Coating solution applying method and apparatus

An apparatus for applying a coating solution to a surface of a substrate to form a coating film of desired thickness thereon, comprising:

• rotary support means for supporting and spinning said substrate in horizontal posture;
• solvent spray means for spraying a solvent to said substrate, said solvent spray means including a container for storing said solvent, a heater for heating said container to generate a vapor of said solvent, a solvent spray nozzle communicating with said container and having a spray gun attached to a forward end thereof, and a drive unit for swinging said solvent spray nozzle between a standby position and a supply position, said drive unit being operable to swing said solvent spray nozzle supplied with a pressurized gas;
• coating solution supply means for supplying said coating solution to said substrate;
• storage means for storing a processing program including a first time for maintaining said substrate still or spinning said substrate at a first rotational frequency, a second time for spraying said solvent to said substrate, a third time for maintaining said substrate still or spinning said substrate at a second rotational frequency, a fourth time for supplying said coating solution to said substrate, a fifth time before said coating solution supplied to said substrate spreads and entirely covers said surface of said substrate, a sixth time for accelerating said substrate to a third rotational frequency, and a seventh time for maintaining said substrate at a fourth rotational frequency for a predetermined period;
• timer means acting as a reference for each time stored in said storage means;
• and
• control means operable to perform controls with reference to said timer means for causing said rotary support means to handle said substrate for said first time, causing said solvent spray means to spray said solvent for said second time, causing said rotary support means to handle said substrate for said third time, causing said coating solution supply means to supply said coating solution for said fourth time, causing said rotary support means to accelerate said substrate to said third rotational frequency at said fifth time and said sixth time, and causing said rotary support means to maintain said fourth rotational frequency for said seventh time.

An apparatus for applying a coating solution to a surface of a substrate to form a coating film of desired thickness thereon, comprising:

• rotary support means for supporting and spinning said substrate in horizontal posture;
• solvent spray means for spraying a solvent to said substrate, said solvent spray means including a container for storing said solvent, a solvent spray nozzle communicating with said container and having a spray gun attached to a forward end thereof for spraying said solvent as mixed with a pressurized gas, and a drive unit for swinging said solvent spray nozzle between a standby position and a supply position, said drive unit being operable to swing said solvent spray nozzle supplied with a pressurized gas;
• coating solution supply means for supplying said coating solution to said substrate;
• storage means for storing a processing program including a first time for maintaining said substrate still or spinning said substrate at a first rotational frequency, a second time for spraying said solvent to said substrate, a third time for maintaining said substrate still or spinning said substrate at a second rotational frequency, a fourth time for supplying said coating solution to said substrate, a fifth time before said coating solution supplied to said substrate spreads and entirely covers said surface of said substrate, a sixth time for decelerating said substrate to a third rotational frequency lower than said second rotational frequency, a seventh time for accelerating said substrate to a fourth rotational frequency, an eighth time for maintaining said substrate at a fifth rotational frequency for a predetermined period, and a ninth time lasting from a start of deceleration from said second rotational frequency to said third rotational frequency to attainment of said third rotational frequency;
• timer means acting as a reference for each time stored in said storage means;
• and
• control means operable to perform controls with reference to said timer means for causing said rotary support means to handle said substrate for said first time, causing said solvent spray means to spray said solvent for said second time, causing said rotary support means to handle said substrate for said third time, causing said coating solution supply means to supply said coating solution for said fourth time, causing said rotary support means to decelerate said substrate to said third rotational frequency at said fifth time and said sixth time, causing said rotary support means to accelerate said substrate to said fourth rotational frequency at said fifth time and said seventh time, causing said rotary support means to maintain said fifth rotational frequency for said eighth time, and causing said coating solution supply means to continue supplying said coating solution at least from the start of deceleration at said sixth time from said second rotational frequency to said third rotational frequency to attainment of said third rotational frequency.

An apparatus for applying a coating solution to a surface of a substrate to form a coating film of desired thickness thereon, comprising:

• rotary support means for supporting and spinning said substrate in horizontal posture;
• solvent spray means for spraying a solvent to said substrate, said solvent spray means including a container for storing said solvent, a heater for heating said container to generate a vapor of said solvent, a solvent spray nozzle communicating with said container and having a spray gun attached to a forward end thereof, and a drive unit for swinging said solvent spray nozzle between a standby position and a supply position, said drive unit being operable to swing said solvent spray nozzle supplied with a pressurized gas;
• coating solution supply means for supplying said coating solution to said substrate;
• storage means for storing a processing program including a first time for maintaining said substrate still or spinning said substrate at a first rotational frequency, a second time for spraying said solvent to said substrate, a third time for maintaining said substrate still or spinning said substrate at a second rotational frequency, a fourth time for supplying said coating solution to said substrate, a fifth time before said coating solution supplied to said substrate spreads and entirely covers said surface of said substrate, a sixth time for decelerating said substrate to a third rotational frequency lower than said second rotational frequency, a seventh time for accelerating said substrate to a fourth rotational frequency, an eighth time for maintaining said substrate at a fifth rotational frequency for a predetermined period, and a ninth time lasting from a start of deceleration from said second rotational frequency to said third rotational frequency to attainment of said third rotational frequency;
• timer means acting as a reference for each time stored in said storage means;
• and
• control means operable to perform controls with reference to said timer means for causing said rotary support means to handle said substrate for said first time, causing said solvent spray means to spray said solvent for said second time, causing said rotary support means to handle said substrate for said third time, causing said coating solution supply means to supply said coating solution for said fourth time, causing said rotary support means to decelerate said substrate to said third rotational frequency at said fifth time and said sixth time, causing said rotary support means to accelerate said substrate to said fourth rotational frequency at said fifth time and said seventh time, causing said rotary support means to maintain said fifth rotational frequency for said eighth time, and causing said coating solution supply means to continue supplying said coating solution at least from the start of deceleration at said sixth time from said second rotational frequency to said third rotational frequency to attainment of said third rotational frequency.