Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing system

A substrate processing apparatus that a processing liquid is supplied to one major surface of a substrate which comprises a substrate nick portion at a periphery edge of said substrate and which is approximately shaped as a disk, and one major surface is subjected to predetermined substrate processing, comprising:

• substrate supporting means which supports said substrate;
• and
• an atmosphere blocking member which is disposed in the vicinity of said substrate and faced with other major surface of said substrate which is supported by said substrate supporting means, wherein
• said atmosphere blocking member is formed by a member whose outer shape is a circle having a diameter which is the same or smaller than that of said substrate, and a blocking member nick portion is formed at a periphery edge of said member such that said blocking member nick portion corresponds to said substrate nick portion.

A substrate processing apparatus that a processing liquid is supplied to one major surface of a substrate which comprises a substrate nick portion at a periphery edge of said substrate and which is approximately shaped as a disk, and one major surface is subjected to predetermined substrate processing, comprising:

• substrate supporting means which supports said substrate;
• and
• an atmosphere blocking member which is disposed in the vicinity of said substrate and faced with other major surface of said substrate which is supported by said substrate supporting means, wherein
• an outer shape of said atmosphere blocking member is a circle whose radius is defined as:
• (the radius)≦(a distance from the center of said substrate to said substrate nick portion);
• and
• said atmosphere blocking member is disposed such that a central axis of said atmosphere blocking member coincides with a central axis of said substrate.

A substrate processing apparatus that a processing liquid is supplied to one major surface of a substrate which is obtained by forming a substrate nick portion at a periphery edge of a plate-like member having a predetermined shape, and one major surface is subjected to predetermined substrate processing, comprising:

• substrate supporting means which supports said substrate;
• and
• an atmosphere blocking member which is disposed in the vicinity of said substrate and faced with other major surface of said substrate which is supported by said substrate supporting means, wherein
• an outer shape of said atmosphere blocking member is approximately a similar figure which is the same as or smaller than said plate-like member, and a blocking member nick portion is formed at a periphery edge of said member such that said blocking member nick portion corresponds to said substrate nick portion.

A substrate processing apparatus that a processing liquid is supplied to one major surface of a substrate which is obtained by forming a nick portion at a periphery edge of a plate-like member having a predetermined shape, and one major surface is subjected to predetermined substrate processing, comprising:

• substrate supporting means which supports said substrate;
• and
• an atmosphere blocking member which is disposed in the vicinity of said substrate and faced with other major surface of said substrate which is supported by said substrate supporting means, wherein
• an outer shape of said atmosphere blocking member is approximately a similar figure to said plate-like member whose rate of similarity is expressed as:
• (the rate of similarity)≦Wsb/(Wsb+Wnt)
• where Wsb . . . a distance from the center of said substrate to said nick portion and
• Wnt . . . a notching depth of said nick portion in a notching direction which is from the center of said substrate toward said nick portion;
• and
• said atmosphere blocking member is disposed such that a central axis of said atmosphere blocking member coincides with a central axis of said substrate.

A substrate processing apparatus that a processing liquid is supplied to one major surface of a substrate and one major surface is subjected to predetermined substrate processing, comprising:

• substrate supporting means which supports said substrate;
• an atmosphere blocking member which is disposed in the vicinity of said substrate and faced with other major surface of said substrate which is supported by said substrate supporting means;
• and
• a gas supplying unit which supplies a atmosphere gas to a space which is created between said atmosphere blocking member and said substrate, wherein
• a gap between a periphery edge of said atmosphere blocking member and the other major surface of said substrate which is supported by said substrate supporting means is 0.3 mm through 1 mm.

A substrate processing apparatus that a processing liquid is supplied to one major surface of a substrate which is positioned at a predetermined substrate processing position and supported approximately horizontally, and one major surface is subjected to predetermined substrate processing, comprising:

• a substrate moving member whose front edge is finished so as to fit with a periphery edge of a substrate, said substrate moving member being capable of freely moving in the vertical direction following the periphery edge of said substrate at said substrate processing position;
• and
• a vertical drive mechanism which drives said substrate moving member in the vertical direction so that the front edge of said substrate moving member is moved to and positioned at a substrate transfer position, which is above said substrate processing position, and said substrate processing position, wherein
• when said substrate is received by the front edge of said substrate moving member which is positioned at said substrate transfer position, said substrate is moved to and positioned at said substrate processing position while maintaining the front edge of said substrate moving member engaged with said substrate.