Photography – Fluid-treating apparatus – Fluid application to one side only of photographic medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-13
2001-09-11
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Fluid-treating apparatus
Fluid application to one side only of photographic medium
C396S571000, C396S579000, C118S066000, C118S069000, C414S935000, C414S937000, C414S941000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287025
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a photo resist process of a semiconductor device fabrication, resist solution is coated on a substrate (for example, a semiconductor wafer—hereinafter referred to as wafer) and a resist film is formed thereon. The resist film is exposed with a particular pattern. The resultant wafer is developed with a developing solution. In a sequence of such steps, a coating/developing apparatus has been used.
The coating/developing apparatus has various liquid process units and various heat treatment units. The liquid process units are for example a resist coating unit (that coats a resist solution to a wafer and forms a resist film on the wafer) and a developing unit that develops a wafer that has been exposed. The heat treatment units are for example a heating unit (that heats a wafer coated with a resist film) and a cooling unit (that cools a wafer that has heated). The liquid process units and the heat treatment units are piled up so that the installation space in the coating/developing apparatus is reduced. A wafer is conveyed to each liquid process unit and each heat treatment unit by conveying units. In other words, the coating/developing apparatus, the liquid process units, heat treatment units, and conveying units are integrally disposed in the coating/developing apparatus.
However, as the diameters of wafers becomes large, the sizes of heat treatment units and liquid process units are increased. Thus, since heat treatment units and liquid process units are more integrally disposed in a coating/developing apparatus, heat generated by heating units tends to adversely affect liquid process units. In addition, as the sizes of heating units as heat sources increase, the amount of heat generated by the heating units also increases. Consequently, the liquid process units are adversely affected by heat. For example, the film thickness of a resist film formed by a resist coating unit will vary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made from the above-described point of view. An object of the present invention is to provide a process apparatus that suppresses variation of the film thickness of process solution against heat generated by a heating unit that heats a substrate such as wafer with a large diameter.
An aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing apparatus, comprising a liquid process block having a liquid process unit for supplying a process solution to a substrate and processing the substrate with the process solution, and a cooling unit for cooling the substrate to a predetermined temperature, a heating unit for heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature, a main conveying unit for conveying the substrate between the heating unit and the cooling unit of the liquid process block, and a sub-conveying unit, disposed in the liquid process block, for conveying the substrate between the liquid process unit of the liquid process block and the cooling unit, wherein a heat insulating member that surrounds at least a portion opposite to the heating unit.
Thus, since a heat insulating member that surrounds a portion facing a heating unit is provided, heat generated by the heating unit is not radiated to a liquid process block. Thus, since the liquid process unit is not affected by heat, the liquid process unit can form a film (such as a resist film) of process solution with a predetermined thickness. In addition, since the liquid process block has a cooling unit, temperature rise of the atmosphere in the liquid process block can be suppressed. Thus, the liquid process block can be properly operated. In the liquid process block, a substrate is conveyed by a sub-conveying unit that does not convey a hot substrate. Consequently, in the liquid process block, a substrate can be conveyed in a state in which the film thickness of a film coated on the substrate does not vary. Thus, variation of the film thickness of a film of process solution (such as resist solution) can be securely prevented.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5639301 (1997-06-01), Sasada et al.
patent: 5972110 (1999-10-01), Akimoto
patent: 6024502 (2000-02-01), Akimoto et al.
patent: 10-135307 (1998-05-01), None
Mathews Alan A.
Rader Fishman & Grauer
Tokyo Electron Limited
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