Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
AssigneeSCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
InventorMasashi Kanaoka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate processing apparatus includes an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block includes first and second inspection units. The first inspection unit inspects the state of the substrate before exposure processing, and the second inspection unit inspects the state of the substrate after exposure processing.
Claims22
A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects a substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method, comprising:
- a processing section that subjects the substrate to processing;
- an interface provided adjacent to one end of said processing section for transferring and receiving the substrate between said processing section and said exposure device;
- and
- a controller that controls the operations of said processing section and said interface;
- wherein said processing section includes
- a film formation unit that forms a first film on a main surface of the substrate, and
- a thermal processing unit that subjects said first film formed by said film formation unit to thermal processing,
- one of said processing section and said interface includes a cleaning processing unit that performs cleaning processing of the main surface of the substrate after the thermal processing by said thermal processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, and
- said interface includes
- a first inspection unit that inspects a state of the main surface of the substrate after the cleaning processing by said cleaning processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, wherein
- said controller determines whether or not the state of the main surface of the substrate is normal based on the result of the inspection by said first inspection unit, and controls said interface to transport each substrate of normal state to said exposure device and not to transport each substrate of abnormal state to said exposure device,
- said first inspection unit includes an appearance inspection device that inspects the appearance of said first film formed by said film formation unit on said main surface, and
- said controller is responsive to said appearance inspection device and determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the appearance of said first film is abnormal in the inspection by said appearance inspection device.
A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects a substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method, comprising:
- a processing section that subjects the substrate to processing;
- an interface provided adjacent to one end of said processing section for transferring and receiving the substrate between said processing section and said exposure device;
- and
- an alarm device that generates an alarm to an operator,
- wherein said processing section includes
- a photosensitive film formation unit that forms a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material on the substrate, and
- a development processing unit that subjects said photosensitive film after the exposure processing by said exposure device to development processing, and
- said interface includes
- a first inspection unit that inspects the state of the substrate after the formation of said photosensitive film by said photosensitive film formation unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, and
- a second inspection unit that inspects the state of the substrate after the exposure processing by said exposure device and before the development processing by said development processing unit, and
- said alarm device generates the alarm to the operator when the result of the inspection for one substrate in said first inspection unit and the result of the inspection for said one substrate in said second inspection unit differ from each other.
A substrate processing method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects the substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method and comprising a processing section and an interface, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a first film on a main surface of the substrate in said processing section;
- subjecting said first film to thermal processing in said processing section;
- performing cleaning processing of the main surface of the substrate after the thermal processing and before the exposure processing by said exposure device in one of said processing section and said interface;
- inspecting the state of the main surface of the substrate in said interface after the cleaning processing and before the exposure processing by said exposure device;
- determining whether or not the state of the substrate is normal based on the results of the inspection;
- transporting the substrate that is determined to be normal in the state to said exposure device by said interface;
- and
- not transporting the substrate that is determined not to be normal in the state to said exposure device by said interface, wherein
- the step of inspecting the state of the main surface of the substrate before the exposure processing includes the step of inspecting the appearance of said first film formed by said film formation unit, and
- the step of determining whether or not the state of the substrate is normal includes the step of determining that the state of the substrate is not normal when the appearance of said first film is abnormal in the step of inspecting the appearance of said first film.
A substrate processing method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects the substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method and comprising a processing section and an interface, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material on the substrate in said processing section;
- inspecting the state of the substrate by a first inspection unit in said interface after the formation of said photosensitive film and before the exposure processing by said exposure device;
- inspecting the state of the substrate by a second inspection unit in said interface after the exposure processing by said exposure device;
- generating an alarm to an operator when the result of the inspection for one substrate in said first inspection unit and the result of the inspection for said one substrate in said second inspection unit differ from each other;
- and
- subjecting said photosensitive film on the substrate after the inspection by said second inspection unit to development processing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.