist coating block 3, the developing block 4, and the interface block 5 are divided into mechanical boundaries of the substrate processing apparatus of the preferred embodiment. Device. The blocks 1 to 5 are each assembled into separate block frames that are connected to each other in order to form a substrate processing apparatus.

On the other hand, the preferred embodiment employs another type of device, namely a transfer control device relating to the transfer of the substrate, in addition to the device based on the mechanical separation. The transfer control device associated with the transfer of the substrate is referred to herein as a cell. Each cell includes a transport robot that is responsible for substrate delivery, and a delivery destination for transporting the substrate by the transport robot. Each substrate seat described above functions as an inlet substrate seat for receiving the substrate into the cell or an outlet substrate seat for delivering the substrate out of the cell. Transfer of the substrate between the cells may also be carried out through the substrate seat. The transport robot constituting the cell includes a substrate transport mechanism 12 of the indexer block 1 and a transport mechanism 55 of the interface block 5.

The substrate treating apparatus of the preferred embodiment includes six cells: an indexer cell, a BARC cell, a resist coating cell, a developing cell, a post exposure bake cell, an interface cell. The indexer cell comprises a table 11 and a substrate transport mechanism 12 and is structurally similar to the indexer block 1, which is one of the devices based on mechanical separation. The BARC cell includes a bottom coating processor (BRC), a heat treatment tower 21 pair, and a transport robot TR1. The BARC cell is structurally similar to the BARC block 2, which is also one of the devices based on mechanical separation. The resist coating cell includes a resist coating processor SC, a heat treatment tower 31 pair, and a transport robot TR2. The resist coating cell is also structurally similar to the resist coating block 2, which is one of the devices based on mechanical separation.

The developing treatment cell includes a developing processor SD, a heat treatment tower 41, and a transport robot TR3. As described above, the transport robot TR3 does not include the heat treatment tower 42 because the transport robot TR3 cannot access the heating parts PHP7 to PHP12 and the cool plate CP14 of the heat treatment tower 42. Since the transport mechanism 55 of the interface block 5 can access the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 of the washing processor SOAK, the washing processor SOAK is also not included in the developing treatment cell. In this respect, the developing cell is different from the developing block 4, which is one of the devices based on mechanical separation.

The post-exposure bake cell includes a heat treatment tower 42 located at the developing block 4, an edge exposed portion EEW located at the interface block 5, and a transport robot TR 4 located at the interface block 5. . That is, the post-exposure bake cell is expanded in the developing block 4 and the interface block 5, which are devices based on mechanical separation. In this way, constructing a cell comprising heating units PHP7 to PHP12 and transport robot TR4 for performing post-exposure bake transfers the substrate quickly to the heating units PHP7 to PHP12 for performing heat treatment. Let's do it. This arrangement is desirable for the use of chemically amplified resists that are heat treated as soon as possible as soon as the substrate is exposed to the pattern.

Substrate seating portions PASS7 and PASS8 are provided for transferring the substrate between the transport robot TR3 of the developing cell and the transport robot TR4 of the post-exposure bake cell.

The interface cell includes a transport mechanism 55 for transferring and receiving the substrate between the external device EXP and the cleaning processor SOAK. The interface cell is one of the devices based on mechanical separation, in that the interface cell includes a washing processor SOAK located in the developing block 4 and does not include a transport robot TR4 and an edge exposure part EEW. It has a structure different from (5). Substrate seating portions PASS9 and PASS10 below the edge exposed portion EEW are provided for transferring and receiving the substrate between the transport robot TR4 of the bake cell and the transport mechanism 55 of the interface cell 5 after exposure.

Next, a control mechanism in the substrate processing apparatus of the preferred embodiment will be described. 9 is a schematic block diagram of a control mechanism. As shown in Fig. 9, the substrate processing apparatus of the preferred embodiment has a three-level control layer composed of the main controller MC, the cell controllers CC, and the device controllers. The master controller (MC), cell controllers (CC), and device controllers are similar in hardware to typical computer architectures. In particular, each controller has a CPU for performing various calculations, a ROM or read-only memory for storing basic programs, a RAM or read / write memory for storing various information operations, a control application and data for storing. Magnetic disks and the like.

The single master controller MC of the first level is provided for the entire substrate processing apparatus, and is mainly responsible for the management of the entire substrate processing apparatus, the management of the main panel MP, and the management of the cell controller CC. The main panel MP functions as a display of the main controller MC. Various commands and parameters enter the main controller (MC) from the keyboard (KB). The main panel MP may be in the form of a touch panel so that a user performs an input process from the main panel MP to the main controller MC.

The second level cell controller CC is independently provided for six cells (indexer cell, BARC cell, resist coating cell, developing cell, post-exposure bake cell, and interface cell). Each cell controller CC is mainly responsible for controlling the substrate transfer and management of the device in the corresponding cell. In particular, the cell controller CC for each cell exchanges information in such a manner that the second cell controller CC for a second cell, in which the first cell controller CC for the first cell sends information, receives the information. The information sent by the first cell controller CC indicates whether the substrate is positioned on the substrate seating portion scheduled for the second cell controller CC for the second cell adjacent to the first cell, and the information received by the second cell controller CC is determined. It indicates whether the substrate is received from the substrate mounting portion to the first cell controller CC. The transmission and receipt of such information is carried out via the master controller (MC). Each cell controller CC provides information indicating that the substrate is not transported to the corresponding cell of the transport robot controller TC. The transport robot controller TC controls a corresponding transport robot that circulates and transports the substrate to the corresponding cell according to a predetermined process. The transport robot controller TC is a controller implemented by operation of a predetermined application in the corresponding cell controller CC.

Examples of third level device controllers include spin controllers and bake controllers. The spin controller directly controls the spin apparatus (coating processing apparatus, developing processing apparatus, and washing processing apparatus) provided in the corresponding cell in accordance with an instruction received from the corresponding cell controller CC. In particular, for example, the spin controller controls a spin motor for a spin apparatus that regulates the rotational speed of the substrate. The bake controller directly controls a heat treatment apparatus (hot plate, cool plate, heating unit, etc.) provided in the corresponding cell in accordance with an instruction received from the corresponding cell controller CC. In particular, for example, the bake controller controls the heater embodied in the hotplate to adjust the plate temperature and the like.

The host computer 100 connected to the substrate processing apparatus via the LAN line is located as a higher level control mechanism than the three level control layer provided in the substrate (see Fig. 1). The host computer 100 includes a CPU for performing various calculation processes, a ROM or read-only memory for storing basic programs, a RAM or read / write memory for storing operations of various information, a control application and data storage. Magnetic disks and the like. The host computer 100 is structurally similar to a typical computer. In general, a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses according to a preferred embodiment is connected to the host computer 100. The host computer 100 provides a processing method including a description of each processing procedure and processing conditions connected to the substrate processing apparatus. The processing method provided by the host computer 100 is stored in a storage unit (ie, memory) of the main controller MC of each substrate processing apparatus.

The exposure apparatus EXP is provided with a separate controller according to the control mechanism of the substrate processing apparatus. In other words, the exposure apparatus EXP does not operate under the control of the main controller MC of the substrate processing apparatus, but independently controls its own operation. Such an exposure device EXP also controls its operation according to the treatment received from the host computer 100.

Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of the embodiment of the invention will be described. First, a general process for the circulation transportation of a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus will be described. The processing described below will be in accordance with the processing received from the host computer 100.

First, an unprocessed substrate stored in the cassette C is transferred to the indexer block 1 from the outside of the substrate processing apparatus by AGV (automatic guide vehicle) or the like. Subsequently, the unprocessed substrate is transferred from the indexer block 1 to the outside. In particular, the substrate transport mechanism 12 in the indexer block 1 removes the unprocessed substrate from the predetermined cassette C, and places the unprocessed substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS1. After placing the untreated substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS1, the transport robot TR1 of the BARC cell uses one of the holding arms 6a and 6b to receive the untreated substrate. The transport robot TR1 transfers the received untreated substrate to the coating treatment apparatus BRC1 to BRC3. In the coating apparatuses BRC1 to BRC3, the substrate is spin-coated with the coating solution for the antireflection film.

After the coating process is completed, the transport robot TR1 transfers the substrate to the hot plates HP1 to HP6. Substrate heating in the hotplate dries the coating solution that forms the antireflective film that acts as an undercoating of the substrate. Thereafter, the transport robot TR1 removes the substrate from the hot plate and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP1 to CP3 alternately cooling the substrate. In this step, one of the cool plates (WCP) can be used to cool the substrate. The transport robot TR1 positions the cooled substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS3.

Instead, the transport robot TR1 may be employed to position an untreated substrate located at the substrate seating portion PASS1 in one of the adsorption promoting processing portions AHL1 to AHL3. In the adsorption promotion processing units AHL1 to AHL3, the substrate is thermally treated in the vapor of the HMDS, thereby promoting the adsorption of the resist film onto the substrate. The transport robot TR1 takes out the substrate subjected to the adsorption promotion process and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP1 to CP3 that alternately cool the substrate. Since the anti-reflection film is not formed on the substrate subjected to the adsorption promotion process, the cooled substrate is placed directly on the substrate mounting portion PASS1 by the transport robot TR1.

Dehydration may be performed prior to applying the coating solution for the antireflection film. In this example, the transport robot TR1 first transfers the unprocessed substrate located in the substrate seating unit PASS1 to one of the adsorption promoting processing units AHL1 to AHL3. In the adsorption promotion processing units AHL1 to AHL3, a heating process (dehydration bake) for dehydration without steam of HMDS is hardly performed. The transport robot TR1 takes out the substrate subjected to the dehydration heat treatment, and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP1 to CP3 that alternately cool the substrate. The transport robot TR1 transfers the substrate to one of the coating treatment devices BRC1 to BRC3. In the coating apparatuses BRC1 to BRC3, the substrate is rotationally coated together with the coating solution for the antireflection film. Thereafter, the transport robot TR1 transfers the substrate to one of the hot plates HP1 to HP6. Substrate heating in the hotplate dries the coating solution that forms the antireflective film that acts as an undercoating of the substrate. Thereafter, the transport robot TR1 removes the substrate from the hot plate and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP1 to CP3 alternately cooling the substrate. The transport robot TR1 positions the cooled substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS3.

After the substrate is placed on the substrate seating portion PASS3, the transport robot TR2 of the resist coating cell receives the substrate and first transfers the substrate to one of the coating apparatuses SC1 to SC3. In the coating apparatuses SC1 to SC3, the substrate is spin coated with the resist. Within, the substrate is rotationally coated with a coating solution for an antireflection film. Since the resist coating requires precise substrate temperature control, the substrate can be immediately transferred to one of the cool plates CP4 to CP9 before being transferred to the coating apparatuses SC1 to SC3.

After the resist coating process is completed, the transport robot TR2 transfers the substrate to the heating units PHP1 to PHP6. In the heating sections PHP1 to PHP6, the substrate heating removes the solvent component from the resist which forms a resist film on the substrate. Thereafter, the transport robot TR2 removes the substrate from the heating units PHP1 to PHP6 and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP4 to CP9 alternately cooling the substrate. Thereafter, the transport robot TR2 positions the cooled substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS5.

After the substrate having the resist coating formed by the resist coating process is placed on the substrate seating portion PASS5, the transport robot TR3 in the developing cell places the substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS7 without any substrate treatment. . Thereafter, the transport robot TR4 in the post-exposure bake cell receives the substrate located at the substrate seating portion PASS7 and transfers the substrate to one of the edge exposure apparatuses EEW1 to EEW2. In the edge exposing devices EEW1 to EEW2, the edge edges of the substrate are exposed. The transport robot TR4 places the substrate subjected to the edge exposure treatment on the substrate seating portion PASS9. The transport mechanism 55 in the interface cell receives the substrate located at the substrate seating portion PASS9 and transfers the substrate to the exposure apparatus EXP. The substrate transferred to the exposure apparatus EXP is subjected to a pattern exposure process. In this step, the transport mechanism 55 uses the holding arm 59a to transfer the substrate from the substrate mounting portion PASS9 to the exposure apparatus EXP.

Since a chemically amplified resist is used in the preferred embodiment, an acid is formed by photochemical reaction in the exposed portion of the resist film formed on the substrate. In the exposure apparatus EXP, the substrate is subjected to an immersion exposure process. Immersion nodules refer to techniques for immersing a substrate in a liquid with a high refractive index (ie, deionized water with a refractive index of 1.44) to expose the substrate in a pattern and provide high resolution without imaginary changes in traditional light sources and exposure treatments. It can be realized. The substrate subjected to the edge exposure treatment before being transferred to the exposure apparatus EXP may be transferred to the cool plate CP14 for cooling treatment by the transport robot TR4.

The exposed substrate subjected to the pattern exposure treatment is transferred back from the exposure apparatus EXP back to the interface cell. The transport mechanism 55 delivers the exposed substrate to the cleaning apparatus. In this step, the transport mechanism 55 uses the holding arm 59b for transferring the substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1. Liquid may be attached to the substrate subjected to immersion exposure. However, the holding arm 59a is used for the transfer of the substrate prior to exposure and the holding arm 59b is used only for the transfer of the substrate after exposure. This at least avoids the liquid from adhering to the holding arm 59a and prevents the transfer of the liquid to the substrate prior to exposure.

The treatment process in the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 will be described. First, when the substrate is transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1, the splash guard 424 moves down and the transport mechanism 55 places the substrate on the spin chuck 421. The substrate located on the spin chuck 421 is fixed in a horizontal position under suction by the spin chuck 421.

Next, the splash guard 424 moves to the drainage position, and the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 moves over the center of the substrate. Accordingly, rotary shaft 425 starts to rotate. As the rotary shaft 425 rotates, the substrate fixed by the spin chuck 421 rotates. Accordingly, the valve Va is opened to supply the cleaning liquid from the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 to the top of the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, deionized water is supplied over the substrate as a cleaning liquid. Therefore, the cleaning process of the substrate washes off the immersion exposure liquid from the substrate. The liquid splashed from the substrate rotating by the centrifugal force is guided to the drain space 431 by the drain guide groove 441 and drained through the drain pipe 434. In a preferred embodiment, since deionized water is used as the wash liquid, no additional rinse liquid is supplied. Instead of the valve Va, the valve Vb may be opened to release the deionized water as the rinse liquid from the washing nozzle 450.

After the predetermined time period has elapsed, the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 425 is reduced. This reduces the amount of deionized water that acts as a wash liquor scattered by the rotation of the substrate, which forms a film of deionized water on the entire surface of the substrate in such a way that the deionized water remains on the substrate. Instead, the deionized water film may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate by stopping the rotation of the rotary shaft 425.

Next, the supply of the washing liquid is stopped. The cleaning treatment nozzle 450 is retracted to a predetermined position, and the drying treatment nozzle 451 moves over the center of the substrate. Thereafter, the valve Vc is opened to supply the internal gas (nitrogen gas in the preferred embodiment) from the drying treatment nozzle 451 near the center of the upper surface of the substrate. Therefore, deionized water or moisture in the center of the substrate is pushed to the edge edge of the substrate. As a result, the deionized water film only remains at the edge edge of the substrate.

Next, the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 425 again increases, and the drying nozzle 451 gradually moves from the center of the substrate to the edge edge of the substrate. Therefore, a large centrifugal force is applied to the deionized water film remaining on the substrate, and the internal gas acts on the entire surface of the substrate, whereby the deionized water film on the substrate is reliably removed. As a result, the substrate is certainly dried.

Next, the supply of internal gas is stopped. The drying nozzle 451 is retracted to a predetermined position and the rotation of the rotary shaft 425 is stopped. Thereafter, the splash guard 424 is also moved down, and the transport mechanism 55 carries the substrate out of the cleaning apparatus SOAK1. This completes the treatment operation in the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1. The position of the splash guard 424 during washing and drying is appropriately changed as needed for the collection and drainage of the treatment liquid. The substrate which has been washed and dried in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 is positioned on the substrate seating portion PASS10 by the transport mechanism 55. In this step, the transport mechanism 55 uses a holding arm 59a which transfers the substrate from the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 to the substrate mounting portion PASS10. After the exposed substrate is positioned on the substrate mounting portion PASS10, the transport robot TR4 in the bake cell after the exposure receives the substrate and transfers the substrate to one of the heating portions PHP7 to PHP12. Processing operations in the heating sections PHP7 to PHP12 have been described above. In the heating sections PHP7 to PHP12, a heat treatment (or post-exposure bake treatment) is performed to cause a reaction such as crosslinking, polymerization, or the like of the resist resin to be treated using a product as an acid catalyst formed by photochemical reaction during the exposure treatment. Thus, the solubility of only the exposed portion of the resist resin in the developer is changed locally. Local transport mechanism 720 with a cooling mechanism delivers the post-exposure baked substrate to cool the substrate, thereby stopping the chemical reaction. Subsequently, the transport robot TR4 takes out the substrate from one of the heating units PHP7 to PHP12, and positions the substrate to the substrate seating unit PASS8. The process from the end of the exposure in the exposure apparatus EXP to the start of the post-exposure bake treatment in the heating parts PHP7 to PHP12 will be described later.

After the substrate is positioned to the substrate seating portion PASS8, the transport robot TR3 in the developing cell receives the substrate and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP10 to CP13. In the cool plates CP10 to CP13, the substrate subjected to post-exposure bake is further cooled and precisely controlled at a predetermined temperature. Subsequently, substrate heating dries the coating solution that forms the antireflective film that acts as an undercoat of the substrate. Thereafter, the transport robot TR1 removes the substrate from the hot plate and transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP10 to CP13 that alternately cools the substrate. The transport robot TR1 positions the cooled substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS3. Thereafter, the transport robot TR3 takes out the substrate from one of the cool plates CP10 to CP13 and transfers the substrate to one of the developing devices SD1 to SD4. In the developing apparatuses SD1 to SD4, the developing solution is supplied onto the substrate to perform the developing treatment. After the development process is completed, the transport robot TR3 transfers the substrate to one of the hot plates HP7 to HP11, and then transfers the substrate to one of the cool plates CP10 to CP13.

Thereafter, the transport robot TR3 positions the cooled substrate on the substrate seating portion PASS6. The transport robot TR2 in the resist coating treatment cell positions the substrate from the substrate seating portion PASS6 to the substrate seating portion PASS4 without any substrate treatment. Next, the transport robot TR1 in the BARC positions the substrate from the substrate mounting portion PASS4 to the substrate mounting portion PASS2 without any substrate treatment, whereby the substrate is stored in the indexer block 1. Then, the substrate transport mechanism 12 in the indexer cell is fixed to the substrate mounting portion PASS2 to store the processed substrate in the predetermined cassette (C). Thereafter, the cassette C in which the predetermined number of processed substrates are stored is transferred to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus. Thus, a series of photolithography processes are completed.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment, the chemically amplified resist is supplied as a photoresist for the substrate. As described above, when chemically amplified resists are used, slight processing condition variations have a significant effect on line width uniformity. For this reason, the processing conditions are made as constant as possible for all the substrates to be processed. In particular, the substrate treating apparatus according to the preferred embodiment has a constant time interval between the moment when the exposure treatment of the substrate in the exposure apparatus EXP is completed and the starting moment of the baking treatment after the exposure of the substrate in the heating units PHP7 to PHP12. It is employed to provide. This is because this time interval greatly influences the line width uniformity.

Additionally, the substrate treating apparatus according to the preferred embodiment has a time interval between the moment when the cleaning treatment of the substrate in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 is completed and the starting moment of the post-exposure bake treatment of the substrate in the heating units PHP7 to PHP12. It is supposed to provide a constant. The preferred embodiment provides a constant time interval between the moment when the exposure treatment of the substrate in the exposure apparatus EXP is completed and the starting moment of the post-exposure bake treatment of the substrate in the heating units PHP7 to PHP12, and the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1. The technique described below is employed to provide a constant time interval between the moment when the cleaning process of the substrate in the substrate is completed and the start time of the post-exposure bake treatment of the substrate in the heating unit (PHP7 to PHP12).

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the processing steps from the moment when the exposure treatment of the substrate in the exposure apparatus EXP is completed to the start instant of the post-exposure bake treatment of the substrate in the heating units PHP7 to PHP12. 11 is a time chart showing the process from the end of the exposure to the post-exposure bake treatment. First, the exposure processing of the substrate in the exposure apparatus EXP is completed at time t1 (step S1). At this point, the exposure apparatus EXP sends the exposure completion signal, and the substrate processing apparatus receives the exposure completion signal through the host computer 100. As a result, the main controller MC of the substrate processing apparatus recognizes the completion of the substrate exposure processing in the exposure apparatus EXP and stores time t1 as the exposure completion time in the storage unit.

Subsequently, the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment is returned from the exposure apparatus EXP to the interface cell (step S2), and transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 by the transport mechanism 55 (step S3). The processing in the step S3 and the subsequent steps are performed by the interface cell controlling the mechanical parts according to the instructions from the main controller MC and the cell controller CC for the post-exposure bake cell. The basic flow of cleaning and drying of the substrate in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 is as described above.

In the pattern indicated by (a) of FIG. 11, the time for transferring the substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 is relatively long, and the exposed substrate is transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 at time t3. Delivered. The relatively long time required for the exposed substrate to be transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 is the time at which the transport mechanism 55 delivers the exposed substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP to the transport mechanism 55. This is due to the element performing the wafer transfer operation (or transfer operation of the exposed substrate to the exposure apparatus EXP).

After the substrate is transferred to the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 at time t3, the substrate waits in the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 (step S4). In particular, the substrate waits while the cleaning liquid is not supplied from the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 and is fixed under suction by the spin chuck 421. At time t4, the supply of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 is started while the substrate is rotating. Therefore, the cleaning process of the substrate is performed (step S5). Next, at time t5, the supply of the internal gas is started from the drying processing nozzle 451 near the center of the upper surface of the substrate. After time t5, a drying process of the substrate is performed (step S6). Then, the supply of the internal gas from the drying process nozzle 451 is stopped at time t6, and the drying process of the substrate is completed. Then, the substrate transferred out of the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 by the transport mechanism 55 is transferred to the heating units PHP7 to PHP12 by the transport mechanism 55 and the transport robot TR4 (step S7). The post-exposure bake treatment of the substrate in the heating parts PHP7 to PHP12 is started at time t7.

In the patterns indicated by FIGS. 11 to (b), the time for transferring the substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 is relatively short, and the exposed substrate is transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 at time t2. Delivered. If the transport mechanism 55 can immediately receive the exposed substrate after the substrate is transferred out of the exposure apparatus EXP, the substrate is transferred to the cleaning apparatus SOAK1 in a short time.

After the substrate is transferred to the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 at time t2, the substrate waits at the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 (step S4). Then, in a similar manner as in the pattern indicated by (a) above, the supply of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning treatment nozzle 450 is started while the substrate is rotated at time t4, and the upper portion of the substrate from the drying treatment nozzle 451 at time t5. The supply of internal gas begins near the center of the surface. The supply of the internal gas from the drying process nozzle 451 is stopped at time t6. The substrate is transferred from the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 to one of the heating units PHP7 to PHP12. The post-exposure bake process starts at time t7.

As described above, the substrate processing apparatus and the exposure apparatus EXP each have separate control mechanisms, and their operations are not completely synchronized. Therefore, the transport mechanism 55 may not receive the substrate subjected to the substrate treatment at the time when the substrate is transferred from the exposure apparatus EXP, so that the transfer time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the transfer of the substrate to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1. Variation may occur in FIG. 11 (see FIGS. 11A and 11B). If subsequent washing and drying treatments are performed and post-exposure bake starts with such a variation, a nonuniform time interval occurs between the completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment. If the time can be adjusted to start the post-exposure bake treatment that begins to provide a constant time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment, then the non-uniform time interval may be cleaned in the SOAK1. The result is between the completion of the treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment.

Therefore, the master controller MC adjusts the waiting time of the exposed substrate transferred to the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 to provide a constant time interval between the exposure treatment completion time t1 and the washing treatment completion time t5. Thereby, a constant time interval is provided between the completion time of the exposure process (time t1) in the exposure apparatus EXP and the start time of the post-exposure bake process (time t5) in the heating sections PHP7 to PHP12. Subsequently, washing and drying in the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 and subsequent substrate transfer are performed in a predetermined sequence, and each is performed at a predetermined time period. Thus, the moment of completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment as an adjustment to the waiting time of the substrate in the cleaning apparatus SOAK1 to provide a constant time interval between the exposure time t1 and the start time t4 of the cleaning treatment. It is achieved to provide a constant time interval between and a time between the completion of the washing treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment.

Instead of adjusting the waiting time of the exposed substrate in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1, an adjustment may be made to the cleaning treatment time to provide a constant time interval between the exposure completion time t1 and the cleaning completion time t5. have.

In the patterns indicated by Figs. 11 to (c), the time for transferring the substrate from the exposure apparatus EXP to the cleaning apparatus SOAK1 is relatively short, and the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment in a similar manner as in the pattern indicated by (b). Is transmitted to the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 at time t2. If the transport mechanism 55 can immediately receive the exposed substrate after the substrate is transferred out of the exposure apparatus EXP, the substrate is transferred to the cleaning apparatus SOAK1 in a short time. Subsequently, while the substrate is rotated at time t2 without any waiting step, the supply of the cleaning liquid is started from the washing nozzle 450, and at time t5, the supply of the internal gas from the drying nozzle 451 near the center of the upper surface of the substrate is started. Begins. Then, in a similar manner as in the patterns indicated by (a) and (b), the supply of the internal gas from the drying treatment nozzle 451 is stopped at time t6, and the heating sections PHP7 to PHP12 from the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1. The substrate is transferred to one of Likewise, post-exposure bake processing begins at time t7.

In this manner, the main controller MC may adjust the cleaning time of the exposed substrate sheared by the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 to provide a constant time interval between the exposure treatment completion time t1 and the cleaning treatment completion time t5. This provides a constant time interval between the exposure completion time t1 in the exposure apparatus EXP and the post-exposure bake treatment time t7 in the heating sections PHP7 to PHP12. In addition, a predetermined time interval may be provided between the washing process completion time t5 in the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1 and the baking treatment start time t7 after the exposure in the heating units PHP7 to PHP12.

A summary of the description of the patterns represented by (a) to (c) follows. The cell controller CC of the interface cell controls the mechanical parts according to the instructions from the main controller MC to adjust the length of time (hereinafter, "existence time") in which the exposed substrate is present in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1. Then, the completion time of the cleaning treatment is adjusted to provide a constant time interval between the exposure completion time and the cleaning treatment completion time. This provides a constant time interval between the completion of the exposure treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment, and provides a constant time interval between the completion of the cleaning treatment and the start of the post-exposure bake treatment. A constant time interval between the time of completion of exposure and the start of post-exposure bake, and the time between completion of cleaning and post-exposure bake, further improves the linewidth uniformity of the pattern formed when chemically amplified resist is used. . Controlling the presence time of the exposed substrate in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 avoids the effect of heating on the exposed substrate more reliably than adjusting the waiting time of the substrate in the heating units PHP7 to PHP12. In the pattern represented by FIGS. 11 to (c), the exposed substrate is in contact with water for a relatively long time. However, the long or short cleaning time seems to have a minor effect on the uniformity of the line width.

Although the preferred embodiment according to the present invention has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiment. For example, the above preferred embodiment is based on the proposition that the cleaning treatment and the drying treatment in the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 and the subsequent substrate transfer require approximately constant time. If a variation occurs in the time required for such treatment, modifications may be made to further wait the substrate in the heating sections PHP7 to PHP12, thereby providing a constant time interval and cleaning between the exposure completion time and the post-exposure bake start time. Provide a constant time interval between the time of completion of treatment and the start of post-exposure bake treatment For example, if a variation occurs with respect to the time required to transfer the substrate from the cleaning treatment apparatus SOAK1 to the heating units PHP7 to PHP12, the substrate in the temporary substrate seating unit 719 of the heating units PHP7 to PHP12 is generated. To allow the air to stand by, thereby adjusting the constant time interval between the completion of the cleaning process and the start of post-exposure bake treatment. In other words, when the washing treatment completion time is adjusted so that the time interval between the exposure treatment completion time and the washing treatment completion time is constant, then between the washing treatment completion time and the post-exposure bake treatment start time in the heating unit (PHP7 to PHP12). By adjusting the time interval to be constant to adjust the time interval between the exposure completion time and the post-exposure bake start time.

The drying process is not essential as a step following the washing process in the washing treatment apparatus SOAK1.

The configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. Various modifications can be made to the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus if the transport robot cyclically delivers the substrate to the plurality of processing units so that predetermined processing is performed on the substrate.

While the invention has been described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. Many other modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The substrate treating apparatus according to the present invention provides a uniform processing flow of the substrate, thereby further improving the line width uniformity of the pattern.

Preferably, the controller adjusts the moment at which the washing treatment unit completes the washing process to provide a substantially constant time interval between the first processes and to provide a substantially constant time interval between the second processes.

Claims (12)

In the substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to the exposure apparatus, A cleaning treatment unit for performing at least a cleaning treatment on the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment by the exposure apparatus; A heat treatment unit for performing heat treatment on the substrate subjected to the cleaning treatment; A transport mechanism for receiving the substrate from the exposure apparatus and transferring the substrate to the heat treatment portion via a cleaning treatment portion; And Providing a constant time interval between the first process between the time when the exposure apparatus completes the exposure treatment of the substrate and the moment when the heat treatment unit starts the heat treatment of the substrate, the moment when the cleaning treatment unit completes the cleaning treatment of the substrate, and A controller for providing a constant time interval between the second processes between the moment the heat treatment unit starts the heat treatment of the substrate Substrate processing apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, And the controller is configured to provide a time interval between the constant first process and the time interval between the constant second process by adjusting the moment when the wash processing unit completes the cleaning process. The method of claim 2, The controller is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that for controlling the presence time of the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment is present in the cleaning treatment section to control the moment when the cleaning treatment is completed. The method of claim 3, The controller is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that for controlling the existence time by adjusting the waiting time waiting for the substrate to be delivered to the cleaning processing unit received the exposure treatment. The method of claim 3, The controller is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that for controlling the existence time by adjusting the cleaning processing time for the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment to the cleaning treatment by the cleaning processing unit. The method of claim 1, And the exposure apparatus performs an immersion exposure process on the substrate. In the method of treating a substrate subjected to exposure treatment, Transferring the exposed substrate to the cleaning treatment unit; Performing a cleaning treatment on the exposed substrate in the cleaning treatment unit; Transferring the substrate subjected to the cleaning treatment from the cleaning treatment unit to the heat treatment unit; And And performing a heat treatment on the substrate subjected to the cleaning treatment in the heat treatment unit. The time interval between the first processes between the moment when the exposure treatment of the substrate is completed and the moment when the heat treatment of the substrate is started is constantly provided, and the second time between the moment when the cleaning treatment of the substrate is completed and the heat treatment of the substrate is started. A substrate processing method characterized in that a time interval between processes is provided at a constant level. The method of claim 7, wherein And a time interval between the first process and a time interval between the second process are constantly provided by adjusting the moment when the washing treatment part completes the washing process. The method of claim 8, And controlling the existence time of the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment in the cleaning treatment unit to control the moment at which the cleaning treatment unit completes the cleaning treatment. The method of claim 9, Substrate treatment method characterized in that the presence time is controlled by adjusting the waiting time waiting for the substrate to be delivered to the washing treatment unit receiving the exposure treatment. The method of claim 9, The substrate treatment method, characterized in that the presence time is controlled by adjusting the washing treatment time that the substrate subjected to the exposure treatment to the washing treatment by the washing treatment unit. The method of claim 7, wherein And said exposure process is an immersion exposure process.

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