Substrate treating apparatus

Abstract

A substrate treating method for treating substrates with a substrate treating apparatus having an indexer section, a treating section and an interface section includes performing resist film forming treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section and performing developing treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
 a treating block, the treating block including a plurality of cells, each cell comprising:
 treating units configured to treat substrates; 
 a single main transport mechanism disposed in a transport space and configured to transport the substrates to the treating units; 
 a blowout unit configured to supply a gas into the transporting space; and 
 an exhaust unit configured to exhaust the gas from the transporting space, 
   wherein the treating units include:
 solution treating units arranged on a first side of the transport space and configured to treat the substrates with solutions; and 
 heat-treating units arranged on a second side of the transport space and configured to heat-treat the substrates; 
   wherein the main transport mechanism comprises:
 a vertical guide rail; 
 a horizontal guide rail; 
 a base; 
 a turntable; and 
 a holding arm; 
   wherein:
 the vertical guide rail guides the horizontal guide rail vertically; 
 the horizontal guide rail guides the base horizontally; 
 the turntable is attached to the base to be rotatable about a vertical axis; 
 the holding arm is attached to the turntable to be movable horizontally and to hold the substrates; and 
 the vertical guide rail is located on the first side of the transport space; and 
   wherein:
 the blowout unit is arranged over the transport space; 
 the exhaust unit is arranged under the transport space; and 
 the blowout unit and the exhaust unit form a down-flow in the transport space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blowout unit is in a form of a flat box having an area substantially equal to that of the transport space;   the blowout unit has gas supply openings formed in a lower surface thereof;   the exhaust unit is in a form of a flat box having an area substantially equal to that of the transport space;   the exhaust unit has gas exhaust openings formed in an upper surface thereof; and   the gas supply openings are arranged in a position higher than the gas exhaust openings.   
     
     
         3 . A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
 a treating block including a plurality of cells, each cell comprising:
 solution treating units configured to treat substrates with solutions; 
 blowout units provided above the solution treating units and configured to blow out a gas downward; and 
 a single main transport mechanism disposed in a transport space and configured to transport the substrates to the solution treating units, 
   wherein:
 at least two of the solution treating units are juxtaposed without a partition wall; 
 the blowout units are provided respectively for the juxtaposed solution treating units; 
 the blowout units supply the gas to the juxtaposed solution treating units; 
 the blowout units of each cell are connected to a common gas supply pipe extending vertically; and 
 the blowout units of each cell supply the gas to the solution treating units. 
   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the juxtaposed solution treating units are arranged on a same level. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the solution treating units include antireflection film coating units configured to apply an antireflection film forming solution to the substrates, and resist film coating units configured to apply a resist film material to the substrates;   the antireflection film coating units of each cell are juxtaposed without a partition wall;   the resist film coating units of each cell are juxtaposed without a partition wall;   the blowout units include a first blowout unit provided for the juxtaposed antireflection film coating units, and a second blowout unit provided for the juxtaposed resist film coating units;   the first blowout unit supplies the gas to the juxtaposed antireflection film coating units; and   the second blowout unit supplies the gas to the juxtaposed resist film coating units.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the solution treating units include developing units configured to supply a developer to the substrates;   at least two of the developing units are juxtaposed without a partition wall;   the blowout units are provided respectively for the juxtaposed developing units; and   the blowout units supply the gas to the respective juxtaposed developing units.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each cell comprises:
 nozzles configured to supply the solutions; and   a moving mechanism configured to move the nozzles to the juxtaposed solution treating units.