Method and apparatus for processing substrates

A method for preparing substrates, comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing a substrate on a supporting table such that the peripheral portion of the substrate is located in an operating position, followed by bringing a nozzle to a waiting position apart from the substrate disposed on the supporting table and further preparing an endless belt stretched between the waiting position and operating position of the nozzle such that an upper part of said belt extends along the locus of movement of the discharge port of the nozzle, and a tank housing a solvent, a lower part of said endless belt being dipped in said solvent;
• (b) adhering a solvent to said endless belt in the waiting position and moving the endless belt relative to said nozzle so as to bring the process solution present in the solution discharge port of the nozzle into contact with the solvent adhered to the endless belt;
• (c) spurting the process solution from the nozzle while moving the nozzle from the waiting position to an operating position through an upper part of the endless belt so as to spurt the process solution onto the upper part of the endless belt;
• and
• (d) spurting the process solution from the nozzle while moving said substrate and the nozzle relative to each other so as to form a film of the process solution on the substrate.

An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

• a supporting table on which a substrate is disposed such that the peripheral portion of the substrate is located in an operating position;
• a nozzle for supplying a process solution to the substrate disposed on the supporting table;
• nozzle moving means for moving said nozzle between a waiting position apart from the substrate disposed on the supporting table and said operating position;
• a contact member having a solvent adhered thereto in said waiting position and being moved relative to the nozzle such that the process solution present in the solution discharge port of the nozzle is brought into contact with said adhered solvent so as to permit the process solution to be spurted from the nozzle;
• and
• removing means mounted between the waiting position and the operating position for removing the process solution present in the solution discharge port of the nozzle.

An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

• an supporting table on which a substrate is disposed such that the peripheral portion of the substrate is located in an operating position;
• a nozzle for supplying a process solution to the substrate disposed on the supporting table;
• nozzle moving means for moving said nozzle between a waiting position apart from the substrate disposed on the supporting table and said operating position;
• an endless belt stretched between the waiting position and operating position of the nozzle such that an upper part of said belt extends along the locus of movement of the discharge port of the nozzle, said endless belt being moved relative to the nozzle such that a solvent is adhered to the belt in the waiting position of the nozzle and the adhered solvent is brought into contact with the process solution present in the discharge port of the nozzle so as to permit the process solution to be discharged and, at the same time, to remove the process solution present in the discharge port of the nozzle;
• and
• a tank housing a solvent, a lower part of said endless belt being dipped in said solvent.