Patent ID: 7955011
Filing Date: 2011-06-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A coating and developing apparatus comprising: a process block including coating film forming parts each for forming a coating film on a substrate, and a developing part for developing a substrate; a carrier block including a transfer mechanism for the carrier block that delivers to the process block a substrate on which a coating film is to be formed, and receives the developed substrate from the process block; and an interface block that receives from the process block the substrate on which the coating film has been formed and delivers the substrate to an exposure apparatus, and receives an exposed substrate from the exposure apparatus and delivers the substrate to the process block; wherein the coating film forming parts and the developing part are vertically arranged in the process block, each of the coating film forming parts includes: one or more liquid process unit(s) for applying a coating liquid to a substrate; a heating process unit for heating a substrate to which the coating liquid has been applied; and a transfer mechanism for the coating film forming part for transferring a substrate between these process units of the liquid process unit(s) and the heating process unit, at least one of the coating film forming parts including a liquid process unit for applying a resist liquid to a substrate, the developing part includes a heating process unit for heating an exposed substrate, a liquid process unit for applying a developing liquid to a substrate, and a transfer mechanism for the developing part for transferring a substrate between these process units of the liquid process unit and the heating process unit, the process block further includes: a plurality of transfer units arranged at height positions respectively corresponding to the coating film forming parts and the developing part, a substrate being transferred between each transfer unit and the corresponding part via the transfer mechanism for the corresponding part; and a vertically movable transfer mechanism for the transfer unit for transferring a substrate between these transfer units, and at least one of the coating film forming parts and the developing part further includes a substrate inspection unit for inspecting a substrate that has been transferred thereto by the transfer mechanism for the corresponding part.