Patent ID: 7793609
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A coating and developing apparatus comprising: a carrier block, a process block, and an interface block connectable to an exposure apparatus, wherein the coating and developing apparatus is configured, upon connection of said coating and developing apparatus with the exposure apparatus, to perform operations including: transferring a substrate carried into the carrier block by using a carrier to the process block; coating the substrate with a coating film including a resist film in the process block; sending the substrate to the exposure apparatus through the interface block; developing the substrate, which has been exposed and returned to the process block through the interface block, in the process block; and then transferring the substrate to the carrier block, wherein: (a) the process block is provided with a plurality of unit blocks each including: a liquid processing unit that applies a chemical liquid onto a substrate; a heating unit that heats a substrate; a cooling unit that cools a substrate; and a conveyer for the unit block that transfers a substrate among those units, and wherein each of the unit blocks is provided therein with a conveying passage extending from a carrier-block side thereof to an interface-block side thereof; (b) the process block is provided with a first unit-block stack formed by stacking a plurality of unit blocks and a second unit-block stack formed by stacking a plurality of unit blocks, wherein the first unit-block stack is disposed on a carrier-block side and the second unit-block stack is disposed on a interface-block side; (c) intermediate stages are disposed between the first unit-block stack and the second unit-block stack such that each of the intermediate stages is disposed between unit blocks located on the same level to transfer a substrate therebetween; (d) the first unit-block stack comprises: a unit block for bottom antireflective film formation including a liquid processing unit that applies a chemical liquid for forming a bottom antireflective film to a substrate before a resist liquid is applied to the substrate; a unit block for resist film formation including a liquid processing unit that applies a resist liquid to a substrate; and a unit block for development including a liquid processing unit that applies a developing liquid to an exposed substrate to develop the same; (e) the second unit-block stack comprises: a unit block for resist film formation including a liquid processing unit that applies a resist liquid to a substrate; a unit block for top antireflective film formation including a liquid processing unit that applies a chemical liquid for forming a top antireflective film to a substrate after a resist liquid is applied to the substrate; and a unit block for development including a liquid processing unit that applies a developing unit to an exposed substrate to develop the same; (f) the unit block for resist film formation of the second unit-block stack is located on the same level as that of the unit block for bottom antireflective film formation of the first unit-block stack; the unit block for top antireflective film formation of the second unit-block stack is located on the same level as that of the unit block for resist film formation of the first unit-block stack; and the unit block for development of the second unit-block stack is located on the same level as that of the unit block for development of the first unit-block stack; (g) said coating and developing apparatus includes a controller that controls operations of said coating and developing apparatus to achieve processing modes including: a first processing mode in which an antireflective film is formed on the substrate in the unit block for bottom antireflective film formation of the first unit-block stack; the substrate is transferred through an intermediate stage corresponding to said unit block for bottom antireflective film formation of the first unit-block stack to the unit block for resist film formation of the second unit-block stack; and in which unit block a resist film is formed on the substrate; and a second processing mode in which a resist film is formed on the substrate in the unit block for resist film formation of the first unit-block stack; the substrate is transferred through an intermediate stage corresponding to said unit block for resist film formation of the first unit-block stack to the unit block for top antireflective film formation of the second unit-block stack; and in which unit block an antireflective film is formed on the substrate.