Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

The transporting process from cleaning and drying processing of a substrate in a cleaning/drying processing unit in a cleaning/drying processing group to post-exposure bake (PEB) of the substrate in a thermal processing group for post-exposure bake in a cleaning/drying processing block is described below. First, after the substrate after exposure processing is subjected to the cleaning and drying processing in the cleaning/drying processing group, a sixth central robot takes out the substrate from the cleaning/drying processing group and carries that substrate into the thermal processing group for post-exposure bake in the cleaning/drying processing block.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus that is arranged adjacent to an exposure device, comprising: 
 a processing section for applying processing to a substrate; and    an interface that is provided adjacent to an end of said processing section, wherein    said interface includes a first transport device that transports the substrate between said processing section and said exposure device,    said processing section includes    a drying processing unit that is provided adjacent to said interface for applying drying processing to the substrate,    a thermal processing unit that applies thermal processing to the substrate, and    a second transport device that transports the substrate, wherein    said first transport device transports the substrate to which exposure processing is applied by said exposure device to said drying processing unit, and    said second transport device transports the substrate to which processing is applied by said drying processing unit to the thermal processing unit.    
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said dying processing unit further cleans the substrate before the drying processing.    
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said interface further includes a platform on which the substrate is temporarily placed,    said platform includes a temperature control waiting unit that makes the substrate wait until the following step is ready while keeping the substrate at a predetermined temperature.    
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said interface that is provided between said processing section and said exposure device exchanges the substrate through said temperature control waiting unit between said processing section and said exposure device.    
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said temperature control waiting unit is used for transferring the substrate before said exposure processing from said processing section to said exposure device, and    said substrate processing apparatus further includes a substrate platform on which the substrate is temporarily placed when the substrate after said exposure processing is transferred from said exposure device to said processing section.    
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said predetermined temperature is substantially equal to a temperature in said exposure device.    
   
   
       7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said processing section includes a photosensitive film formation unit that forms a photosensitive film made of a photosensitive material on the substrate before said exposure processing, and    a hydrophobic processing unit that applies hydrophobic processing to the substrate after the formation of said photosensitive film by said photosensitive film formation unit and before said exposure processing.    
   
   
       8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 said processing section further includes a protective film formation unit that forms a protective film for protecting said photosensitive film, and    said hydrophobic processing unit applies the hydrophobic processing to said protective film formed by said protective film formation unit.    
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said processing section further includes a removal unit that removes said protective film after said exposure processing.    
   
   
       10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said first transport device includes first and second holders that hold the substrate,    said first holder holds the substrate when the substrate before said exposure processing is transported, and    said second holder holds the substrate when the substrate after said exposure processing is transported.    
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 said second holder is provided below said first holder.    
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said processing section includes a development processing unit that applies development processing to the substrate.    
   
   
       13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said processing section further includes an anti-reflection film formation unit that forms an anti-reflection film on the substrate before the formation of said photosensitive film by said photosensitive film formation unit.