Patent ID: 7877895

Claim:
A substrate processing apparatus for performing a heat process on a plurality of substrates each with a coating film formed thereon to bake and cure the coating film, while sequentially transferring the substrates, the apparatus comprising: a substrate supporting section configured to hold each substrate, with the coating film formed thereon, at a preparatory temperature lower than a lower limit of temperature for baking and curing the coating film, to adjust distribution of a predetermined component in the coating film; a heat processing section configured to subject each substrate, with the coating film formed thereon, to a heat process at a temperature not lower than the lower limit of temperature; a transfer mechanism configured to transfer each substrate, with the coating film formed thereon, from the substrate supporting section to the heat processing section; and a control section configured to execute control for distinguishing the substrates from each other in accordance with a first state and a second state where an elapsed time length since formation of the coating film is shorter and not shorter, respectively, than a predetermined time length, holding each substrate having the first state at the preparatory temperature by the heat processing section, and then subjecting the substrate having the first state to a heat process at a temperature not lower than the lower limit of temperature, and subjecting each substrate having the second state to a heat process by the heat processing section at a temperature not lower than the lower limit of temperature, without holding the substrate having the second state at the substrate supporting section.