Method of coating film, coating unit, aging unit, solvent replacement unit, and apparatus for coating film

Abstract

Prior to transfer of an wafer W, a mixed gas is being generated and exhausted, thereby fluctuation of concentration and temperature of a solvent component at the beginning of gas introduction into a chamber 3 is suppressed. A step of gelling after the wafer W is carried into an aging unit is divided into several steps. Until a temperature of the wafer W reaches a predetermined treatment temperature, an average concentration of the solvent component in a mixed gas is gradually raised relative to the temperature of the wafer W. Thereby, immediately after the wafer W is transferred into a sealed chamber, the gas of the solvent component is prevented from condensing.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A method of forming a film, comprising: 
 forming a film by coating, on a surface of a substrate, a coating liquid in which particles or colloids of a starting substance of a film component are dispersed in a solvent;    gelling the particles or the colloids in the film; and    dispensing, on the surface of the substrate, at least 2 kinds of replacement solvents different from the solvent by switching them sequentially;    wherein switching of the replacement solvent to be fed is carried out by, after subsequent replacement solvent is began in dispensing while dispensing a preceding replacement solvent, stopping dispensing of the preceding replacement solvent.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13:   wherein the at least 2 kinds of solvents are dispensed to the substrate from a common solvent dispensing portion.    
   
   
       15 . The method  claim 13:   wherein the at least 2 kinds of solvents are dispensed to the substrate from separate solvent dispensing portions.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13:   wherein the dispensing by switching sequentially the replacement solvent comprises dispensing on the substrate an alcohol, a hydrophobic treatment liquid, and a solvent of smaller surface tension than solvents included in the coating liquid in this order.    
   
   
       17 - 25 . (canceled)  
   
   
       26 . A method of forming a film, comprising: 
 coating, on a surface of a substrate, a solvent which is of lower viscosity than that of the most viscous solvent component of a coating liquid in which particles or colloids of a starting substance of a film component are dispersed in a solvent, and which dissolves the starting substance;    forming a film by coating the coating liquid on the surface of the substrate; and    gelling the particles or colloids in the film.    
   
   
       27 . The method of forming a film of  claim 26:   wherein a solution of lower viscosity than the most viscous component among the solvent components is one solvent component of the coating liquid.    
   
   
       28 . The method of forming a film of  claim 26:   wherein the solution of lower viscosity than that of the most viscous solvent component is an alcohol.    
   
   
       29 . The method of forming a film of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 a solvent replacement step of dispensing a solvent different from the solvent on the surface of the substrate thereon the film is formed and gelling treatment is carried out, and of replacing the solvent in the film by the different solvent.    
   
   
       30 - 47 . (canceled)