Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

1. A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects a substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method, comprising:

a processing section that subjects the substrate to processing;

an interface provided adjacent to one end of said processing section for transferring and receiving the substrate between said processing section and said exposure device; and

a controller that controls the operations of said processing section and said interface;

wherein said processing section includes

a film formation unit that forms a first film on a main surface of the substrate, and

a thermal processing unit that subjects said first film formed by said film formation unit to thermal processing,

one of said processing section and said interface includes a cleaning processing unit that performs cleaning processing of the main surface of the substrate after the thermal processing by said thermal processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, and

said interface includes

a first inspection unit that inspects a state of the main surface of the substrate after the cleaning processing by said cleaning processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, wherein

said controller determines whether or not the state of the main surface of the substrate is normal based on the result of the inspection by said first inspection unit, and controls said interface to transport each substrate of normal state to said exposure device and not to transport each substrate of abnormal state to said exposure device,

said first inspection unit includes an appearance inspection device that inspects the appearance of said first film formed by said film formation unit on said main surface, and

said controller is responsive to said appearance inspection device and determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the appearance of said first film is abnormal in the inspection by said appearance inspection device.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said first inspection unit includes a bevel portion inspection device that inspects a bevel portion in the substrate, and

said controller determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the bevel portion in the substrate is abnormal in the inspection by said bevel portion inspection device.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said first inspection unit includes a component inspection device that inspects a component of said first film formed by said film formation unit, and

said controller determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the component of said first film is abnormal in the inspection by said component inspection device.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said first inspection unit includes a contact angle inspection device that inspects the contact angle of a liquid on said first film formed by said film formation unit, and

said controller determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the contact angle of the liquid on said first film is abnormal in the inspection by said contact angle inspection device.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said first inspection unit includes a film thickness inspection device that inspects the film thickness of said first film formed by said film formation unit, and

said controller determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the film thickness of said first film is abnormal in the inspection by said film thickness inspection device.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said interface further includes

a second inspection unit that inspects the state of the substrate after the exposure processing by said exposure device.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said film formation unit forms a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material as said first film on the substrate.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said processing section further includes a photosensitive film formation unit that forms a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material as a second film on the main surface of the substrate, and

said first film formed by said film formation unit is a protective film for protecting said photosensitive film.

9. A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects a substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method, comprising:

a processing section that subjects the substrate to processing;

an interface provided adjacent to one end of said processing section for transferring and receiving the substrate between said processing section and said exposure device; and

an alarm device that generates an alarm to an operator,

wherein said processing section includes

a photosensitive film formation unit that forms a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material on the substrate, and

a development processing unit that subjects said photosensitive film after the exposure processing by said exposure device to development processing, and

said interface includes

a first inspection unit that inspects the state of the substrate after the formation of said photosensitive film by said photosensitive film formation unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, and

a second inspection unit that inspects the state of the substrate after the exposure processing by said exposure device and before the development processing by said development processing unit, and

said alarm device generates the alarm to the operator when the result of the inspection for one substrate in said first inspection unit and the result of the inspection for said one substrate in said second inspection unit differ from each other.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes an appearance inspection device that inspects the appearance of said photosensitive film formed by said photosensitive film formation unit.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a bevel portion inspection device that inspects a bevel portion in the substrate.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a component inspection device that inspects a component of said photosensitive film formed by said photosensitive film formation unit.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a contact angle inspection device that inspects the contact angle of a liquid on said photosensitive film formed by said photosensitive film formation unit.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a film thickness inspection device that inspects the film thickness of said photosensitive film formed by said photosensitive film formation unit.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said interface does not transport the substrate that is abnormal in the inspection by said first inspection unit to the exposure device.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said processing section further includes a protective film formation unit that forms a protective film for protecting said photosensitive film after the formation of said photosensitive film by said photosensitive film formation unit and before the inspection of the state of the substrate by said first inspection unit.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes an appearance inspection device that inspects the appearance of said protective film formed by said protective film formation unit.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a component inspection device that inspects a component of said protective film formed by said protective film formation unit.

19. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a contact angle inspection device that inspects the contact angle of a liquid on said protective film formed by said protective film formation unit.

20. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second inspection units includes a film thickness inspection device that inspects the film thickness of said protective film formed by said protective film formation unit.

21. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects the substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method and comprising a processing section and an interface, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a first film on a main surface of the substrate in said processing section;

subjecting said first film to thermal processing in said processing section;

performing cleaning processing of the main surface of the substrate after the thermal processing and before the exposure processing by said exposure device in one of said processing section and said interface;

inspecting the state of the main surface of the substrate in said interface after the cleaning processing and before the exposure processing by said exposure device;

determining whether or not the state of the substrate is normal based on the results of the inspection;

transporting the substrate that is determined to be normal in the state to said exposure device by said interface; and

not transporting the substrate that is determined not to be normal in the state to said exposure device by said interface, wherein

the step of inspecting the state of the main surface of the substrate before the exposure processing includes the step of inspecting the appearance of said first film formed by said film formation unit, and

the step of determining whether or not the state of the substrate is normal includes the step of determining that the state of the substrate is not normal when the appearance of said first film is abnormal in the step of inspecting the appearance of said first film.

22. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects the substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method and comprising a processing section and an interface, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material on the substrate in said processing section;

inspecting the state of the substrate by a first inspection unit in said interface after the formation of said photosensitive film and before the exposure processing by said exposure device;

inspecting the state of the substrate by a second inspection unit in said interface after the exposure processing by said exposure device;

generating an alarm to an operator when the result of the inspection for one substrate in said first inspection unit and the result of the inspection for said one substrate in said second inspection unit differ from each other; and

subjecting said photosensitive film on the substrate after the inspection by said second inspection unit to development processing.