JP2007173365A - System and method for processing application drying - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve throughput of an application drying processing of a substrate. <P>SOLUTION: A resist application processing unit 24 and two reduced pressure drying units 25 and 26 are continuously installed on a linear conveyance line A. In the resist application processing unit 24, resist liquid is continuously applied to two glass substrates G1 and G2 continuously passing a lower part of a nozzle 80 forward and backward and. The glass substrate G1 where application of resist liquid is terminated at first is roller-conveyed along the conveyance line A, passes through the reduced pressure drying unit 25, and is reduced pressure-dried in the reduced pressure drying unit 26. The glass substrate G2 where application of resist liquid is terminated next is roller-conveyed along the conveyance line A, and is reduced pressure-dried in the reduced pressure drying unit 25. The glass substrate G1 where reduced pressure drying is terminated is conveyed to a heating processing unit on a down stream-side along the conveyance line A. The glass substrate G2 passes through the reduced pressure drying unit 26 and is conveyed to the heating processing unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating / drying processing system for coating a substrate with a coating liquid and drying the substrate, and a coating / drying processing method.

  For example, in a photolithography process of a liquid crystal display manufacturing process, a resist coating process for coating a resist solution on a glass substrate and a drying process for drying the glass substrate coated with the resist solution are sequentially performed.

  The resist coating process and the drying process described above are continuously performed, for example, in a substrate transfer line provided with a resist coating processing apparatus and a vacuum drying processing apparatus adjacent to each other (see Patent Document 1).

  However, in this case, the drying process has a longer time than the resist coating process, the processing tact in the substrate transfer line cannot be shortened, and the throughput cannot be sufficiently increased. In order to solve this problem, for example, it is proposed to arrange a plurality of drying processing units adjacent to the periphery of the coating processing unit and transport the substrate of the coating processing unit to each drying processing unit by a dedicated vertical transport unit. (See Patent Document 2).

JP 2002-334918 A JP 2005-142372 A

  However, in the above case, a large dedicated vertical transfer unit is required between the coating processing unit and the drying processing unit, and the footprint increases. Further, since it is necessary to perform strict transfer control such as switching of the transfer destination of the substrate with respect to the vertical transfer unit, the cost for the transfer control is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of such points, and when a coating solution such as a resist solution is applied to a substrate such as a glass substrate and the substrate is dried, the vertical transfer unit as described above is not used. The purpose is to improve the throughput.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a coating / drying processing system for applying a coating solution to a substrate and drying the substrate, comprising a substrate transport path for transporting the substrate in a horizontal direction, and on the substrate transport path. Is provided with a coating processing unit for applying a coating solution to a substrate and a plurality of drying processing units for drying the substrate in series from the upstream side to the downstream side, and each of the drying processing units performs drying processing of the substrate. It has a function of passing the substrate to the downstream side of the substrate transport path without performing the process and a function of stopping the substrate and performing a drying process of the substrate.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of drying processing units are provided on the substrate transport path having the coating processing unit, and each drying processing unit can pass the substrate, so that the substrate coated continuously by the coating processing unit. Can be sequentially transferred to separate drying processing units for drying. For this reason, it is possible to shorten the processing tact in the substrate transport path and improve the throughput. Further, since the vertical transfer unit is not used as in the prior art, the footprint is not increased, and the transfer control cost for the vertical transfer unit is not required.

  The coating processing unit on the substrate transport path may be provided with a nozzle that discharges the coating liquid onto the substrate passing therethrough.

  In the coating processing unit, a plurality of substrates equal to or less than the number of the drying processing units may be continuously conveyed, and the coating solution may be continuously applied to the plurality of substrates by ejection using the nozzles.

  In the coating / drying processing system, the plurality of substrates to which the coating solution is continuously applied are transported to the drying processing unit located on the most downstream side of the empty drying processing units in order from the substrate on which the coating has been completed. You may do it.

  The time from when the coating liquid is applied to the substrate in the coating processing unit until the drying of the substrate is started in the drying processing unit may be controlled to be constant between the substrates.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a coating / drying method for applying a coating liquid to a substrate and then drying the substrate, wherein the coating liquid is applied to a substrate on a substrate conveyance path for conveying the substrate in a horizontal direction. And a plurality of drying processing units for drying the substrate are provided in series from the upstream side to the downstream side, and in each of the drying processing units, the substrate is disposed on the downstream side of the substrate transport path without performing the substrate drying process. Or the substrate is stopped and the substrate is dried.

  In the coating processing unit, the coating liquid may be applied to the substrate by discharging the coating liquid from a nozzle onto the substrate passing therethrough.

  In the coating processing unit, a plurality of substrates equal to or less than the number of the drying processing units are continuously transported, and the coating liquid is continuously applied to the plurality of substrates by ejection by the nozzles. A plurality of substrates to be coated are transported to the drying processing unit located on the most downstream side of the empty drying processing units in order from the substrate on which coating has been completed, and the plurality of substrates are dried in separate drying processing units, respectively. You may do it.

  The time from when the coating solution is applied to the substrate in the coating processing unit until the drying of the substrate is started in the drying processing unit may be constant between the substrates.

  According to the present invention, since it is not necessary to use a vertical transfer unit as in the prior art, the throughput of substrate processing can be improved without increasing the footprint and without cost for transfer control.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a coating and developing treatment apparatus 1 equipped with a coating and drying treatment system according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the coating and developing treatment apparatus 1 includes, for example, a cassette station 2 for loading and unloading a plurality of glass substrates G to the outside in units of cassettes, and a predetermined processing in a single wafer type in a photolithography process. A processing station 3 in which various processing units for performing the processing are arranged, and an interface station 5 provided adjacent to the processing station 3 for transferring the glass substrate G between the processing station 3 and the exposure apparatus 4 are integrated. It has a connected configuration.

  The cassette station 2 is provided with a cassette mounting table 10 that can mount a plurality of cassettes C in a row in the X direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1). The cassette station 2 is provided with a substrate transfer body 12 that can move in the X direction on the transfer path 11. The substrate carrier 12 is also movable in the arrangement direction (Z direction; vertical direction) of the glass substrates G accommodated in the cassette C, and is selected with respect to the glass substrates G in each cassette C arranged in the X direction. Accessible.

  The substrate transport body 12 is rotatable in the θ direction around the Z axis, and can also access an excimer UV irradiation unit 20 and a cooling processing unit 33 on the processing station 3 side described later.

  The processing station 3 includes, for example, two rows of transfer lines A and B extending in the Y direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1). The transfer lines A and B can linearly transfer the glass substrate G in the horizontal direction by roller transfer or transfer by an arm. A transfer line A as a substrate transfer path on the front side of the processing station 3 (the negative side in the X direction (the lower side in FIG. 1)) is, for example, a glass substrate in order from the cassette station 2 side to the interface station 5 side. Excimer UV irradiation unit 20 that removes organic matter on G, scrubber cleaning unit 21 that cleans glass substrate G, heat treatment unit 22 that heat-treats glass substrate G, cooling processing unit 23 that cools glass substrate G, glass substrate Resist coating processing unit 24 as a coating processing unit for applying a resist solution to G, reduced pressure drying units 25 and 26 as drying processing units for drying glass substrate G under reduced pressure, heating processing unit 27, cooling processing unit 28, and substrate G Are arranged in a line in a straight line.

  In the transfer line B on the back side of the processing station 3 (positive side in the X direction (upper side in FIG. 1)), for example, development for developing the glass substrate G in order from the interface station 5 side to the cassette station 2 side. A processing unit 30, an i-line UV irradiation unit 31, a heating processing unit 32, and a cooling processing unit 33 that perform decoloring processing of the glass substrate G are arranged in a straight line.

  Between the outstage 29 of the transport line A and the development processing unit 32 of the transport line B, a transport body 40 that transports the glass substrate G in the meantime is provided. The transport body 40 can transport the glass substrate G to an extension / cooling unit 60 of the interface station 5 described later.

  The interface station 5 is provided with, for example, an extension / cooling unit 60 that has a cooling function and transfers the glass substrate G, a buffer cassette 61 that temporarily stores the glass substrate G, and an external device block 62. The external device block 62 is provided with a titler that exposes a production management code to the glass substrate G and a peripheral exposure device that exposes the peripheral portion of the glass substrate G. The interface station 5 is provided with a substrate transport body 63 capable of transporting the glass substrate G to the extension / cooling unit 60, the buffer cassette 61, the external device block 62 and the exposure device 4.

  Next, the configuration of the resist coating processing unit 24 and the reduced pressure drying units 25 and 26 constituting the coating and drying processing system according to the present embodiment will be described.

  For example, the resist coating unit 24 is provided with a stage 70 that is long in the Y direction along the transfer line A as shown in FIGS. A large number of gas jets 71 are formed on the upper surface of the stage 70 as shown in FIG. A pair of first guide rails 72 extending in the Y direction are formed on both sides of the stage 70 in the width direction (X direction). The first guide rail 72 is provided with two holding arms 73 and 74 that move on the first guide rail 72 while holding both ends of the glass substrate G in the width direction. By ejecting gas from the gas ejection port 71, the glass substrate G is levitated, the levitated glass substrate G is held by the holding arm 73 or 74, and the glass substrate G is moved along the transfer line A. it can. The two glass arms G can be simultaneously conveyed on the stage 70 by the two holding arms 73 and 74.

  On the stage 70 of the resist coating unit 24, a nozzle 80 for discharging a resist solution onto the glass substrate G is provided. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the nozzle 80 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the X direction. The nozzle 80 is formed longer than the width of the glass substrate G in the X direction, for example. A slit-like discharge port 80a is formed at the lower end of the nozzle 80 as shown in FIG. A resist solution supply pipe 82 communicating with the resist solution supply source 81 is connected to the upper portion of the nozzle 80.

  As shown in FIG. 3, second guide rails 83 extending in the Y direction are formed on both sides of the nozzle 80. The nozzle 80 is held by a nozzle arm 84 that moves on the second guide rail 83. The nozzle 80 can be moved in the Y direction along the second guide rail 83 by the drive mechanism of the nozzle arm 84. For example, the nozzle arm 84 is provided with a lifting mechanism, and the nozzle 80 can be lifted to a predetermined height. With such a configuration, the nozzle 80 can move between a discharge position E for discharging the resist solution onto the glass substrate G and a later-described rotary roll 90 and a standby portion 91 on the negative side in the Y direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a rotary roll 90 for performing trial ejection of the nozzle 80 is provided on the upstream side of the discharge position E of the nozzle 80, that is, on the Y direction negative direction side of the discharge position E of the nozzle 80. ing. The rotary roll 90 is formed longer than, for example, the nozzle 80 with the rotation axis directed in the X direction. The rotating roll 90 is accommodated in a cleaning tank 91 for cleaning the rotating roll 90, for example. The resist solution is discharged from the discharge port 80a to the rotary roll 90 while the discharge port 80a of the nozzle 80 is brought close to the uppermost part of the rotary roll 90 and rotated. It is possible to stabilize the discharge state of the resist solution.

  A standby portion 92 of the nozzle 80 is provided further upstream of the rotary roll 90. For example, the standby unit 92 has a function of cleaning the nozzle 80 and a function of preventing the nozzle 80 from drying.

  A plurality of rolls R are linearly arranged on the transport line A downstream from the resist coating unit 24 configured as described above, that is, the transport line A from the resist coating unit 24 to the outstage 29. The glass substrate G can be rolled.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the vacuum drying units 25 and 26 are arranged in series on the roller conveyance line A from the upstream side to the downstream side. The reduced pressure drying unit 25 includes a reduced pressure chamber 100 that accommodates the glass substrate G on the roll R. A carry-in port 101 is formed on the side wall on the upstream side (negative direction side in the Y direction) of the transfer line A of the decompression chamber 100. A gate valve 102 is provided at the carry-in port 101. A carry-out port 103 is formed on the side wall on the downstream side (Y-direction positive direction side) of the decompression chamber 100, and a gate valve 104 is provided at the carry-out port 103. An exhaust pipe 106 that communicates with a negative pressure generator 105 such as a vacuum pump is connected to the upper wall of the decompression chamber 100. By closing the gate valves 102 and 104 and exhausting from the exhaust pipe 106, the inside of the decompression chamber 100 can be decompressed, and the glass substrate G in the decompression chamber 100 can be dried. Further, by opening the gate valves 102 and 104, a transfer passage that enters from the carry-in port 101 and passes through the decompression chamber 100 and exits from the carry-out port 103 can be formed.

  The vacuum drying unit 26 has the same configuration as the vacuum drying unit 25. The decompression drying unit 26 includes a decompression chamber 110, and includes a carry-in port 111 and a gate valve 112 on the upstream side wall of the decompression chamber 110, and a carry-out port 113 and a gate valve 114 on the downstream side wall. An exhaust pipe 116 communicating with the negative pressure generator 115 is connected to the upper wall of the decompression chamber 110.

  As described above, since the reduced-pressure drying units 25 and 26 are provided along the roll R of the transport line A, the glass substrate G can be loaded and stopped to perform the drying process. It can also be passed downstream without drying.

  The operation of the resist coating processing unit 24 such as driving of the transfer arms 73 and 74, the operation of the gate valve and the negative pressure generator of the reduced pressure drying units 25 and 26, the operation of the roll R, etc. are controlled by the control shown in FIG. Controlled by the unit 120. The control unit 120 can control the operations of the resist coating unit 24, the reduced pressure drying units 25 and 26, the roll R, and the like to perform a predetermined coating and drying process on the glass substrate G.

  Next, the process of the coating / drying process in the coating / drying processing system configured as described above will be described together with the process of the photolithography process performed in the coating and developing treatment apparatus 1.

  First, a plurality of glass substrates G in the cassette C of the cassette station 2 are sequentially transferred to the excimer UV irradiation unit 20 of the processing station 3 by the substrate transfer body 12. The glass substrate G is disposed along the transport line A with an excimer UV irradiation unit 20, a scrubber cleaning unit 21, a heat treatment unit 22, a cooling treatment unit 23, a resist coating treatment unit 24, a reduced pressure drying unit 25 or 26, and a heat treatment unit 27. And it is conveyed to the cooling processing unit 28 in order, and predetermined processing is performed in each processing unit. The glass substrate G that has been cooled is transferred to the outstage 29. Thereafter, the glass substrate G is transported to the interface station 5 by the transport body 40 and is transported to the exposure apparatus 4 by the substrate transport body 63.

  The glass substrate G that has been subjected to the exposure processing in the exposure apparatus 4 is returned to the interface station 5 by the substrate transport body 63 and transported to the development processing unit 30 of the processing station 3 by the transport body 40. The glass substrate G is transferred along the transfer line B to the development processing unit 30, the i-line UV irradiation unit 31, the heating processing unit 32, and the cooling processing unit 33 in order, and predetermined processing is performed in each processing unit. The glass substrate G that has been subjected to the cooling process in the cooling processing unit 33 is returned to the cassette C of the cassette station 2 by the substrate carrier 12, and a series of photolithography steps is completed.

  Next, the process of coating and drying will be described. 6-9 is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the coating-drying processing system in each step of this coating-drying process.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6A, for example, the apparatus waits on the stage 70 of the resist coating unit 24 in a state where two glass substrates G1 and G2 are connected in the front-rear direction. At this time, the glass substrates G1 and G2 are held by holding arms 73 and 74, respectively. During this standby, the nozzle 80 moves from the standby unit 92 onto the rotary roll 90 as shown in FIG. In a state where the rotating roll 90 is rotated, the resist solution is discharged from the nozzle 80 to the rotating roll 90, and the resist solution is tried out. Thereafter, the nozzle 80 moves to a predetermined discharge position E. Then, after the previous glass substrate G0 is carried out from the vacuum drying unit 25 as shown in FIG. 6B, the two glass substrates G1 and G2 on the stage 70 are integrated together by the holding arms 73 and 74 at the same time. It is conveyed to the Y direction positive direction side. At this time, the resist solution is discharged from the nozzle 80, and the resist solution is continuously applied to the glass substrates G1 and G2 that pass continuously under the nozzle 80.

  When the front glass substrate G1 passes under the nozzle 80 and the application of the resist solution is completed, the glass substrate G1 is conveyed downstream on the conveyance line A by the roll R as shown in FIG. Then, it passes through the vacuum drying unit 25 and is conveyed to the vacuum drying unit 26. As shown in FIG. 7B, the glass substrate G1 is stopped on the roll R at the center of the decompression chamber 110, and the gate valves 112 and 114 at the entrance and exit are closed. Thereafter, the atmosphere in the decompression chamber 110 is evacuated from the exhaust pipe 116, the interior of the decompression chamber 110 is decompressed, and the drying of the resist solution on the glass substrate G1 is started.

  The rear glass substrate G2 passes below the nozzle 80 following the glass substrate G1. The nozzle 80 applies the resist solution to the glass substrate G2 without stopping the discharge of the resist solution. The glass substrate G2 coated with the resist solution through the lower side of the nozzle 80 is transported to the vacuum drying unit 25 by the roll R on the transport line A as shown in FIG. After the application of the glass substrate G2, the discharge of the nozzle 80 is stopped, and the nozzle 80 is once returned to the standby unit 92.

  The glass substrate G2 conveyed to the vacuum drying unit 25 is stopped at the center of the vacuum chamber 100 as shown in FIG. 8B, and the gate valves 102 and 104 at the entrance and exit are closed. Thereafter, the atmosphere in the decompression chamber 100 is evacuated from the exhaust pipe 106, the interior of the decompression chamber 100 is decompressed, and the drying of the resist solution on the glass substrate G2 is started. When the glass substrate G2 is transferred to the reduced pressure drying unit 25, the next glass substrate G3 is transferred onto the stage 70 by the holding arm 73.

  When the drying process for a predetermined time in the reduced pressure drying unit 26 is completed, the gate valves 112 and 114 are opened as shown in FIG. 9A, and the glass substrate G1 is heated on the downstream side by the roll R on the transport line A. 27 is conveyed. For example, by this time, the next two glass substrates G3 and G4 are in a standby state on the stage 70 in a state where they are connected to each other in the same manner as the glass substrates G1 and G2. In addition, the nozzle 80 moves from the standby unit 92 onto the rotary roll 90, finishes trial ejection, and returns to the discharge position.

  Thereafter, when the drying process is completed in the vacuum drying unit 25, the gate valves 102 and 104 are opened as shown in FIG. 9B, and the glass substrate G2 passes through the vacuum drying unit 26 by the roll R on the transport line A. Then, it is conveyed to the heat treatment unit 27. When the glass substrate G2 is unloaded from the reduced-pressure drying unit 25, the next glass substrates G3 and G4 move to the Y direction positive side in the same manner as the glass substrates G1 and G2, and the resist solution is applied. Thus, the coating and drying process of the two glass substrates G is continuously repeated, and a predetermined number of glass substrates G are processed. This series of coating and drying processes is realized by the control of the control unit 120.

  According to the above embodiment, the two vacuum drying units 25 and 26 are provided in series on the transfer line A, and sometimes the glass substrate G is allowed to pass without being dried, and sometimes the glass substrate G can be dried. Since it did in this way, the two glass substrates G1 and G2 by which the coating process was carried out continuously can be conveyed to each decompression drying unit 26 and 25 arranged in series, and can be dried at the same time. For this reason, even if the drying processing time is longer than the coating processing time, the substrate can be processed with a short tact, and the throughput can be improved. Further, since it is not necessary to use a vertical transport unit as in the prior art, the footprint of the apparatus does not increase, and the cost for transport control of the vertical transport unit does not increase.

  Since the two glass substrates G having the same number as the vacuum drying unit are continuously coated in the resist coating processing unit 24, each glass substrate G can be transported to the respective vacuum drying units immediately after the coating processing is completed. As a result, the time from the coating process to the drying process is shortened, and fluctuations in the coating state of the resist solution due to, for example, the influence of disturbance during that time are suppressed.

  In addition, since the continuously applied glass substrates G1 and G2 are put in order from the vacant downstream vacuum drying unit, all the glass substrates can be accommodated in the vacuum drying unit.

  In the above embodiment, the glass substrates G1 and G2 that have been subjected to the coating process are sequentially transferred to the vacuum drying units 26 and 25, and the glass substrate G1 and G2 starts drying immediately after being loaded into the vacuum drying unit. Has been. In such a case, the glass substrate G1 requires a longer time from the application of the resist solution to the start of the drying process because the reduced-pressure drying unit is farther away than the glass substrate G2. If the time from the application of the resist solution to the start of the drying process is different, for example, the flow state and thermal history of the resist solution until the drying process are different. It is conceivable that the thickness varies between the substrates. Therefore, the required time T from the application of the resist solution to the start of the drying process may be controlled to be constant between the substrates. In this case, for example, after the glass substrate G2 is carried into the vacuum drying unit 25, the vacuum is started after waiting for a predetermined time. For example, when the required time T of the glass substrate G1 is longer by 5 seconds than the glass substrate G2, the drying process of the glass substrate G2 is started after waiting for 5 seconds. By doing so, the time from the application of the resist solution to the start of the drying process becomes constant, and a similar resist film is formed on each glass substrate G.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the spirit described in the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood that it belongs.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the two vacuum drying units 25 and 26 are arranged in series on the transport line A, but three or more vacuum drying units may be arranged in series. In this case, the number of glass substrates G to be continuously applied by ejection from the nozzle 80 may be set according to the number of vacuum drying units. The number of glass substrates G is set equal to or less than the number of vacuum drying units.

  In the resist coating unit 24, the glass substrate G is transported by the holding arms 73 and 74, but it may be roller transported. Further, in the vacuum drying units 25 and 26, the glass substrate G is roller-transferred, but may be transferred by a transfer arm that moves along the transfer line A. Further, the resist solution is applied to the glass substrate G when the glass substrate G passes below the nozzle 80, but the resist solution is applied to the glass substrate G when the nozzle 80 moves on the glass substrate G. Also good.

  In the above embodiment, the glass substrate G is dried by reduced pressure in the reduced pressure drying unit, but may be dried by heating. In the embodiment described above, the resist solution is applied and dried. However, the present invention can also be applied to other application solutions. The present invention can also be applied to the case where the coating liquid is applied to and dried on other substrates such as an FPD (flat panel display) other than the glass substrate G, a mask reticle for a photomask, and a semiconductor wafer.

  The present invention is useful for improving the throughput of a process of applying a coating liquid to a substrate and drying it.

It is a top view which shows the outline of a structure of the coating-and-development processing apparatus in this Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the longitudinal cross-section which shows the outline of a structure of a resist application | coating process unit. It is a top view which shows the outline of a structure of a resist application | coating process unit. It is explanatory drawing of a nozzle. It is explanatory drawing of the longitudinal cross-section which shows the outline of a structure of a reduced pressure drying unit. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the coating-drying processing system of the state which made the resist coating processing unit wait for two glass substrates. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the application | coating drying processing system of the state which started the coating process of the glass substrate. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the coating-drying processing system of the state which is conveying the front glass substrate which the coating process completed to the pressure reduction drying unit. (B) is an explanatory view showing a coating and drying treatment system in a state where a front glass substrate is dried under reduced pressure in a reduced pressure drying unit and a rear glass substrate is coated. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the coating-drying processing system of the state which is conveying the back glass substrate after the coating process to the pressure reduction drying unit. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the application | coating drying processing system of the state which dries the glass substrate of 2 sheets in a reduced pressure drying unit. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the coating-drying processing system of the state which is carrying out the front glass substrate which the drying process complete | finished from the pressure reduction drying unit. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the application | coating drying processing system of the state which carried out the application | coating process of the next two glass substrates after carrying out the back glass substrate which the drying process complete | finished from the reduced pressure drying unit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Coating / development processing apparatus 24 Resist coating processing unit 25,26 Decompression drying unit 80 Nozzle A Conveyance line R Roll G, G1, G2

Claims (9)

A coating / drying processing system for applying a coating solution to a substrate and drying the substrate,
A board transfer path is provided to transfer the board in the horizontal direction.
On the substrate transport path, a coating processing unit that applies the coating liquid to the substrate and a plurality of drying processing units that dry the substrate are provided in series from the upstream side to the downstream side,
Each of the drying processing units has a function of passing the substrate downstream of the substrate transport path without performing the drying process of the substrate, and a function of stopping the substrate and performing the drying process of the substrate. Processing system. The coating / drying processing system according to claim 1, wherein the coating processing unit on the substrate transport path is provided with a nozzle for discharging a coating liquid onto a substrate that passes therethrough. 3. The coating processing unit can continuously transport a plurality of substrates equal to or less than the number of the drying processing units, and can continuously apply a coating solution to the plurality of substrates by discharging with the nozzle. The coating and drying treatment system described in 1. The plurality of substrates to which the coating liquid is continuously applied are sequentially transported from a substrate on which coating has been completed to a drying processing unit on the most downstream side of empty drying processing units. Item 4. The coating and drying treatment system according to Item 3. The time from when the coating liquid is applied to the substrate in the coating processing unit until the drying of the substrate is started in the drying processing unit is controlled to be constant between the substrates. The coating-drying processing system in any one of -4. A coating / drying method of applying a coating solution to a substrate and then drying the substrate,
On the substrate transport path for transporting the substrate in the horizontal direction, a coating processing unit that applies the coating liquid to the substrate and a plurality of drying processing units that dry the substrate are provided in series from the upstream side to the downstream side.
In each of the drying processing sections, the substrate drying process is performed without passing the substrate drying process, or the substrate drying process is performed by stopping the substrate. The coating / drying processing method according to claim 6, wherein in the coating processing unit, the coating liquid is applied to the substrate by discharging the coating liquid from the nozzle to the substrate passing therethrough. In the coating processing unit, a plurality of substrates equal to or less than the number of the drying processing units are continuously transported, and the coating liquid is continuously applied to the plurality of substrates by ejection by the nozzles. A plurality of substrates to be coated are transported to the drying processing unit located on the most downstream side of the empty drying processing units in order from the substrate on which coating has been completed, and the plurality of substrates are dried in separate drying processing units, respectively. The coating and drying treatment method according to claim 7, wherein: The time from when the coating solution is applied to the substrate in the coating processing unit until the drying of the substrate is started in the drying processing unit is made constant between the substrates. The coating and drying treatment method according to any one of the above.

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