Patent ID: 8453599

Claim:
A resist solution supply apparatus for supplying a resist solution to a coating nozzle for discharging the resist solution to a substrate, said apparatus comprising: a resist solution supply source storing the resist solution containing a fluorine-based resin therein; a supply tube for supplying the resist solution from said resist solution supply source to said coating nozzle; a tank provided at a position in the supply tube between said resist solution supply source and said coating nozzle for storing the resist solution supplied from the resist solution supply source; a filter provided in said supply tube between said tank and said coating nozzle for removing foreign matter in the resist solution; a heating unit provided in the supply tube between the filter and the tank for heating the resist solution in said supply tube to a predetermined temperature higher than a room temperature at which a resist gel in said resist solution starts to aggregate; a cooling unit provided along said supply tube between said filter and said coating nozzle for cooling the resist solution in said supply tube down to the room temperature; a trap provided in the supply tube between the filter and the cooling unit for trapping foreign matter in the resist solution; pump provided in the supply tube between the trap and the cooling unit for pressure-feeding the resist solution from the resist solution supply source to the coating nozzle; a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the heated resist solution in said supply tube; and a control unit for controlling a heating temperature of said heating unit based on a measurement result by said temperature sensor.