Coating film forming apparatus and coating film forming method for immersion light exposure

A coating film forming apparatus for immersion light exposure, for forming a coating film comprising a resist film or a resist film and an additional film on a substrate to be fed to an immersion light exposure apparatus configured to perform a light exposure process through a liquid, the coating film forming apparatus comprising:

• one or more coating units configured to apply the resist film or the resist film and the additional film onto the substrate;
• one or more thermally processing units configured to perform a thermal process necessary for forming the coating film on the substrate;
• a defect eliciting unit configured to perform a process for eliciting a latent defect of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate with the coating film formed thereon;
• a checking unit configured to check a state of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate after the process by the defect eliciting unit and before the immersion light exposure;
• and
• a control section configured to use a check result obtained by the checking unit to make a judgment of whether or not the state of the coating film at the edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range, and to permit transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus when the state of the coating film is within the acceptable range.

A coating film forming method for immersion light exposure, for forming a coating film comprising a resist film or a resist film and an additional film on a substrate to be fed to an immersion light exposure apparatus configured to perform a light exposure process through a liquid, the coating film forming method comprising:

• applying the resist film or the resist film and the additional film onto the substrate;
• performing a thermal process necessary for forming the coating film on the substrate;
• performing a check on a state of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate before the immersion light exposure;
• using a check result thus obtained to make a judgment of whether or not the state of the coating film at the edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range;
• and
• permitting transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus when the state of the coating film is within the acceptable range.

A coating film forming method for immersion light exposure, for forming a coating film comprising a resist film or a resist film and an additional film on a substrate to be fed to an immersion light exposure apparatus configured to perform a light exposure process through a liquid, the coating film forming method comprising:

• applying the resist film or the resist film and the additional film onto the substrate;
• performing a thermal process necessary for forming the coating film on the substrate;
• performing a process for eliciting a latent defect of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate with the coating film formed thereon;
• performing a check on a state of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate after the process for eliciting a latent defect and before the immersion light exposure;
• using a check result thus obtained to make a judgment of whether or not the state of the coating film at the edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range;
• and
• permitting transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus when the state of the coating film is within the acceptable range.

A computer readable storage medium that stores a program for execution on a computer to control a coating film forming apparatus for immersion light exposure, wherein the program, when executed, causes the computer to control the coating film forming apparatus for immersion light exposure to perform a coating film forming method for immersion light exposure, the coating film forming method comprising:

• applying the resist film or the resist film and the additional film onto the substrate;
• performing a thermal process necessary for forming the coating film on the substrate;
• performing a check on a state of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate before the immersion light exposure;
• using a check result thus obtained to make a judgment of whether or not the state of the coating film at the edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range;
• and
• permitting transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus when the state of the coating film is within the acceptable range.