Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080198341 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED CLEANING UNIT - In a substrate processing apparatus, an indexer block, a resist film processing block, a cleaning/drying processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block are provided side by side in this order. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The exposure device subjects a substrate to exposure processing by means of a liquid immersion method. Substrate platforms are provided in close proximity one above the other between the cleaning/drying processing block and the development processing block for receiving and transferring the substrate therebetween. Reversing units that reverse one surface and the other surface of the substrate are respectively stacked above and below the substrate platforms. | 08-21-2008 |
20080198342 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED TOP AND EDGE CLEANING UNIT - A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device includes a processing section that subjects a substrate to processing and an interface provided adjacent to one end of the processing section configured to transfer and receive the substrate between the processing section and the exposure device. The processing section includes a photosensitive film formation unit configured to form a photosensitive film composed of a photosensitive material on the substrate that has not been subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, a top surface and edge cleaning unit configured to clean a top surface and an edge of the substrate, and a development unit configured to subject the substrate to development processing after the exposure processing by the exposure device. | 08-21-2008 |
20080204675 | COATING/DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND PATTERN FORMING METHOD - A coating/developing apparatus includes a process section including processing units to perform a series of processes for resist coating and development; an interface section disposed between the process section and immersion light exposure apparatus; and a drying section disposed in the interface section to dry the substrate immediately after the immersion light exposure process. The drying section includes a process container configured to accommodate the substrate, a substrate support member configured to place the substrate thereon, a temperature-adjusted gas supply mechanism configured to supply a temperature-adjusted gas into the process container, and an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust the process container. The drying section is arranged to dry the substrate by supplying the temperature-adjusted gas into the process container with the substrate placed on the substrate support member, while exhausting the process container. | 08-28-2008 |
20080204676 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; charging means for charging a surface of the image bearing member; image exposure means for exposing the surface of the image bearing member charged by the charging means to light to form an electrostatic image on the surface of the image bearing member; switching means for switching a light emission level of the image exposure means in accordance with the set point of a light emission amount setting the light emission level of the image exposure means; storing means for storing light emission amount set points set corresponding to different target light emission levels of the image exposure means; light emission amount control means for controlling the light emission level of the image exposure means on the basis of information stored in the storing means; an input portion for inputting information relating to an actual light emission level of the image exposure means corresponding to a predetermined light emission amount set point; and correcting means for correcting the light emission amount set points stored in the storing means on the basis of the information relating to the light emission amounts of the image exposure means corresponding to different light emission amount set points. | 08-28-2008 |
20080204677 | PATTERN FORMING METHOD - In a pattern forming method of forming a desired pattern on a resist film on a substrate, the surface of a substrate is subjected to a surface hydrophobizing process to form a processed film for improving the adhesion of the surface of the substrate to resist, a coating film including at least a resist film is formed on the processed film, the resist film is exposed to form a desired pattern, and the pattern-formed resist film is developed. In addition to this, the processed film formed on the underside of the substrate by the surface hydrophobizing process is removed between the time from the formation of the processed film and the exposure of the resist film. | 08-28-2008 |
20080218708 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVICE - An exposure apparatus is configured to transfer a pattern to a substrate by exposing the substrate to light via a reticle. The apparatus comprises an inspection unit configured to inspect the reticle, an exposure unit configured to expose the substrate to light via the reticle inspected by the inspection unit, and a controller configured to control the inspection unit and the exposure unit. The controller (i) sets a partial region of the reticle, (ii) causes the inspection unit to inspect the reticle on which the partial region is set, and (iii) causes the exposure unit to expose the substrate to light via the partial region if the inspection unit finds no abnormality in the partial region. | 09-11-2008 |
20080239256 | Exposure apparatus, exposing method, and device fabricating method - An exposure apparatus performs a multiple exposure of a substrate and comprises: a first station that exposes the substrate; a second station that exposes the substrate that was exposed at the first station; movable members each of that holds the substrate and is capable of moving between the first station and the second station; and a first detection system that is disposed in the first station and acquires alignment information about the substrate. | 10-02-2008 |
20080266532 | COATER/DEVELOPER, COATING/DEVELOPING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A coater/developer is disclosed that includes a heating module having a pair of rotary bodies configured to rotate about respective horizontal axles, the rotary bodies being spaced apart from each other in a direction along the conveyance path of a substrate so that the rotational axles thereof are parallel to each other; a conveyance path member engaged with and extended between the rotary bodies so as to move along an orbit, the conveyance path member forming a part of the conveyance path of the substrate placed on the conveyance path member; a first transfer part provided at the upstream end of the conveyance path; a second transfer part provided at the downstream end of the conveyance path; and a heating part provided between the upstream end and the downstream end of the conveyance path and configured to heat the substrate. | 10-30-2008 |
20080284989 | Developing method and developing unit - In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances. | 11-20-2008 |
20080297743 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A scanning exposure apparatus exposing a substrate to a pattern of an original through a projection optical system while relatively moving the original and the substrate, includes a substrate stage movable while holding the substrate; a measurement system measuring a position of the substrate in an optical-axis direction of the projection optical system; and a controller relatively moving the original and the substrate while controlling a position of the substrate stage in the optical-axis direction, on the basis of the position of the substrate detected by the measurement system. The controller keeps accelerating the substrate stage up to a starting position of the irradiation of the exposure light for a target shot area on the substrate, and during the acceleration, controls the position of the substrate stage in the optical-axis direction, on the basis of a position of a surface of an exposed shot area, which has been exposed previously. | 12-04-2008 |
20090021704 | COATING/DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF - A coating/developing apparatus has a carrier block including a first transfer device, a process block including processing modules, an examination block including examination modules and a second transfer device, and first to forth stages. A controller executes a first operation mode preset to transfer substrates from the process block and carrier block into the examination block in parallel. The first operation mode includes transferring substrates processed by the process block to the third or fourth stage through or not through an examination module by the second transfer device, transferring substrates to be only examined from a carrier in the carrier block to the second stage by the first transfer device, and transferring these substrates from the second stage to an examination modules by the second transfer device, and transferring substrates thus examined from the examination block to the third or fourth stage by the second transfer device. | 01-22-2009 |
20090027634 | Bevel Inspection Apparatus For Substrate Processing - 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. The interface block includes a bevel portion inspection unit. The bevel portion inspection unit inspects a bevel portion of a substrate to determine whether or not the bevel portion of the substrate is contaminated. The substrate whose bevel portion is determined to be contaminated and the substrate whose bevel portion is determined that it is not contaminated are respectively subjected to different types of processing. | 01-29-2009 |
20090040480 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVICE - An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to radiant energy comprises a controller configured to determine a shot layout based on data representing a surface shape of the substrate, and an exposure unit configured to expose the substrate to the radiant energy in accordance with the shot layout determined by the controller. | 02-12-2009 |
20090059187 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - Disclosed herein is a coating and developing apparatus | 03-05-2009 |
20090059188 | Exposure Apparatus - An exposure apparatus includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages which can be swapped between the alignment station and the exposure station. A first blowing unit blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the alignment station, and a second blowing unit blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the exposure station. The directions in which the first blowing unit and the second blowing unit blow the gases are substantially perpendicular to a direction along which the alignment station and the exposure station are arranged. | 03-05-2009 |
20090073394 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH MULTI-SPEED DRYING - After a substrate is cleaned, a liquid supply nozzle moves outward from above the center of the substrate while discharging a rinse liquid with the substrate rotated. In this case, a drying region where no rinse liquid exists expands on the substrate. When the liquid supply nozzle moves to above a peripheral portion of the substrate, the rotational speed of the substrate is reduced. The movement speed of the liquid supply nozzle is maintained as it is. Thereafter, the discharge of the rinse liquid is stopped while the liquid supply nozzle moves outward from the substrate. Thus, the drying region spreads over the whole substrate so that the substrate is dried. | 03-19-2009 |
20090079948 | DEVELOPING METHOD AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing method is used for subjecting a light-exposed resist film disposed on a wafer W to a developing process by a developing solution and a rinsing process by a rinsing liquid. In a state where the resist film on the wafer W is wet with the developing solution or rinsing liquid before a drying process is performed on the wafer W, a chemical liquid (curing chemical liquid), which contains a resist curing aid contributory to curing of a resist film remaining on the wafer W, is supplied onto a surface of the wafer W. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a surface of the wafer to cure a resist film remaining on the wafer W by a synergistic effect of the resist curing aid and the ultraviolet rays thus radiated, so as to prevent pattern fall. | 03-26-2009 |
20090097000 | PROJECTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM AND USE THEREOF - A lithography method is proposed employing a projection exposure system having a catoptric imaging optics comprising a mirror formed as phase mask in the imaging beam path, wherein the mirror formed as phase mask exhibits continuous regions having dielectric layers provided thereon. Optionally, the regions of the mirror formed as phase mask are configured such that an axial extension of an image of a point (DOF) of the imaging is increased or/and a lateral extension of an image of a point of the imaging is decreased. Preferably multiple exposures of a same radiation sensitive substrate are performed in order to achieve an increase in resolution and scaling down of the manufacturing trace structures (61, 61′), respectively. | 04-16-2009 |
20090135381 | APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF DOING THE SAME - An apparatus for processing a substrate includes a substrate carrier for carrying a substrate, a chemical-applying unit for applying chemical to the substrate, and a development unit for developing the substrate. | 05-28-2009 |
20090147225 | Apparatus and method for manufacturing semiconductor device - An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the apparatus may be provided. The manufacturing apparatus may include a liquid supplying portion for forming a liquid film, and a gas supplying unit that may rotate to discharge gas at a wide range of angles. The manufacturing method may include forming a shape and size of a liquid film common to the shape and size of an exposure region through adjusting the direction and pressure in which gas may be discharged to the substrate. Thus, the speed at which a substrate may be moved may be increased, and morphology differences of a substrate may be reduced. | 06-11-2009 |
20090153812 | POSITIONING APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A positioning apparatus includes a movable member, a support member which supports the movable member, a driving mechanism which moves the movable member supported by the support member, a first temperature regulating unit which regulates the temperature of the driving mechanism, and a second temperature regulating unit which regulates the temperature of the support member on the basis of the information provided from the first temperature regulating unit. | 06-18-2009 |
20090190104 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Encoder heads and Z heads are installed in order to measure the position of a stage that moves within a predetermined plane. Measurement beams emitted from these heads are irradiated to scales arranged on the upper surface of the stage. During the idling, for example, the stage continues to be moved by driving and rotating the stage around the stop position of the stage serving as the center, or the stage is withdrawn to an area to which the measurement beams are not irradiated. | 07-30-2009 |
20090207390 | ADHESION PROMOTING PROCESS, ADHESION PROMOTING DEVICE, COATING AND DEVELOPING SYSTEM AND STORAGE MEDIUM - There are provided an adhesion promoting process using a comparatively small amount of an adhesion promoting gas for processing a workpiece, an adhesion promoting device for carrying out the adhesion promoting process, a coating and developing system including the adhesion promoting device, and a storage medium storing a program specifying a set of instructions for carrying out the adhesion promoting process. | 08-20-2009 |
20090231557 | LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - A light source includes a plurality of light-emitting units arranged in a two-dimensional array. An optical element changes divergence angles of laser beams from the light-emitting units. A splitting element splits a part of each of the laser beams passing through the optical element. A compensating element compensates for a fluctuation in the divergence angle of each of the laser beams incident on the splitting element due to a change of temperature. A light-receiving element receives laser beams split by the splitting element. The light source, the optical element, the splitting element, the compensating element, and the light-receiving element are integrally supported. | 09-17-2009 |
20090231558 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHICALLY PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station. | 09-17-2009 |
20100195066 | System and method for treating substrate - A method and system for treating a substrate are provided. The system includes a coating unit, a pre/post-exposure treatment unit, and a developing unit. Each of the units includes a load port and an index module. The pre/post-exposure treatment unit includes first and second modules that are arranged in different layers. The first module performs a process for coating a protective layer on the wafer before an exposure process. The second module performs a process for cleaning the wafer and a post-exposure bake process after the exposure process. | 08-05-2010 |
20100302517 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVICE - An exposure apparatus projects a pattern of an original onto a substrate by a projection optical system to expose the substrate, wherein the projection optical system includes a mirror assembly, and the mirror assembly includes a first mirror member which has a first reflecting surface and is configured to bend an optical axis of the projection optical system, a second mirror member which has a second reflecting surface and is configured to bend the optical axis, a supporting mechanism configured to support the first mirror member and the second mirror member, and the supporting mechanism is positioned to position the first mirror member and the second mirror member while a positional relationship between the first mirror member and the second mirror member is maintained. | 12-02-2010 |
20100321648 | SUBSTRATE TRANSFER METHOD AND APPARATUS - A substrate transfer apparatus, for transferring a substrate from a first module to a second module, includes a moving base having a Y-motion axis for moving the moving base in Y-direction, and a substrate holding member mounted to the moving base via X-motion axis so as to move relative to the moving base to be in an advanced position and a retracted position relative to the moving base. The X-motion axis operates when the Y-motion axis is operating, if the X-motion axis must be parallel to the Y-motion axis when transferring the substrate from the substrate holding member to the second module. | 12-23-2010 |
20110032494 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DEVELOPMENT - A block for coating film formation and a block for a development process are stacked. A delivery stage to effect delivery of a substrate with a transportation unit for use in a block is provided for each process block at the carrier block side to constitute a shelf-type delivery stage group. A vertical transportation unit is provided to transport a substrate between the delivery stages in the delivery stage group. A substrate inspection unit is disposed at an upper empty space of the carrier block. A substrate is input to the substrate inspection unit directly by the vertical transportation unit or via a delivery stage in the delivery stage group. The substrate inspection unit may be disposed in the delivery stage group. | 02-10-2011 |
20110037957 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHICALLY PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station. | 02-17-2011 |
20110043773 | COATING/DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND COATING/DEVELOPING METHOD - Disclosed is an coating/developing apparatus and method thereof in which the processing time is shortened and the foot prints is reduced by shortening the travel distance of a wafer transfer arm. The coating/developing apparatus of the present disclosure includes, inter alia, liquid processing part (COT) that processes the substrate using a liquid, a cooling processing part (CA) provided to correspond to the liquid processing part (COT) and perform the cooling process for the substrate, a liquid processing unit (COTU) provided to correspond to the cooling processing part (CA) and equipped with a heating processing part (HP) that performs a heating processing for the substrate. The cooling processing part (CA) transfers the substrate to/from the liquid processing part (COT) and the heating processing part (HP). | 02-24-2011 |
20110063588 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND INSPECTION/PERIPHERY EXPOSURE APPARATUS - An edge exposure unit includes a projector, a projector holding unit, a substrate rotating unit, an outer edge detecting unit and a surface inspection processing unit. Each component of the projector holding unit operates to move the projector in an X direction and a Y direction. The projector irradiates a peripheral portion of a substrate with light transmitted from a light source for exposure through a light guide. Edge sampling processing is performed based on distribution of an amount of light received in a CCD line sensor of the outer edge detecting unit. Surface inspection processing is performed based on distribution of an amount of light received in a CCD line sensor of the surface inspection processing unit. | 03-17-2011 |
20110096304 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, DEVELOPING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A pretreatment process, carried out prior to a developing process, spouts pure water, namely, a diffusion-assisting liquid for assisting the spread of a developer over the surface of a wafer, through a cleaning liquid spouting nozzle onto a central part of the wafer to form a puddle of pure water. The developer is spouted onto the central part of the wafer for prewetting while the wafer is rotated at a high rotating speed to spread the developer over the surface of the wafer. The developer dissolves the resist film partly and produces a solution. The rotation of the wafer is reversed, for example, within 7 s in which the solution is being produced to reduce the water-repellency of the wafer by spreading the solution over the entire surface of the wafer. Then, the developer is spouted onto the rotating wafer to spread the developer on the surface of the wafer. | 04-28-2011 |
20110102753 | Apparatus and Method of Measuring a Property of a Substrate - The present invention makes the use of measurement of a diffraction spectrum in or near an image plane in order to determine a property of an exposed substrate. In particular, the positive and negative first diffraction orders are separated or diverged, detected and their intensity measured to determine overlay (or other properties) of exposed layers on the substrate. | 05-05-2011 |
20110128512 | Inspection Method and Apparatus, Lithographic Apparatus, Lithographic Processing Cell and Device Manufacturing Method - A scatterometer, configured to measure a property of a substrate, includes a radiation source which produces a radiation spot on a target formed on the surface of the substrate, the size of the radiation spot being smaller than the target in one direction along the target, the position of the radiation spot being moved along the surface in a series of discrete steps. A detector detects a spectrum of the radiation beam reflected from the target and produces measurement signals representative of the spectrum corresponding to each position of the radiation spot. A processor processes the measurement signals produced by the detector corresponding to each position of the radiation spot and derives a single value for the property. | 06-02-2011 |
20110205505 | LINE PATTERN COLLAPSE MITIGATION THROUGH GAP-FILL MATERIAL APPLICATION - Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mitigation of photoresist line pattern collapse in a photolithography process by applying a gap-fill material treatment after the post-development line pattern rinse step. The gap-fill material dries into a solid layer filling the inter-line spaces of the line pattern, thereby preventing line pattern collapse due to capillary forces during the post-rinse line pattern drying step. Once dried, the gap-fill material is depolymerized, volatilized, and removed from the line pattern by heating, illumination with ultraviolet light, by application of a catalyst chemistry, or by plasma etching. | 08-25-2011 |
20110242508 | INTERFACE SYSTEM - An interface system includes: a first transfer chamber having a closable first transfer opening through which a substrate is transferred between the first transfer chamber and an exposure system and capable of being evacuated to a reduced pressure; a plurality of load-lock chambers each having a second transfer opening through which a substrate is transferred between the load-lock chamber and the first transfer chamber, and a third transfer opening through which a substrate is transferred between the load-lock chamber and the coating and developing system; a plurality of heating modules for heating a substrate, each having a fifth transfer opening through which a substrate is transferred between the same heating module; and a plurality of cooling modules for cooling a substrate, each having a sixth transfer opening through which a substrate is transferred between the same cooling module and the second transfer chamber. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242509 | POSITION DETECTING METHOD - A method detects a position of a mark based on an image signal of the mark. The method includes steps of obtaining a first position of the mark by performing a first process for the image signal, extracting plural feature values from the image signal based on the first position, and detecting the position of the mark by obtaining an offset value for the first position based on the plural feature values. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242510 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM, SUBSTRATE SURFACE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE SURFACE INSPECTING APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE SURFACE INSPECTING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD - A substrate processing system which enables a minute piece of foreign matter attached to a substrate surface to be detected and are suitable for mass production of substrates. The substrate processing system has a substrate processing apparatus that carries out predetermined processing on a substrate. The substrate processing system comprises a substrate surface processing apparatus having a fluid supply unit that supplies onto a surface of the substrate a fluid containing an altering substance that alters a substance exposed at the surface of the substrate, and a substrate surface inspecting apparatus that inspects the surface of the substrate onto which the fluid has been supplied. | 10-06-2011 |
20110249244 | Lithographic Focus and Dose Measurement Using A 2-D Target - In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is outputting the correct dose of radiation and its projection system is focusing the radiation correctly, a test pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus, such as a scatterometer, to determine whether there are errors in focus and dose and other related properties. The test pattern is configured such that changes in focus and dose may be easily determined by measuring the properties of a pattern that is exposed using the mask. The test pattern may be a 2D pattern where physical or geometric properties, e.g., pitch, are different in each of the two dimensions. The test pattern may also be a one-dimensional pattern made up of an array of structures in one dimension, the structures being made up of at least one substructure, the substructures reacting differently to focus and dose and giving rise to an exposed pattern from which focus and dose may be determined. | 10-13-2011 |
20110255061 | COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING BASE-REACTIVE COMPONENT AND PROCESSES FOR PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY - New photoresist compositions are provided that are useful for immersion lithography. Preferred photoresist compositions of the invention comprise one or more materials that have base-reactive groups. Particularly preferred photoresists of the invention can exhibit reduced leaching of resist materials into an immersion fluid contacting the resist layer during immersion lithography processing. | 10-20-2011 |
20110292356 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD - Provided is a substrate processing system including a group controller which determines a combination of processing apparatuses having the shortest total processing time including the processing end time in a final processing apparatus, determines a predictable elapsed time up to a processing start time by a predetermined downstream processing apparatus for a wafer lot from a processing end time of the wafer lot by a predetermined processing apparatus in the combination of the processing apparatuses, and determines a timing of discharging the substrate to the predetermined processing apparatus or an upstream processing apparatus of the predetermined processing apparatus so that the predictable elapsed time is set within a predetermined time when the predictable elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time. | 12-01-2011 |
20110299050 | Lithographic System, Lithographic Method And Device Manufacturing Method - A lithographic system includes a lithographic apparatus and a scatterometer. In an embodiment, the lithographic apparatus includes an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate a pattern and a projection optical system arranged to project an image of the pattern on to a substrate. In an embodiment, the scatterometer includes a measurement system arranged to direct a beam of radiation onto a target pattern on said substrate and to obtain an image of a pupil plane representative of radiation scattered from the target pattern. A computational arrangement represents the pupil plane by moment functions calculated from a pair of orthogonal basis function and correlates the moment function to lithographic feature parameters to build a lithographic system identification. A control arrangement uses the system identification to control subsequent lithographic processes performed by the lithographic apparatus. | 12-08-2011 |
20120013859 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND METHOD - In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having two early-stage coating unit blocks, two later-stage coating unit blocks and two developing unit blocks, each unit blocks being vertically stacked on each other. The apparatus has at least two operation modes M | 01-19-2012 |
20120033191 | DEVELOPER SPRAYING DEVICE FOR REDUCING USAGE QUANTITY OF DEVELOPER - A developer spraying device for reducing usage quantity of developer includes a hollow inner tube unit and a hollow outer tube unit. The hollow inner tube unit includes a hollow inner tube and a plurality of nozzles communicating an inner portion of the hollow inner tube with external world. The hollow inner tube has at least one liquid receiving space formed therein, and the liquid receiving space is filled with the developer. The hollow outer tube unit includes a hollow outer tube disposed around the hollow inner tube and tightly mated with the hollow inner tube and an opening formed on the hollow outer tube and communicating with an inner portion of the hollow outer tube. The hollow outer tube is selectively rotated clockwise or anticlockwise relative to the hollow inner tube, thus the nozzles are selectively exposed from the opening or shaded by the hollow outer tube. | 02-09-2012 |
20120140191 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A coating and developing apparatus has: a treatment block-including a water repellent module performing water repellent treatment on a substrate, a coating module, and a developing module; a substrate side-surface portion water repellent module for performing water repellent treatment on a side surface of a substrate; and a control unit controlling operations of the modules to execute steps of performing water repellent treatment at least on a side surface portion of a substrate and performing a first resist coating on an entire surface of the substrate; performing a first development after a first liquid-immersion exposure is performed; performing a second resist coating on the entire surface, and performing a second development after a second liquid-immersion exposure is performed, and further to execute a step of performing water repellent treatment on the side surface portion of the substrate after the first development and before the second exposure is performed. | 06-07-2012 |
20120162618 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD - A semiconductor processing device sprays a liquid chemical agent onto a film on a spinning semiconductor substrate. The spray nozzle is moved horizontally from a first upper position comparatively distant from the substrate to a second upper position closer to the substrate, then vertically downward to a lower position. All of these positions are higher than the substrate and none of them overlie the substrate. The spray nozzle is then moved horizontally to a spray position over the substrate and spraying begins. Any residual liquid chemical agent remaining at the outlet of the spray nozzle from the processing of a previous substrate drops off harmlessly at the end of the downward vertical motion instead of dropping onto the film on the substrate. | 06-28-2012 |
20120162619 | LIQUID IMMERSION MEMBER, IMMERSION EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSING METHOD, DEVICE FABRICATING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A liquid immersion member inside an immersion exposure apparatus that is disposed at least partly around an optical member and an optical path of exposure light wherethrough a first liquid between the optical member and an object passes includes a first liquid immersion member, which is disposed at least partly around the optical path and forms a first immersion space of the first liquid at an emergent surface side of the optical member; a guide part, which guides at least some of the first liquid in the first immersion space to a first guide space, which is partly around the optical path; and a second liquid immersion member, which is disposed at an outer side of the first liquid immersion member with respect to the optical path and forms a second immersion space of a second liquid partly around the first immersion space and adjacent to the first guide space. | 06-28-2012 |
20120218531 | DEVELOPING METHOD AND APPARATUS USING ORGANIC-SOLVENT CONTAINING DEVELOPER - Provided are a developing method and a developing apparatus that can reduce process time and improve throughput in a developing process using a developer containing organic solvent. The present invention relates to a developing method for performing developing by supplying a developer containing organic solvent to a substrate having its surface coated with a resist and exposed. The developing method of the invention includes a liquid film forming step for forming a liquid film by supplying the developer from a developer supply nozzle to a central portion of the substrate while rotating the substrate, and a developing step for developing the resist film on the substrate while rotating the substrate in a state where the supply of the developer from the developer supply nozzle to the substrate is stopped and in such a manner that the liquid film of the developer would not dry. | 08-30-2012 |
20120257176 | SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT METHOD, SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT APPARATUS, AND COATING AND DEVELOPING SYSTEM - A substrate transporting method includes: after a holding unit of a substrate holding apparatus receives a substrate from one placement location for a substrate and holds it, detecting a first positional deviation of the substrate from a reference position of the substrate on the holding unit; transporting the substrate held by the holding unit to a position facing another placement location; detecting a second positional deviation of the substrate from the reference position of the substrate on the holding unit, when the substrate is located at the position facing the another placement location; calculating, based on the first and second positional deviations, a positional displacement of the substrate relative to the holding unit that occurred during the transporting of the substrate to the position facing the another placement location; and determining whether or not the positional displacement thus calculated falls within a predetermined range. | 10-11-2012 |
20130057836 | SUBSTRATE TREATMENT APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE TREATMENT METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention is a substrate treatment apparatus for performing solution treatment on a substrate, performing post-treatment in a treatment module subsequent to the solution treatment, including: a solution treatment section including a plurality of nozzles prepared for respective kinds of treatment solutions corresponding to lots of substrates; a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate; a monitoring section monitoring whether there is a failure in discharge of the treatment solution in the nozzle; and a control unit outputting a control signal to prohibit the solution treatment in the solution treatment section for a substrate scheduled to be treated using a nozzle determined to have a failure by the monitoring section and to perform the solution treatment in the solution treatment section for a substrate scheduled to be treated using a nozzle other than the nozzle determined to have a failure. | 03-07-2013 |
20130083302 | PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - A photolithographic apparatus for use with a photo-resist comprises a first component that generates a first chemical substance and produces a chemical amplification action and a second component that generates a second chemical substance. The photolithographic apparatus comprises a first exposure subsystem for selectively illuminating a surface of the photo-resist using a light of a first wavelength band such that the first component generates the first chemical substance and a second exposure subsystem for uniformly illuminating the surface using a light of a second wavelength band such that the second component generates the second chemical substance. The second chemical substance reacts with the first chemical substance to reduce the mass concentration of the first chemical substance in the photo-resist and improves the contrast of a latent image of the first chemical substance formed in the photo-resist. | 04-04-2013 |
20130107235 | PATTERN-FORMING METHOD | 05-02-2013 |
20130120722 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FORMING ALIGNMENT FILM REGION THROUGH UV LIGHT EXPOSURE - A method and a system for forming an alignment film region through ultraviolet (UV) light exposure are disclosed. The method comprises the following steps of: coating a polyimide (PI) solution on a substrate to form an alignment film that covers a predetermined alignment film region on the substrate; placing a mask—above the alignment film; peeling off portions of the alignment film on the substrate that are located outside the predetermined alignment film region through exposure to a UV light; and removing the mask to obtain the alignment film. The present disclosure can effectively improve-the problems of printing offsets, sawtooth-like edge irregularities and uneven film thicknesses caused when the alignment film region is coated by an alignment film inkjet printer. This improves the positioning precision of the alignment film region and the quality of the alignment film, thus improving the image quality of the LCD device. | 05-16-2013 |
20130155381 | METHODS FOR SMALL TRENCH PATTERNING USING CHEMICAL AMPLIFIED PHOTORESIST COMPOSITIONS - A method for forming a pattern on a substrate is described. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a photosensitive layer over the substrate, exposing the photosensitive layer to a first exposure energy through a first mask, exposing the photosensitive layer to a second exposure energy through a second mask, baking the photosensitive layer, and developing the exposed photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer includes a polymer that turns soluble to a developer solution, at least one photo-acid generator (PAG), and at least one photo-base generator (PBG). A portion of the layer exposed to the second exposure energy overlaps with a portion exposed to the first exposure energy. | 06-20-2013 |
20130188158 | RESIST COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, RESIST COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD, RESIST-FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND RESIST-FILM PROCESSING METHOD - The present invention provides a resist coating and developing apparatus, a resist coating and developing method, a resist-film processing apparatus, and a resist-film processing method, capable of reducing a line width roughness by planarizing a resist pattern. The resist coating and developing apparatus comprises: a resist-film forming part configured to coat a resist onto a substrate to form a resist film thereon; a resist developing part configured to develop the exposed resist film to obtain a patterned resist film; and a solvent-gas supply part configured to expose the resist film, which has been developed and patterned by the resist developing part, to a first solvent of a gaseous atmosphere having a solubility to the resist film. A solvent supply part supplies, to the resist film which has been exposed to the first solvent, a second solvent in a liquid state having a solubility to the resist film. | 07-25-2013 |
20130194557 | DEVELOPING METHOD - A method of developing a substrate including rotating the substrate and supplying a developing liquid from a discharge port of a developer nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the developer nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from a central portion towards a peripheral portion of the substrate, and supplying a first rinse liquid from a discharge port of a first rinse nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the first rinse nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from the central portion towards the peripheral portion of the substrate. The supplying of the developing liquid and the first rinse liquid are performed concurrently, with the first rinse nozzle being maintained nearer to a center of the substrate than the developer nozzle. | 08-01-2013 |
20130242276 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATES USING UV-LED IRRADIATION - A method for producing flexographic printing plates, using a photopolymerizable flexographic printing element having, arranged one atop another, a dimensionally stable support, a photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer, an elastomeric binder, an ethylenically unsaturated compound, and a photoinitiator, and optionally a rough, UV-transparent layer, a particulate substance, and digitally imagable layer. The method includes: (a) producing a mask by imaging the digitally imagable layer, (b) exposing the photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer through the mask with actinic light, and photopolymerizing the image regions of the layer, and (c) developing the photpolymerized layer by washing out the unphotopolymerized regions of the relief-forming layer with an organic solvent, or by thermal development. Step (b) includes (1) exposure with actinic light with an intensity of ≧100 mW/cm2 from a plurality of UV-LEDs and (2) exposure with actinic light with an intensity of <100 mW/cm2 from a UV radiation source other than UV-LEDs. | 09-19-2013 |
20130258299 | EXPOSURE DEVICE, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR EXPOSING SUBSTRATE AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD - In an entire region exposure unit, a platform section and a local transfer mechanism are arranged in one direction. The local transfer mechanism is provided with a local transfer hand. A substrate on which a resist film having a predetermined pattern is formed is held by the local transfer hand. A light-emitting device is attached to the upper portion of the local transfer mechanism. Strip-shaped light is emitted from the light-emitting device toward below. The local transfer mechanism operates such that the local transfer hand is moved relative to the light-emitting device. At this time, the light-emitting device irradiates one surface of the substrate that is moving horizontally with the strip-shaped light. The resist film is modified by the light. | 10-03-2013 |
20130301016 | WAFER TABLE HAVING SENSOR FOR IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY - A liquid immersion lithography apparatus and method exposes a substrate with light via a projection system and a liquid. A table assembly has a top surface and is movable relative to the projection system while supporting the substrate. The table assembly top surface has a first opening portion, and a top surface of a sensor is arranged inside of the first opening portion. The sensor top surface is positionable opposite the projection system by the table assembly such that a gap, in which the liquid can be maintained, is formed between the projection system and the sensor top surface. The table assembly and sensor top surfaces are apposed on a substantially same plane, or are substantially co-planar. | 11-14-2013 |
20130329199 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having at least one coating film-forming unit block stack and a vertically stacked developing unit block stack. Each unit block stack includes vertically stacked unit blocks, and each unit block includes processing modules containing liquid processing modules and heating modules. Each unit block includes a transport mechanism moveable along a transport passage from a carrier block side to an interface block side, to transport a substrate between the processing modules belonging to the unit block. Transfer units are provided on the carrier block sides of the coating film-forming unit blocks and the developing unit blocks respectively, for transferring a substrate to and from the transport mechanism of the associated coating film-forming or developing unit blocks. A first transfer mechanism transfers a substrate removed from a carrier to one of the transfer units associated with the coating film-forming unit blocks. | 12-12-2013 |
20140022521 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD - An underlayer is formed to cover the upper surface of a substrate and a guide pattern is formed on the underlayer. A DSA film constituted by two types of polymers is formed in a region on the underlayer where the guide pattern is not formed. Thermal processing is performed while a solvent is supplied to the DSA film on the substrate. Thus, a microphase separation of the DSA film occurs. As a result, patterns made of the one polymer and patterns made of another polymer are formed. Exposure processing and development processing are performed in this order on the DSA film after the microphase separation such that the patterns made of another polymer are removed. | 01-23-2014 |
20140055760 | Method For Monitoring Developer Solution And A Developing Apparatus - A developing apparatus comprises: a photodetection unit, which emits detecting light toward the development area of the substrate to be developed within a scheduled time after the substrate to be developed is immersed into the developer solution; and a processing unit electrically coupled with the photodetection unit for determining the time interval which it takes for development to occur in the development area by means of the detecting light, and for determining that the developer solution is failed if the development time interval is determined to be out of the preset time range. A method for monitoring the developer solution is also provided. | 02-27-2014 |
20140071411 | DEVELOPING TREATMENT APPARATUS AND DEVELOPING TREATMENT METHOD - The present invention is a developing treatment apparatus for performing development by supplying a developing solution to a substrate having a front surface coated with a positive resist or a negative resist and then subjected to exposure wherein a movable cup is raised to introduce one of scattering developing solutions for the positive and negative resists into an inner peripheral flow path of a cup and the movable cup is lowered to introduce the other of scattering developing solutions for the positive and negative resists into an outer peripheral flow path of the cup, and the developing solution introduced into the inner peripheral flow path and the developing solution introduced into the outer peripheral flow path are separately drained. | 03-13-2014 |
20140111779 | METHOD OF OVERLAY PREDICTION - A method includes receiving a substrate having a material feature embedded in the substrate, wherein receiving the substrate includes receiving a first leveling data and a first overlay data generated when forming the material feature, deposing a resist film on the substrate, and exposing the resist film using a predicted overlay correction data to form a resist pattern overlying the material feature on the substrate, wherein using the predicted overlay correction data includes generating a second leveling data and calculating the predicted overlay correction data using the first leveling data, the first overlay data, and the second leveling data. | 04-24-2014 |
20140111780 | PROCESSING APPARATUS AND ARTICLE MANUFACTURING METHOD USING SAME - A processing apparatus configured to conduct a prescribed processing on an object to be processed in a specific environment, the processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to have an aperture and an interior accommodated to a specific environment; a mechanism of which at least a portion is contained within the chamber interior, while a remaining portion passes through the aperture without contacting the chamber; at least one support member configured to support the mechanism; a sealing member that configures a boundary of the specific environment and an atmospheric environment by connecting one end to the aperture and connecting the other end to the support member; and a rotary member configured to allow relative rotation around a vertical axis between the support member and a structure that supports the support member. | 04-24-2014 |
20140152966 | FACILITY AND METHOD FOR TREATING SUBSTRATE - Provided is a method of a substrate treatment. The method includes providing an operation module with substrates contained in a lot and performing an operation treatment thereon and performing a test treatment on the substrates completed with the operation treatment in a test module. The performing of the test treatment includes determining a substrate to be tested, which is provided to the test module, to allow the test treatment to be completed within an operation treatment time for the substrates in a unit lot. | 06-05-2014 |
20140192333 | Alignment Target Contrast in a Lithographic Double Patterning Process - A system and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device lithographically and an article of manufacture involving a lithographic double patterning process having a dye added to either the first or second lithographic pattern are provided. The dye is used to detect the location of the first lithographic pattern and to directly align the second lithographic pattern to it. The dye may be fluorescent, luminescent, absorbent, or reflective at a specified wavelength or a given wavelength band. The wavelength may correspond to the wavelength of an alignment beam. The dye allows for detection of the first lithographic pattern even when it is over coated with a radiation sensitive-layer (e.g., resist). | 07-10-2014 |
20140211174 | ILLUMINATION OPTICAL ASSEMBLY, EXPOSURE DEVICE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - There is provided an illumination optical system for illuminating an illumination objective surface. The illumination optical system includes a first spatial light modulator which has a plurality of optical elements arranged on a first plane, a polarizing member which is arranged in an optical path on an illumination objective surface side with respect to the first plane and which gives a polarization state change to a first light beam passes through a first area in a plane intersecting an optical axis of the illumination optical system, the polarization state change being different from a polarization state change given to a second light beam passes through a second area in the intersecting plane, and a second spatial light modulator which has a plurality of optical elements controlled individually and arranged on a second plane, and which variably forms a light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system. | 07-31-2014 |
20140247434 | Lithographic Focus and Dose Measurement Using A 2-D Target - In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is outputting the correct dose of radiation and its projection system is focusing the radiation correctly, a test pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus, such as a scatterometer, to determine whether there are errors in focus and dose and other related properties. The test pattern is configured such that changes in focus and dose may be easily determined by measuring the properties of a pattern that is exposed using the mask. The test pattern may be a 2D pattern where physical or geometric properties, e.g., pitch, are different in each of the two dimensions. The test pattern may also be a one-dimensional pattern made up of an array of structures in one dimension, the structures being made up of at least one substructure, the substructures reacting differently to focus and dose and giving rise to an exposed pattern from which focus and dose may be determined. | 09-04-2014 |
20140327889 | CONDUCTIVE PATTERN FORMATION METHOD, CONDUCTIVE PATTERN-BEARING SUBSTRATE, AND TOUCH PANEL SENSOR - A conductive pattern formation method of the present invention includes a first exposure step of radiating active light in a patterned manner to a photosensitive layer including a photosensitive resin layer provided on a substrate and a conductive film provided on a surface of the photosensitive resin layer on a side opposite to the substrate; a second exposure step of radiating active light, in the presence of oxygen, to some or all of the portions of the photosensitive layer not exposed at least in the first exposure step; and a development step of developing the photosensitive layer to form a conductive pattern following the second exposure step. | 11-06-2014 |
20140327890 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with transfer units, provided between a stack of early-stage processing unit blocks and a stack of later-stage processing unit blocks to transfer a substrate between the transport mechanisms of laterally-adjacent unit blocks, and a vertically-movable auxiliary transfer mechanism for transporting a substrate between the transfer units. A stack of first developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of early-stage processing unit blocks, and a stack of second developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of later-stage processing unit blocks. | 11-06-2014 |
20140347639 | DEVELOPING METHOD FOR DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing method including a developing step in which, while a wafer horizontally held by a spin chuck is being rotated, the wafer is developed by supplying a developer onto a surface of the wafer, wherein provided before the developing step is a pre-wetting step in which, simultaneously with the developer being supplied from a first nozzle that is located on a position near a central part of the surface of the rotating wafer, a deionized water as a second liquid is supplied from a second nozzle that is located on a position nearer to an outer peripheral part of the wafer than the first nozzle, to thereby spread out the developer in the rotating direction of the wafer by a wall that is formed by the deionized water flowing to the outer peripheral side of the wafer with the rotation of the wafer. | 11-27-2014 |
20150022790 | Continuously Producing Digital Micro-Scale Patterns On A Thin Polymer Film - A coating mechanism disposes a liquid (e.g., polymer) thin film onto a conveyor surface (e.g., roller or belt) that is moved by a suitable motor to convey the thin film into a precisely controlled gap (or nip) region where applied potentials generate an electric field that causes the liquid to undergo Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning deformation, whereby the liquid forms patterned micro-scale features. A curing mechanism (e.g., a UV laser) is used to solidify (e.g., cross-link) the patterned liquid features inside or immediately after exiting the gap region, thereby forming micro-scale patterned structures that are either connected by an intervening web as part of a sheet, or separated into discrete micro-scale structures. Nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes or nanowires) disposed in the liquid become vertically oriented during the EHD patterning process. Segmented electrodes and patterned charges are utilized to provide digital patterning control. | 01-22-2015 |
20150036109 | DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A developing method includes: horizontally holding an exposed substrate by a substrate holder; forming a liquid puddle on a part of the substrate, by supplying a developer from a developer nozzle; rotating the substrate; spreading the liquid puddle on a whole surface of the substrate, by moving the developer nozzle such that a supply position of the developer on the rotating substrate is moved in a radial direction of the substrate; bringing, simultaneously with the spreading of the liquid puddle on the whole surface of the substrate, a contact part into contact with the liquid puddle, the contact part being configured to be moved together with the developer nozzle and having a surface opposed to the substrate which is smaller than the surface of the substrate. According to this method, an amount of liquid falling down to the outside of the substrate can be inhibited. In addition, since the rotating speed of the substrate can be decreased, spattering of the developer can be inhibited. Further, a throughput can be improved by stirring the developer. | 02-05-2015 |
20150036110 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, DEVELOPING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A developing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that hold a substrate horizontally; a developer nozzle that supplies a developer onto the substrate to form a liquid puddle; a turning flow generation mechanism including a rotary member that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the substrate while the rotary member is being in contact with the liquid puddle thereby to generate a turning flow in the liquid puddle of the developer formed on the substrate; and a moving mechanism for moving the turning flow generation mechanism along a surface of the substrate. The line-width uniformity of a pattern can be improved by forming turning flows in a desired region of the substrate and stirring the developer. | 02-05-2015 |
20150077726 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A coating and developing apparatus forms a coating film including a resist film on a substrate and performs developing on the substrate after exposure and a plurality of unit blocks performing the same processing each includes plural kinds of processing modules. A control unit outputs a control signal to perform preparing individual conveying schedules for the one substrate according to the condition when the one substrate distributed into unit blocks is conveyed in the unit blocks, respectively, obtaining a residence time until the one substrate is conveyed in each unit block and is then conveyed out; and conveying the one substrate in the unit block having the shortest residence time and conveying the substrate based on the individual conveying schedules. | 03-19-2015 |
20150077727 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A coating and developing apparatus includes: first and second transfer mechanisms for transferring a substrate from a first mount module to a second mount module, one of the first and second transfer mechanisms being selected each time when the substrate transfer should be performed; first and second processing modules for performing substrate processing, for which the transfer of substrates is performed by the first and second transfer mechanisms, respectively; and a control unit. The control unit controls the transfer mechanisms for the substrate transfer by determining a delay time, representing a delay caused by the transfer of the substrate to the second mount module to the timing of transfer of a substrate from the first/second processing module, in regard to each of the first and second transfer mechanisms and selecting one of the first and second transfer mechanisms whose delay time is the shortest. | 03-19-2015 |
20150116674 | APPARATUS FOR TREATING SUBSTRATE - A substrate treating apparatus according to the present invention includes: an index unit having an index robot and a port on which a container containing a substrate is placed; a process treating unit having a development treating unit in which a first development treating chamber and a second development treating chamber for performing a substrate development process are arranged in divided layers; and a first path unit arranged between the development treating unit and the index unit, wherein the first development treating chamber includes a development module, a first heating module, and a first main transport robot arranged in a movement passage accessible to the development module and the first heating module, wherein the first path unit includes a second heating module, a first buffer module, a cooling module, a second buffer module, and a first buffer transport robot arranged in a movement passage accessible to the second heating module, the first buffer module, the cooling module and the second buffer module. | 04-30-2015 |
20150309413 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VAPOR CONDENSATION TECHNIQUE FOR DELIVERING A UNIFORM LAYER OF DAMPENING SOLUTION IN AN IMAGE FORMING DEVICE USING A VARIABLE DATA DIGITAL LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PROCESS - A system and method are provided for depositing a uniform layer of a dampening solution using a vapor deposition/condensation process or technique on a reimageable surface in an image forming device using a proposed variable data digital lithographic image forming architecture that transfers ink at an efficiency rate in excess of 95 percent. A reimageable surface is configured of a low surface energy surface component that directly accepts a vaporized dampening solution having a lower surface energy than the surface energy of the reimageable surface. A uniformity in the layer of condensed dampening solution on the reimageable surface is a product of the relative difference in the low surface energy of the reimageable surface and the lower surface energy of the dampening solution. | 10-29-2015 |
20150331329 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, ALIGNMENT METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - The exposure apparatus includes a first detector, a first alignment unit, a second detector, and a second alignment unit, and a controller, wherein the controller controls the second alignment unit so that alignment of a substrate is conducted based on a detection result from detection of the mark by the second detector in a first view when alignment of the substrate can be conducted by the first alignment unit at a prescribed alignment accuracy, and controls the second alignment unit so that alignment of the substrate is conducted based on a detection result from detection of the mark by the second detector in a second view that is wider than the first view when alignment of the substrate cannot be conducted by the first alignment unit at the prescribed alignment accuracy. | 11-19-2015 |
20150362839 | DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - There is provided a developing method which can form a resist having a sufficiently high uniformity of CD distribution. The developing method for developing a resist film after exposure on a substrate surface to form a resist pattern, includes the sequential steps of: (A) supplying a developer to the rotating substrate; (B) reacting the resist film with the developer; and (C) removing the developer from the surface of the resist film to terminate the reaction of the resist film with the developer. In the step (A), a liquid-contact nozzle, having an ejection orifice for the developer and a lower surface extending laterally from the ejection orifice and disposed opposite the resist film, is used, and in the step (C), the boundary between a reaction-terminated area of the surface of the resist film, from which the developer has been removed, and an in-progress reaction area of the surface of the resist film, where the reaction of the resist film with the developer is in progress, is moved from the center toward the periphery of the resist film. | 12-17-2015 |
20160026086 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing apparatus includes a first cup module and a second cup module arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction; a first developing solution nozzle configured to wait in a standby position between the first cup module and the second cup module; and a first moving mechanism configured to move the first developing solution nozzle between the standby position and a processing position in which the developing solution is supplied to the substrate, wherein the first developing solution nozzle includes an ejection hole configured to eject the developing solution to form a liquid puddle on a surface of the substrate, the first developing solution nozzle includes a contact portion formed smaller than the surface of the substrate and installed to face the surface of the substrate, and the first developing solution nozzle spreads the liquid puddle on the substrate. | 01-28-2016 |
20160026088 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ORGANIC PROCESSING FLUID FOR PATTERNING OF CHEMICAL AMPLIFICATION TYPE RESIST FILM, ORGANIC PROCESSING FLUID FOR PATTERNING OF CHEMICAL AMPLIFICATION TYPE RESIST FILM, PATTERN FORMING METHOD, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - There is disclosed a method for manufacturing an organic processing fluid for patterning of a chemical amplification type resist film, comprising a step of causing a fluid containing an organic solvent to pass through a filtration device having a fluid input portion, a fluid output portion, and a filtration filter film provided in a flow path that connects the fluid input portion and the fluid output portion with each other, wherein an absolute value (|T | 01-28-2016 |
20160041469 | METHOD FOR PATTERNING PHOTOSENSITIVE RESIN LAYER - A method for patterning a photosensitive resin layer includes a forming process of forming, on a first photosensitive resin layer containing a first resin, a second photosensitive resin layer containing a second resin different from the first resin and a solvent and a patterning process of patterning the first photosensitive resin layer and the second photosensitive resin layer by simultaneously exposing and developing the first photosensitive resin layer and the second photosensitive resin layer, in which the second photosensitive resin layer is a water-repellent layer and the second resin has higher solubility in the solvent than the solubility of the first resin. | 02-11-2016 |
20160054653 | LIQUID PROCESSING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A liquid processing method includes: accommodating a substrate horizontally in each of a first processing region and a second processing region, for performing therein a process on the substrate by a processing solution from a nozzle; rotating a rotary body about a vertical axis; keeping a plurality of processing nozzles provided at the rotary body; supplying different kinds of processing solutions to the substrate from the plurality of processing nozzles; holding a processing nozzle selected from the plurality of processing nozzles by a nozzle holder provided at the rotary body; transferring the nozzle holder into selected one of the first and the second processing regions by a nozzle transfer device; and rotating the rotary body by a rotation driving unit so as to allow a front of the nozzle holder in a forward/backward direction thereof to face the selected one of the first and the second processing regions. | 02-25-2016 |
20160070171 | DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A developing method includes: forming a puddle of a developer on a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit by a first developer nozzle; subsequently spreading the puddle of the developer over the whole substrate surface, by moving the first developer nozzle discharging the developer from a central or peripheral part to the peripheral or central part of the rotating substrate, with a contacting part of the first developer nozzle contacting with the puddle; supplying the developer from a second developer nozzle onto the rotating substrate, thereby to uniformize, in the substrate plane, distribution of a degree of progress of development by the developer spreading step; and removing the developer between the developer spreading step and the developer supplying step to remove the developer on the substrate. | 03-10-2016 |
20160085154 | RESIST PATTERN FORMING METHOD, COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - This resist pattern forming method comprises: a step for coating a substrate with a chemically amplified resist; a subsequent step for forming a latent image of a pattern by exposing the resist film on the substrate; a subsequent step for irradiating the exposed resist film selectively with infrared light from a first heating source having wavelengths 2.0-6.0 μm; a subsequent step for heating the substrate by means of a second heating source that is different from the first heating source for the purpose of diffusing an acid that is produced in the resist film by exposure; and a subsequent step for forming a pattern of the resist film by supplying a developer liquid to the substrate. Consequently, roughening of sidewalls of the resist pattern can be suppressed. | 03-24-2016 |
20160097981 | OPTICAL APPARATUS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD USING THE SAME - An optical apparatus and a manufacturing method using the optical apparatus are disclosed. The optical apparatus includes a stage supporting a substrate, first optical systems providing a first light onto the substrate, a gantry supporting the first optical systems to transfer them on the stage, and second optical systems disposed between the gantry and the stage and detecting displacement of the first optical systems. Each of the second optical systems includes a beam source generating a second light different with the first light, and sensor arrays for sensing the second light provided to the first optical systems to detect displacement of the first optical systems. | 04-07-2016 |
20160109813 | TOOLING CONFIGURATION FOR ELECTRIC/MAGNETIC FIELD GUIDED ACID PROFILE CONTROL IN A PHOTORESIST LAYER - A method of processing a substrate is disclosed herein. The method includes applying a photoresist layer comprising a photoacid generator to a substrate, wherein a first portion of the photoresist layer has been exposed unprotected by a photomask to a radiation light in a lithographic exposure process. The method also includes applying an electric field to alter movement of photoacid generated from the photoacid generator substantially in a vertical direction, wherein the electric field is applied by a first alternating pair of a positive voltage electrode and a negative voltage electrode and a second alternating pair of a positive voltage electrode and a negative voltage electrode. | 04-21-2016 |
20160124307 | SUBSTRATE TREATMENT METHOD, COMPUTER STORAGE MEDIUM AND SUBSTRATE TREATMENT SYSTEM - A substrate treatment method includes: a polymer separation step of phase-separating a block copolymer into a hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic polymer; and a polymer removal step of selectively removing the hydrophilic polymer from the phase-separated block copolymer, wherein in the polymer removal step, the hydrophilic polymer is removed by: irradiating the phase-separated block copolymer with an energy ray; then supplying a first polar organic solvent having a first degree of dissolving the hydrophilic polymer, being lower in boiling point than water and capable of dissolving water, and not dissolving the hydrophobic polymer, to the block copolymer; and then supplying a second polar organic solvent having a second dissolving degree lower than the first dissolving degree, being higher in boiling point than water, and not dissolving the hydrophobic polymer, to the block copolymer. | 05-05-2016 |
20160195811 | DEVELOPING METHOD | 07-07-2016 |
20160202609 | DEVELOPING TREATMENT APPARATUS AND DEVELOPING TREATMENT METHOD | 07-14-2016 |
20170235228 | MULTI-PASS PATTERNING USING NONREFLECTING RADIATION LITHOGRAPHY ON AN UNDERLYING GRATING | 08-17-2017 |
20190146344 | DEVELOPMENT PROCESSING APPARATUS, DEVELOPMENT PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM | 05-16-2019 |