Patent ID: 6079428
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G03F,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for removing a coated film from a peripheral portion of a substrate, comprising:a substrate holding section for holding a rectangular substrate substantially horizontal such that a film-coated surface of said substrate faces upward;a surrounding member for surrounding a peripheral portion of the substrate held by said substrate holding section;a solvent discharge section mounted to face an upper peripheral portion of the substrate held by said substrate holding section, rotatable about its longitudinal axis, and having a solvent discharge port substantially equal in length to one side of the rectangular substrate;a solvent supply mechanism for supplying a solvent capable of dissolving said coated film into said solvent discharge section;a solvent discharge rate control mechanism for controlling the discharge rate of the solvent from said solvent discharge section;a rotating mechanism for rotating the solvent discharge section about its longitudinal axis between a first position in which said solvent discharge port faces perpendicularly downward the front surface of the substrate and a second position in which the solvent discharge port obliquely faces a peripheral portion on the front surface of the substrate;a suction discharge mechanism including a suction discharge passageway for discharging by suction the coated film dissolved in the solvent and the solvent itself; andcontrol means for controlling the operation of each of the solvent discharge rate control mechanism and the rotating mechanism;wherein said control means controls the rotating mechanism, while allowing the solvent to be discharged from the solvent discharge port, to be rotated from the first position to said second position and also controls the solvent discharge rate control mechanism to permit the solvent to be discharged from the solvent discharge port in a larger amount when the solvent discharge port is in the second position than in the first position.