Patent ID: 6919913
Filing Date: 2005-07-19
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing units each adapted to process a substrate; a transfer apparatus adapted to convey the substrate between the processing units and including a substrate carrying arm adapted to hold the substrate when the transfer apparatus conveys the substrate; and image pickup means adapted to pick up an image of a member of the processing units or the substrate being placed in the processing units, the image pickup means being mounted to the transfer apparatus such that the image pickup means moves together with the substrate carrying arm at least when the substrate carrying arm is moving in a specific direction; wherein: the plurality of processing units include a resist coating unit having a spin chuck adapted to rotate while holding the substrate, and a nozzle adapted to supply a resist solution onto a center of a surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck; the image pickup means comprises a laser displacement measurement apparatus having a plurality of sensing elements, which are arrayed, each of the sensing elements being adapted to generate a sensing signal which varies depending on a distance between each of the sensing elements and the surface of the substrate; and said substrate processing system further includes a controller configured to recognize, based on the sensing signals generated by the sensing elements, a shape of a peripheral edge of the resist solution spreading outward due to centrifugal force when the substrate supplied with the resist solution is rotated by the spin chuck.