Patent ID: 7665918
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: G03B,G03F,H01L

Abstract:
1. A developing apparatus comprising: plural transversely arranged developing units each provided with a substrate holding device for holding a substrate coated with a resist and processed by an exposure process in a horizontal position and rotating the substrate; a first developer nozzle to be used in common by the plural developing units to pour a developer in a band-shaped flow onto a substrates held by each of the substrate holding devices; a nozzle driving mechanism for carrying the first developer nozzle from one to another of the developing units, and moving the first developer nozzle with one end of a band-shaped area into which the developer is to be poured through the first developer nozzle directed toward the center of the substrate in each of the developing units such that a part in a surface of the substrate onto which the developer is poured moves from a central part toward a peripheral part or from a peripheral part toward a central part in the surface of the substrate to coat the surface of the substrate entirely with a developer film; and second developer nozzles for pouring the developer into a circular area or a band-shaped area of a short length shorter than that of the band-shaped area into which the first developer nozzle pours the developer in a central part of the substrate on which the developer film has been formed by the first developer nozzle to prevent the developer film from drying.