Process for manufacturing electronic circuits

An apparatus for treating a substrate, to a top surface of which a liquid is supplied, the apparatus comprising:

• a treating vessel adapted to receive therein the substrate;
• an evacuating unit for evacuating a gas from within the treating vessel;
• a gas introducing unit for introducing a gas into the treating vessel;
• an oxygen concentration monitor for measuring the oxygen concentration in the treating vessel;
• a heater arranged in the treating vessel for heating the substrate;
• and
• an atmosphere control unit for controlling the evacuating unit and the gas introducing unit, the atmosphere control unit acting to control the oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen concentration monitor to 10 ppm or less through repeated evacuation and introduction of a gas into the treating vessel, in which the substrate is contained, and to control the pressure of an atmosphere in the treating vessel while the heater heats the substrate under the oxygen concentration, thereby evaporating the liquid supplied onto the substrate.

A method of treating a substrate, to a top surface of which a liquid is supplied, the method comprising the steps of

• containing the substrate in a treating vessel;
• evacuating a gas from within the treating vessel;
• introducing a gas into the treating vessel;
• measuring the oxygen concentration in the treating vessel;
• controlling the measured oxygen concentration to 10 ppm or less through repeated evacuation and introduction of a gas into the treating vessel;
• heating the substrate under the oxygen concentration by means of a heater;
• and
• controlling the pressure of atmosphere in the treating vessel during the heating to evaporate the liquid supplied onto the substrate.