Coating and developing apparatus

A coating and developing apparatus comprising a carrier block, a process block, and an interface block connectable to an exposure apparatus, wherein the coating and developing apparatus is configured, upon connection of said coating and developing apparatus with the exposure apparatus, to perform operations including:

• transferring a substrate carried into the carrier block by using a carrier to the process block;
• coating the substrate with a coating film including a resist film in the process block;
• sending the substrate to the exposure apparatus through the interface block;
• developing the substrate, which has been exposed and returned to the process block through the interface block, in the process block;
• and then
• transferring the substrate to the carrier block, wherein:
• the process block includes a first unit-block stack and a second unit-block stack, each of the unit-block stacks including a plurality of unit blocks stacked vertically,
• each of the unit blocks includes a transfer area extending in a first direction from a carrier-block side to an interface-block side, a plurality of processing units each for processing a substrate, and a main conveyer provided to move within the transfer area to transfer a substrate between the processing units;
• the unit blocks of the first and second unit-block stacks are arranged such that, the unit blocks of the first unit-block stack are located at levels corresponding to the unit blocks of the second unit-block stack, respectively, and such that the unit blocks of the first and second unit-block stacks located at the same level are aligned in the first direction, whereby a plurality of pairs of the unit blocks, each pair including the unit blocks of the first and second unit-block stacks located at the same level, are made;
• the plurality of pairs of the unit blocks includes first pairs of the unit blocks which are each configured such that one of the first pair of the unit blocks is provided for performing processes to be performed to a substrate earlier and the other of the first pair of the unit blocks is provided for performing processes to be performed to the substrate later, wherein a first intermediate stage is provided between the unit blocks of each of the first pairs of the unit blocks to transfer a substrate therebetween;
• and
• the unit blocks of each of the first and second unit-block stacks include a unit block including a liquid applying unit configured to apply a processing liquid to a substrate and a heat-treating unit configured to heat-treat a substrate.