Patent ID: 8941809
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device that subjects a substrate to exposure processing using a liquid immersion method, comprising: a processing section that subjects the substrate to processing; an interface provided adjacent to one end of said processing section for transferring and receiving the substrate between said processing section and said exposure device; and a controller that controls the operations of said processing section and said interface; wherein said processing section includes a film formation unit that forms a first film on a main surface of the substrate, and a thermal processing unit that subjects said first film formed by said film formation unit to thermal processing, one of said processing section and said interface includes a cleaning processing unit that performs cleaning processing of the main surface of the substrate after the thermal processing by said thermal processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, and said interface includes a first inspection unit that inspects a state of the main surface of the substrate after the cleaning processing by said cleaning processing unit and before the exposure processing by said exposure device, wherein said controller determines whether or not the state of the main surface of the substrate is normal based on the result of the inspection by said first inspection unit, and controls said interface to transport each substrate of normal state to said exposure device and not to transport each substrate of abnormal state to said exposure device, said first inspection unit includes an appearance inspection device that inspects the appearance of said first film formed by said film formation unit on said main surface, and said controller is responsive to said appearance inspection device and determines that the state of the substrate is not normal when the appearance of said first film is abnormal in the inspection by said appearance inspection device.