US 5,678,116 A · Method and apparatus for drying a substrate having a resist film with a miniaturized pattern

Abstract

A method of processing a substrate includes the steps of developing a substrate having a photo-sensitive resin film formed on its surface; washing the substrate by supplying washing liquid to the surface of the substrate, and rotating the substrate on a perpendicular axis in a horizontal plane and thereby drying the surface of the substrate, and atmosphere in which the substrate is placed is adjusted to be at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure in the step of drying the surface of the substrate. Instead of or in addition to this, washing liquid in which prescribed gas is dissolved may be used in the step of washing the substrate. In this case, in the step of drying the surface of the substrate, washing liquid supplied to the surface of the substrate is preferably supersaturated with gas. A substrate processing apparatus including a controller for implementing such a method is also disclosed.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A substrate processing apparatus including

a processing chamber which can be sealed,
a substrate holder disposed in said processing chamber for holding a substrate having a photosensitive resin film on a surface thereof in a horizontal plane and rotating the substrate on a vertical axis, and
washing liquid supplying apparatus for supplying washing liquid to a developed substrate which is held by the substrate holder, comprising:
depressurizing apparatus for depressurizing said processing chamber;
and
control apparatus for controlling said depressurizing apparatus such that pressure within said processing chamber is lower than atmospheric pressure while the substrate is rotated on said vertical axis and while held in a horizontal plane by said substrate holder as the surface of the substrate is being dried.

3 more elements

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing chamber which can be sealed;
a substrate holder disposed in said processing chamber for horizontally holding a substrate having a photo-sensitive resin film formed on a surface thereof and rotating the substrate on a vertical axis;
a first device for supplying washing liquid to a developed substrate which is held by the substrate holder;
a second device for dissolving gas in said washing liquid which is supplied by said first device;
and
control apparatus for controlling said second device to dissolve said gas in said washing liquid which is supplied by said first device during approximately a terminal stage during a step of washing the substrate.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for drying a substrate having a resist film with a miniaturized pattern

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for drying a substrate having a resist film with a miniaturized pattern

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14