Treatment apparatus, treatment method, and impurity removing apparatus

#The present invention relates to a treatment apparatus for subjecting a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, to specific treatments in given spaces, a treatment method, and an impurity removing apparatus adapted for use with the treatment apparatus.

#In a photoresist treatment process of a semi-conductor manufacturing method, for example, a resist film is formed by applying a resist to the surface of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to simply as “wafer”), and the substrate is exposed to a given pattern and developed with a developing agent. Conventionally, this series of treatments is carried out by means of a coating/developing apparatus in which individual treatment units are arranged intensively and systematized.

#Usually, the coating/developing apparatus comprises a plurality of treatment units. These treatment units include, for example, a treatment unit for an adhesion treatment for improving the grab of the resist, a resist treatment for applying the resist, a heat-treatment unit for keeping the exposed substrate in an atmosphere of a given temperature, and a developing unit for developing the exposed substrate with the developing agent. The substrate or wafer is loaded into or unloaded from these individual treatment units for specific treatments by means of a transportation mechanism such as a transfer arm.

#The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

#FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a treatment apparatus according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the treatment apparatus of the invention;

#Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 are views for illustrating the general construction of a coating/developing apparatus 1 as a treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view, FIG. 2 is a front view, and FIG. 3 is a rear view.

#The coating/developing apparatus 1 comprises a cassette station 10, a treatment station 11, and an interface section 12, which are connected integrally to one another. In the cassette station 10, a plurality of wafers W as substrates, e.g., 25 wafers, in each cassette C are loaded into or unloaded from the apparatus 1 or each cassette C. In the treatment station 11, various sheet-type treatment units for treating each wafer W in specific manners in a coating/developing process are arranged in tiers in predetermined positions. The interface section 12 serves to deliver the wafer W between the treatment station 11 and an exposure unit (not shown) adjacent thereto.

#In the cassette station 10, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cassettes C, up to four in number, are placed corresponding to positioning lugs 20a on a cassette stage 20 for use as a bearing section, in a line in the X-direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) with their respective wafer apertures directed to the treatment station 11. A wafer transportation member 21 is movable along a transportation path 21a. The member 21 can move in the cassette arrangement direction (X-direction) and the arrangement direction (Z-direction or vertical direction) of the wafers in each cassette C. Thus, the cassettes C can be accessed alternatively.