Substrate processing apparatus
A thermal processing unit of a thermal processor for anti-reflection films includes: a covering nozzle for covering a substrate from above supported by a thermal processing plate and discharging an adhesion enhancing agent to a periphery of a substrate supported by the thermal processing plate; and a vaporization processor for supplying an adhesion enhancing agent in the vapor phase to the covering nozzle. While a substrate placed over the thermal processing plate is being subjected to thermal process, a control part causes the covering nozzle to discharge an adhesion enhancing agent in the vapor phase onto a periphery of a substrate to realize adhesion enhancement process. Thus, the adhesion between a resist coating film and a substrate surface in the periphery of a substrate is enhanced. Further, parallel implementation of thermal process and adhesion enhancement process exerts no influence on throughput.
1. A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device, wherein:
a resist film is formed on an upper surface of a substrate; then
a resist coating film is formed on an upper surface of the substrate; and
the substrate is transferred to the exposure device,
the substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a processor with a plurality of processing units arranged therein that are responsible for certain processes on the substrate, the plurality of processing units including a post-coating thermal processing unit responsible for thermal processing of the substrate after a certain coating solution has been applied to the upper surface of the substrate, the post-coating thermal processing unit having:
an adhesion enhancing agent supply element for supplying an adhesion enhancing agent only to a periphery of the substrate before formation of the resist coating film; and
a thermal processing plate for performing thermal processing of the substrate while supporting the substrate by an upper surface of the thermal processing plate;
a partition wall configured to partition space inside a cover, covering an inside portion of the substrate while excluding a periphery of the substrate;
an inert gas supply element for supplying an inert gas from inside the partition wall to the inside portion of the substrate;
wherein the adhesion enhancing agent supply element is provided with a cover for covering a substrate supported by the thermal processing plate;
a discharge slot communicating with a feed path defined inside the cover and outside the partition wall while being opposite the periphery of the substrate, and
the adhesion enhancing agent guided along the feed path is discharged through the discharge slot toward the periphery of the substrate; and
a transfer part for transferring the substrate between the processor and the exposure device.
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a control element for controlling each constituent of the post-coating thermal processing unit, the control element causing the adhesion enhancing agent supply element to supply the adhesion enhancing agent onto a periphery of the substrate while the thermal process is being performed on the substrate.
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the certain coating solution serves to form an anti-reflection film.
4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the certain coating solution serves to form a resist film.
5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
the adhesion enhancing agent supply element is provided with a vaporization element for vaporizing the adhesion enhancing agent, and
the adhesion enhancing agent is supplied in the vapor phase to the periphery of the substrate.