Patent ID: 8268384

Claim:
A substrate processing method, implemented on an apparatus provided with first transfer means for performing delivery of a substrate with respect to a substrate carrier containing a plurality of substrates, second transfer means for performing delivery of the substrate with respect to the first transfer means via a first delivery stage, a plurality of process blocks each including a coating unit for applying a resist solution to the substrate, a developing unit for performing developing processing on the substrate after exposure to light, third transfer means for transferring the substrate between process units, a second delivery stage for performing delivery of the substrate between said second transfer means and said third transfer means, and a controller that monitors each of the process blocks, said plurality of process blocks performing developing processing on the substrate after application of the resist solution and exposure to light in units of each process block, said substrate processing method for performing a series of coating and developing processing in said process blocks with respect to the substrates in said substrate carrier in units of the process blocks, said substrate processing method comprising the steps of: transferring, by the first transfer means, the substrate within the substrate carrier to the first delivery stage; determining, by the controller, the process block of the plurality of process blocks where there is no substrate or the process block of the plurality of process blocks where a final step for the last substrate within the process block will be finished earliest, based on processing information of the substrates in the respective process blocks, before the second transfer means receives the substrate of the first delivery stage; subsequently, the second transfer means receiving the substrate placed on said first delivery stage and transferring the substrate to said determined process block; transferring, by the second transfer means, the substrate, after being coated with the resist solution in the determined process block, to a light exposure device; and transferring, by the second transfer means, the substrate, after exposure to light, to the determined process block in which the resist solution was applied to the substrate, to perform developing processing on the substrate.