JP6831406B2 - Coating device and coating method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coating apparatus and a coating method for supplying a treatment liquid to the upper surface of the substrate while moving the substrate floated by the coating stage. The substrates include FPD glass substrates such as liquid crystal display devices and organic EL display devices, semiconductor wafers, photomask glass substrates, color filter substrates, recording disk substrates, solar cell substrates, and electronic paper substrates. Etc., substrates for precision electronic devices, substrates for semiconductor packages, etc. are included.

In the manufacturing process of electronic parts such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices, a coating device is used in which a treatment liquid is supplied and applied to the upper surface of a substrate. For example, in the coating apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the processing liquid is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate from the discharge port of the nozzle while the substrate is floated from the stage and the substrate is moved in the longitudinal direction of the stage. Apply the treatment solution to almost the entire area.

JP-A-2018-43200

In order to levitate the substrate from the stage, the stage is provided with a plurality of openings having spouts for ejecting gas, and high-pressure gas is ejected upward from each spout, and the substrate is placed in a horizontal posture by the gas pressure. It's floating. Then, the substrate moving portions arranged on both sides in the width direction of the stage hold the substrate floating on the stage and move the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the stage. In the region of the stage located below the nozzle, in order to accurately define the distance between the nozzle discharge port and the upper surface of the substrate, the so-called coating gap, suction is mixed in the ejection port and sucks gas in the region. Many openings with mouths are also provided. More specifically, a plurality of openings are regularly provided in a matrix on the upper surface of the stage. As a result, below the nozzle, the substrate is stably levitated in a state of being close to the upper surface of the stage, for example, with a gap of about several tens of microns.

Thus, below the nozzle, the substrate is in close proximity to the top surface of the stage. Therefore, the substrate is susceptible to temperature changes due to thermal transfer from the stage. Moreover, on the entire upper surface of the stage, openings are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix in which the longitudinal direction of the stage (the moving direction of the substrate) is a row and the width direction of the substrate is a row. For this reason, in the substrate that moves in the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of the stage, the temperature of the striped portion that continuously passes above the opening becomes relatively low due to the presence of the spout and the suction port, while other than that. At the site, the temperature is relatively high due to strong thermal transfer from the stage. In this way, the thermal effect from the stage to the substrate is biased in the width direction of the substrate, causing temperature unevenness. As a result, coating unevenness extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the substrate may occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a substrate is provided by a coating stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking a gas. An object of the present invention is to suppress the occurrence of coating unevenness in a coating apparatus and a coating method in which a treatment liquid is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate while moving the substrate in a floating state.

A first aspect of the present invention is a coating device, which has a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas, and a plurality of openings. The treatment liquid is supplied to the coating stage that floats the substrate above the opening, the substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction, and the upper surface of the substrate that is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion. The coating stage includes a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and a downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. It has a downstream levitation region located on the side, and the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region all have an opening line in which a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction in the horizontal plane. The substrates are levitated by arranging them in orthogonal column directions, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged. In the opening row, the openings are divided into three arrangement groups, each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction, and the positions of the arrangement groups in the column direction are different from each other .
A second aspect of the present invention is a coating device, which has a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas, and a plurality of openings. The treatment liquid is supplied to the coating stage that floats the substrate above the opening, the substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction, and the upper surface of the substrate that is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion. The coating stage includes a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and a downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. It has a downstream levitation region located on the side, and the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region all have an opening line in which a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction in the horizontal plane. The substrates are levitated by arranging them in orthogonal column directions, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are openings in the opening row. Is divided into three array groups, each array group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction, the positions of the array groups in the column direction are different from each other, and in the downstream levitation region, there are 3 openings in each opening row. It is divided into two sequence groups, and the row positions of the sequence groups are different from the row positions on the upstream side levitation region side.
A third aspect of the present invention is a coating device, which has a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas, and a plurality of openings. The treatment liquid is supplied to the coating stage that floats the substrate above the opening, the substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction, and the upper surface of the substrate that is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion. The coating stage includes a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and a downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. It has a downstream levitation region located on the side, and the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region all have an opening line in which a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction in the horizontal plane. The substrates are levitated by arranging them in orthogonal column directions, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged. In the opening row, the openings are divided into three arrangement groups, each arrangement group is arranged in the direction parallel to the moving direction, the positions of the arrangement groups in the column direction are different from each other, and the upstream side levitation across the coating levitation area. It is characterized in that the region and the downstream levitation region are symmetrical.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a coating device, which has a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas, and a plurality of openings. The treatment liquid is supplied to the coating stage that floats the substrate above the opening, the substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction, and the upper surface of the substrate that is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion. The coating stage includes a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and a downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. It has a downstream levitation region located on the side, and the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region all have an opening line in which a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction in the horizontal plane. The substrates are levitated by arranging them in orthogonal column directions, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged. The opening is divided into two arrangement groups in the opening row, each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction, and the positions of the arrangement groups in the column direction are different from each other.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is a coating method, which is a levitation stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas. The first step of moving the substrate in the moving direction while floating the substrate above the plurality of openings, and the second step of supplying the treatment liquid from the nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate moved in the moving direction and applying the treatment liquid. In the first step, the coating levitation region is located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region is located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and is located downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A total of a plurality of openings arranged along the moving direction with the downstream levitation area are arranged in a column direction orthogonal to the moving direction in the horizontal plane, and a plurality of opening lines are arranged in the moving direction in the coating levitation area. In the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows divide the openings into three arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group is in a direction parallel to the moving direction. It is characterized in that the substrate is levitated by a levitation stage, which is arranged and the positions of each array group in the row direction are different from each other .
A sixth aspect of the present invention is a coating method, wherein a levitation stage has a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas. A first step of moving the substrate in the moving direction while floating above the opening of the substrate, and a second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate to be moved in the moving direction and applying the treatment liquid are provided. In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side located downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A plurality of openings arranged along the movement direction in total with the levitation region are arranged in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction in the horizontal plane, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged with respect to the movement direction. In the upstream levitation region, multiple opening rows divide the openings into three array groups in the opening row, each array group is arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction, and each in the column direction. The positions of the arrangement groups are different from each other, and in the downstream levitation region, the openings are divided into three arrangement groups in each opening row, and the column positions of the arrangement groups are different from the column positions on the upstream levitation region side. It is characterized in that the substrate is levitated by a levitating stage.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is a coating method, wherein a levitation stage has a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas. A first step of moving the substrate in the moving direction while floating above the opening of the substrate, and a second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate to be moved in the moving direction and applying the treatment liquid are provided. In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side located downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A plurality of openings arranged along the movement direction in total with the levitation region are arranged in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction in the horizontal plane, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged with respect to the movement direction. In the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows divide the openings into three arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction. The position of each array group in the row direction is different from each other, and the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region are symmetrical with the coating levitation region in between, and the substrate is levitated by a levitation stage.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is a coating method, wherein a plurality of levitation stages have a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting a gas upward and a plurality of openings having a suction port for sucking the gas. A first step of moving the substrate in the moving direction while floating above the opening of the substrate, and a second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate to be moved in the moving direction and applying the treatment liquid are provided. In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side located downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A total of a plurality of openings arranged along the movement direction with the levitation region are arranged in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction in the horizontal plane, and in the coating levitation region, a plurality of opening rows are arranged with respect to the movement direction. In the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of opening rows divide the openings into two arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction. , The position of each arrangement group in the row direction is different from each other, and the substrate is levitated by a levitating stage.

In the invention configured in this way, in at least one of the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of openings constituting the opening row are dispersed in the column direction for each opening row. Are arranged. For this reason, the opportunity for thermal transfer from the non-opening region to the substrate in close proximity to the region of the upper surface of the levitation stage where no opening is provided (hereinafter referred to as “non-opening region”) is dispersed, and the row direction The bias of the thermal effect in (the width direction of the substrate) is reduced.

As described above, in at least one of the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of openings constituting the opening row are dispersed and arranged in the column direction for each opening row. Therefore, it is possible to suppress temperature unevenness and suppress the occurrence of coating unevenness.

It is a figure which shows typically the whole structure of 1st Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the substrate processing apparatus seen from the vertical direction. It is a top view which removed the coating mechanism from FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage. It is a graph which shows the change of the coating property according to the arrangement structure of an opening. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage in the 2nd Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage in 3rd Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage in 4th Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage in 5th Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage in 6th Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement structure of the opening in the coating stage in 7th Embodiment of the coating apparatus which concerns on this invention.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of a first embodiment of the coating apparatus according to the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the coating apparatus viewed from above vertically. Further, FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2 with the coating mechanism removed. This coating device 1 is a slit coater that supplies a coating liquid to the upper surface Sf of the substrate S, which is conveyed in a horizontal posture from the left-hand side to the right-hand side in FIG. 1, as an example of the "treatment liquid" of the present invention. is there. In each of the following figures, in order to clarify the arrangement relationship of each part of the device, the transport direction of the substrate S is referred to as "X direction", and the horizontal direction from the left hand side to the right hand side of FIG. 1 is referred to as "+ X direction". , The reverse direction is referred to as "-X direction". Further, of the horizontal directions Y orthogonal to the X direction, the front side of the device is referred to as "-Y direction", and the back side of the device is referred to as "+ Y direction". Further, the upward direction and the downward direction in the vertical direction Z are referred to as "+ Z direction" and "-Z direction", respectively.

First, an outline of the configuration of the coating device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1, and then a more detailed structure of each part will be described. The basic configuration and operating principle of the coating device 1 are the same as those described in Japanese Patent No. 5346643 previously disclosed by the applicant of the present application. Therefore, in the present specification, among the respective configurations of the coating apparatus 1, those to which the same configurations as those described in these publicly known documents can be applied, and those whose structures can be easily understood from the descriptions in these documents. The detailed description will be omitted, and the characteristic parts of the present embodiment will be mainly described.

In the coating device 1, the input conveyor 100, the input transfer unit 2, the levitation stage unit 3, the output transfer unit 4, and the output conveyor 110 are arranged in this order in this order along the moving direction X of the substrate S. As will be described in detail below, these form a movement path of the substrate S extending in a substantially horizontal direction. In the following description, when the positional relationship is shown in relation to the moving direction X of the substrate S, "upstream side in the moving direction X of the substrate S" is simply referred to as "upstream side" and "downstream in the moving direction X of the substrate S". The "side" may be simply abbreviated as the "downstream side". In this example, the (−X) side corresponds to the “upstream side” and the (+ X) side corresponds to the “downstream side” relative to a certain reference position.

The substrate S to be processed is carried into the input conveyor 100 from the left hand side of FIG. The input conveyor 100 includes a roller conveyor 101 and a rotation drive mechanism 102 that rotationally drives the roller conveyor 101, and the rotation of the roller conveyor 101 causes the substrate S to be conveyed in a horizontal posture on the downstream side, that is, in the (+ X) direction. The input transfer unit 2 includes a roller conveyor 21 and a rotation / elevating drive mechanism 22 having a function of rotationally driving the roller conveyor 21 and a function of raising and lowering the roller conveyor 21. As the roller conveyor 21 rotates, the substrate S further moves in the (+ X) direction and is conveyed toward the levitation stage portion 3. Further, the vertical position of the substrate S is changed by moving the roller conveyor 21 up and down. The substrate S is transferred from the input conveyor 100 to the levitation stage unit 3 by the input transfer unit 2 configured in this way.

The levitation stage portion 3 includes a flat plate-shaped stage divided into three along the moving direction X of the substrate. That is, the levitation stage portion 3 includes an inlet levitation stage 31, a coating stage 32, and an outlet levitation stage 33, and the upper surfaces of each of these stages form a part of the same plane. A large number of openings having outlets for ejecting compressed air supplied from the levitation control mechanism 35 are provided in a matrix on the upper surfaces of the inlet levitation stage 31 and the outlet levitation stage 33, and are provided from the ejected airflow. The substrate S floats due to the buoyancy generated. In this way, the lower surface of the substrate S is supported in a horizontal posture while being separated from the upper surface of the stage. The distance between the lower surface of the substrate S and the upper surface of the stage, that is, the floating amount can be, for example, 10 micrometers to 500 micrometers. As specific configurations of the inlet levitation stage 31 and the outlet levitation stage 33, for example, those described in Japanese Patent No. 5346643 can be applied.

On the other hand, on the upper surface of the coating stage 32, suction for sucking air between the opening having an outlet for ejecting compressed air (reference numeral 321 in FIG. 4 described later) and the lower surface of the substrate S and the upper surface of the stage The openings having a mouth (reference numeral 322 in FIG. 4 described later) are alternately arranged. The levitation control mechanism 35 controls the amount of compressed air ejected from the ejection port and the amount of suction from the suction port, so that the distance between the lower surface of the substrate S and the upper surface of the coating stage 32 is precisely controlled. As a result, the vertical position of the upper surface Sf of the substrate S passing above the coating stage 32 is controlled to a specified value. The arrangement of the openings in the coating stage 32 is significantly different from that of the conventional apparatus, as will be described in detail later.

A lift pin is provided on the inlet levitation stage 31, and a lift pin drive mechanism 34 for raising and lowering the lift pin is provided on the levitation stage portion 3.

The substrate S carried into the levitation stage unit 3 via the input transfer unit 2 is given a propulsive force in the (+ X) direction by the rotation of the roller conveyor 21 and is conveyed onto the entrance levitation stage 31. The inlet levitation stage 31, the coating stage 32, and the outlet levitation stage 33 support the substrate S in a levitation state, but do not have a function of moving the substrate S in the horizontal direction. The transfer of the substrate S in the levitation stage portion 3 is performed by the substrate moving portion 5 arranged below the inlet levitation stage 31, the coating stage 32, and the outlet levitation stage 33.

The substrate moving portion 5 is attached to a chuck mechanism 51 that supports the substrate S from below by partially abutting the lower peripheral edge portion of the substrate S, and a suction member (reference numeral 513 in FIG. 3 below) at the upper end of the chuck mechanism 51. It is provided with a suction / running control mechanism 52 having a function of applying a negative pressure to a suction pad and a suction groove (not shown) to suck and hold the substrate S and a function of reciprocating the chuck mechanism 51 in the X direction. .. When the chuck mechanism 51 holds the substrate S and the dummy plate, the lower surface of the substrate S and the lower surface of the dummy plate are located higher than the upper surface of each stage of the levitation stage portion 3. Therefore, the substrate S maintains a horizontal posture as a whole by the buoyancy applied from the levitation stage portion 3 while the peripheral portion is attracted and held by the chuck mechanism 51.

The chuck mechanism 51 holds the substrate S carried from the input transfer unit 2 to the levitation stage unit 3 and floated from the upper surface of the stage by the levitation stage unit 3, and the chuck mechanism 51 moves in the (+ X) direction in that state. Then, the substrate S is moved from above the inlet levitation stage 31 to above the exit levitation stage 33 via above the coating stage 32. The substrate S is delivered to the output transfer unit 4 arranged on the (+ X) side of the outlet levitation stage 33.

The output transfer unit 4 includes a roller conveyor 41 and a rotation / elevation drive mechanism 42 having a function of rotationally driving the roller conveyor 41 and a function of raising and lowering the roller conveyor 41. By rotating the roller conveyor 41, a propulsive force is applied to the substrate S in the (+ X) direction, and the substrate S is further conveyed along the moving direction X. Further, the vertical position of the substrate S is changed by moving the roller conveyor 41 up and down. Then, the substrate S is transferred to the output conveyor 110 from above the outlet levitation stage 33 by the output transfer unit 4.

The output conveyor 110 includes a roller conveyor 111 and a rotary drive mechanism 112 that rotationally drives the roller conveyor 111. The rotation of the roller conveyor 111 further conveys the substrate S in the (+ X) direction, and finally outside the coating device 1. Will be paid out to. The input conveyor 100 and the output conveyor 110 may be provided as part of the configuration of the coating device 1, but may be separate from the coating device 1. Further, for example, a substrate dispensing mechanism of another unit provided on the upstream side of the coating device 1 may be used as the input conveyor 100. Further, a substrate receiving mechanism of another unit provided on the downstream side of the coating device 1 may be used as the output conveyor 110.

A coating mechanism 7 for applying the coating liquid to the upper surface Sf of the substrate S is arranged on the moving path of the substrate S moved in this way. The coating mechanism 7 includes a nozzle 71 having a discharge port (not shown) extending in the Y direction, and a maintenance unit 75 for performing maintenance on the nozzle 71. In the nozzle 71, a discharge port is provided at the lower part of the nozzle body with a downward opening, and the coating liquid is supplied from a coating liquid supply unit (not shown) and the coating liquid is discharged from the discharge port.

The nozzle 71 can be moved and positioned in the X direction and the Z direction by the positioning mechanism 73. The positioning mechanism 73 positions the nozzle 71 at the coating position (the position indicated by the dotted line) above the coating stage 32. The coating liquid is discharged from the nozzle 71 positioned at the coating position and coated on the substrate S transported between the coating liquid and the coating stage 32. In this way, the coating liquid is applied to the upper surface Sf of the substrate S.

The maintenance unit 75 includes a butt 751 for storing a cleaning liquid for cleaning the nozzle 71, a preliminary discharge roller 752, a nozzle cleaner 753, and a maintenance control mechanism 754 that controls the operation of the preliminary discharge roller 752 and the nozzle cleaner 753. I have. As a specific configuration of the maintenance unit 75, for example, the configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-240550 can be applied.

At a position where the nozzle 71 is above the preliminary discharge roller 752 and the discharge port faces the upper surface of the preliminary discharge roller 752 (preliminary discharge position), the coating liquid is discharged from the discharge port of the nozzle 71 to the upper surface of the preliminary discharge roller 752. Nozzle. The nozzle 71 is positioned at the preliminary discharge position prior to being positioned at the coating position, and discharges a predetermined amount of the coating liquid from the discharge port to execute the preliminary discharge process. By causing the nozzle 71 before being moved to the coating position to perform the preliminary ejection process in this way, the ejection of the coating liquid at the coating position can be stabilized from the initial stage.

When the maintenance control mechanism 754 rotates the preliminary discharge roller 752, the discharged coating liquid is mixed with the cleaning liquid stored in the vat 751 and recovered. Further, when the nozzle 71 is in the upper position (cleaning position) of the nozzle cleaner 753, the nozzle cleaner 753 moves in the Y direction while discharging the cleaning liquid, so that the coating liquid adhering to the discharge port of the nozzle 71 and its surroundings is formed. Is washed away.

Further, the positioning mechanism 73 can position the nozzle 71 at a position (standby position) where the lower end of the nozzle is housed in the vat 751 below the cleaning position. When the coating process using the nozzle 71 is not executed, the nozzle 71 is positioned at this standby position. Although not shown, a standby pod may be arranged for the nozzle 71 positioned at the standby position to prevent the coating liquid from drying at the discharge port.

In addition, the coating device 1 is provided with a control unit 9 for controlling the operation of each part of the device. The control unit 9 is responsible for storing a predetermined control program and various data, a computing means such as a CPU that causes each part of the device to execute a predetermined operation by executing the control program, and information exchange with a user or an external device. It is equipped with interface means.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement structure of the openings in the coating stage, and the arrangement structure adopted in the conventional example is shown in the column (a), while the arrangement structure adopted in the present embodiment is shown in the column (b). The layout structure that was used is shown. In columns (a) and (b), one column of the opening rows (detailed below) arranged in the moving direction X in the upper drawing is shown by a broken line, and the opening rows of the one column are enlarged. Is shown in the middle row, and an enlarged opening line on the most upstream side in the moving direction X is shown in the lower row. Further, in FIG. 4, for the purpose of easy understanding, the dimensions and numbers of each part of the coating stage 32 are exaggerated or simplified as necessary. Hereinafter, the arrangement of the openings in the coating stage 32 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the coating stage 32 is provided with three levitation regions 32A, 32B, and 32C along the moving direction X. Of these, the levitation region 32B is located below the nozzle 71 positioned at the coating position, and corresponds to an example of the "coating levitation region" of the present invention. Therefore, in the following description, the levitation region 32B is referred to as a "coating levitation region 32B".

Further, the levitation region 32A located on the upstream side of the coating levitation region 32B in the moving direction X narrows the gap between the substrate S carried in from the inlet levitation stage 31 and the coating stage 32 and approaches the upper surface of the stage in the coating levitation region 32B. And feed it into the coating levitation area 32B. As described above, the levitation region 32A corresponds to an example of the "upstream levitation region" of the present invention. Therefore, in the following description, the levitation region 32A will be referred to as an "upstream levitation region 32A".

Further, the levitation region 32C located on the downstream side of the coating levitation region 32B in the movement direction X widens the gap between the substrate S and the coating stage 32 in which the levitation region 32C is moved from the coating levitation region 32B in the movement direction X to the stage at the outlet levitation stage 33. It is sent to the exit levitation stage 33 away from the upper surface. As described above, the levitation region 32C corresponds to an example of the "downstream levitation region" of the present invention. Therefore, in the following description, the levitation region 32C is referred to as a "downstream levitation region 32C".

In the coating stage 32, in order to control the gap between the coating stage 32 and the substrate S with high accuracy, a spout that ejects compressed air in all of the upstream levitation region 32A, the coating levitation region 32B, and the downstream levitation region 32C. A plurality of openings 321 having a suction port for sucking air between the lower surface of the substrate S and the upper surface of the stage are arranged. More specifically, the opening rows 323 in which the openings 321 and 322 are arranged along the moving direction X are arranged in the column direction Y orthogonal to the moving direction X. However, in the coating levitation region 32B, since it is necessary to control the gap with higher accuracy than the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C, as shown in FIG. 4, the opening line 323 in the moving direction X The pitch of the openings 321 and 322 and the pitch of the opening row 323 in the column direction Y are set shorter than those in the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C. In the following, when the openings 321 and 322 will be described without distinction, they will be referred to as "opening 320".

Here, as shown in column (a) of FIG. 4, similarly to the conventional example described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of openings 320 constituting the opening row 323 in all of the opening rows 323 are arranged in a row in the moving direction X. It may be arranged. In this case, as shown in the middle column of column (a) of FIG. 4, in the opening rows 323 arranged in the moving direction X, all the openings 320 are arranged at the same column position Py1 in the column direction Y. Therefore, of the substrate S that moves in the moving direction X above the upper surface of the stage while being close to the upper surface of the stage of the coating stage 32, the striped portion facing the row position Py1 continuously passes above the opening 320. Due to the presence of the spout and suction port, the temperature becomes relatively low. On the other hand, in the substrate portion facing the row position adjacent to the row position Py1, the substrate portion continuously passes above the upper surface of the stage which is separated from the opening 320, and is strongly subjected to thermal transfer from the upper surface of the stage, resulting in a relatively high temperature. Become. In this way, the thermal effect from the coating stage 32 on the substrate S is biased in the row direction Y, that is, in the width direction of the substrate S, and temperature unevenness occurs. As a result, for example, as shown in column (a) of FIG. 5, when the film thickness of the coating liquid actually applied to the upper surface Sf of the substrate S is measured, the film thickness is constant in the width direction Y of the substrate S. Although it falls within the range (T1 ≤ film thickness ≤ T2), the film thickness fluctuates in a cycle corresponding to the pitch of the opening row 323 in the column direction Y, and coating unevenness extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction X of the substrate S is observed. confirmed.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as in the conventional example, the opening rows 323 are arranged in the column direction Y at a narrow pitch in the coating levitation region 32B, and the opening rows 323 are arranged in the column direction in the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C. Although they are arranged in Y at a wide pitch, the arrangement of the openings 320 is different in each opening row 323. More specifically, as shown in column (b) of FIG. 4, in the upstream levitation region 32A, the opening 320 is inclined with respect to the moving direction X in each opening row 323 (in the dotted line Da in the figure). They are arranged at a wide pitch in the direction shown). Therefore, in each opening row 323, the opening 320 constitutes the opening row 323 in the column direction Y, as shown in the lower row in the column (b) of the figure. It is dispersed in the number of openings 320 (9 in the same embodiment). That is, the positions of the openings 320 in the row direction Y are different row positions Py1 to Py9. In this respect, the downstream levitation region 32C is also the same as the upstream levitation region 32A. Further, in the coating levitation region 32B, except that the openings 320 are arranged at a narrow pitch in the inclination direction (the direction indicated by the dotted line Db in the figure) inclined with respect to the movement direction X in each opening line 323. , Same as the upstream levitation area 32A. Further, in the present embodiment, the inclination angle θa of the opening 320 in the upstream levitation region 32A (the inclination angle of the dotted line Da with respect to the movement direction X) and the inclination angle θb of the opening 320 in the coating levitation region 32B (movement direction X). The tilt angle of the dotted line Db with respect to the above and the tilt angle θc of the opening 320 in the downstream levitation region 32C (the tilt angle of the dotted line Dc with respect to the moving direction X) are the following relational expressions | θa | = | θc |> | θb | … Equation (1)
Is set to satisfy.

As described above, in all the levitation regions 32A to 32C, a plurality of openings 320 constituting the opening row 323 are dispersedly arranged in the column direction Y for each opening row 323. Therefore, the opportunity of the non-opening region of the upper surface of the coating stage 32 where the opening 320 is not provided and the substrate S are close to each other and thermally transferred from the non-opening region to the substrate S is also dispersed in the row direction Y, and the substrate S is dispersed. The bias of the thermal effect in the width direction of S (the direction parallel to the column direction Y) is reduced.

In the coating device 1 having such technical features, the control unit 9 executes a processing program stored in advance to control each part, thereby applying the coating liquid to the upper surface of the substrate S as follows. That is, when the coating command is given, the substrate S before coating is transferred from the input conveyor 100 to the levitation stage portion 3. On the other hand, in the maintenance unit 75, the preliminary discharge process is executed for the nozzle 71. After that, the nozzle 71 is moved to the coating position (dotted line position in FIG. 1) above the coating floating region 32B, and the discharge port (not shown) is positioned vertically downward and stands still. Further, at the same time as or before and after the movement of the nozzle 71, the substrate S is levitated and moved in the moving direction X, and the substrate movement is stopped when the region to be coated first on the upper surface Sf of the substrate S is located at the coating position. , The substrate S is in a stationary state (first step). Subsequently, the control unit 9 pumps a fixed amount of the coating liquid to the nozzle 71 for a certain period of time with the discharge port of the nozzle 71 close to the upper surface of the substrate S, and the bead (on the upper surface Sf of the substrate S). (Liquid pool) is formed.

Then, the movement of the substrate S in the moving direction X and the discharge of the coating liquid from the nozzle 71 are executed, and the coating liquid is applied to the upper surface Sf of the substrate S (second step). This continues until the coating liquid is supplied to the entire or part of the upper surface Sf of the substrate S (effective coating surface), and when the coating process is completed, the last region of the upper surface Sf of the substrate S to be coated The movement of the substrate S is stopped while the substrate S is located at the coating position, and the substrate S stands still. After that, the nozzle 71 is moved from the coating position toward the maintenance unit 75. On the other hand, the substrate S coated with the coating liquid is moved again in the moving direction X, and is carried out from the coating device 1 via the output transfer unit 4.

In this way, in the coating device 1, the coating liquid is supplied from the nozzle 71 to the upper surface Sf of the substrate S while the substrate S is moved in the moving direction X while being floated by the coating stage 32 to apply the coating. Therefore, the substrate S receives thermal transfer from the coating stage 32 in the vicinity of the coating stage 32, but as described above, in the present embodiment, the opportunity for thermal transfer from the non-opening region to the substrate S is also dispersed in the column direction Y. , There is little bias in the thermal effect in the width direction (direction parallel to the row direction Y) of the substrate S. Therefore, coating unevenness can be suppressed. When the film thickness of the coating liquid actually applied by the coating device 1 is measured, for example, as shown in column (b) of FIG. 5, the film thickness is in a constant film thickness range (T1 ≤ film) in the width direction Y of the substrate S. The thickness ≤ T2) and the fluctuation of the film thickness are suppressed, and by using the coating device 1 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress coating unevenness and form a good coating liquid film. It has been confirmed that.

Further, when performing the coating process, it is necessary to temporarily stop the movement of the substrate S and let a part of the substrate S stand still while floating on the coating stage 32. In this stationary state, the thermal transfer from the coating stage 32 to the specific portion of the substrate S (the portion waiting above the coating stage 32) is larger than that during movement, but the above-mentioned arrangement structure of the opening 320 is adopted. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the bias of the thermal effect in the width direction of the substrate S and effectively suppress the coating unevenness.

<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement structure of openings in a coating stage according to a second embodiment of the coating apparatus according to the present invention. The major differences between this second embodiment and the first embodiment are (1) the arrangement structure of the opening 320 in the coating levitation region 32B, and (2) the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C. It is the dispersed state of the opening 320 in the above, and the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, the differences will be mainly described, and the same components will be designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

First, the difference (1) will be described. In the first embodiment, the inclination angle θb of the opening 320 in the coating levitation region 32B is set to a value other than zero, but in the second embodiment, the inclination angle θb is set to zero. That is, with respect to the coating levitation region 32B in the second embodiment, the openings 320 are arranged at a narrow pitch in the moving direction X and the plurality of opening rows 323 are arranged in the column direction Y in each opening row 323, as in the conventional example. The plurality of openings 320 are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix in which the moving direction X of the substrate S is a row and the column direction (width direction of the substrate S) Y is a column. It is possible that such an arrangement configuration is suitable for the coating levitation region 32B of the first embodiment.

Next, the difference (2) will be described. In the first embodiment, the column positions of the openings 320 are different from each other in each opening row 323, and the openings 321 and 322 are dispersed in the column direction Y. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the opening 320 is divided into three arrangement groups G1 to G3 in each opening row 323 in the upstream levitation region 32A. In each of the arrangement groups G1 to G3, as shown in the lower drawing of FIG. 6, although the three adjacent openings 320 are arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction X, the arrangement groups G1 to G3 in the column direction Y are arranged. The positions of are the row positions Py1 to Py3, respectively, and are different from each other. Further, the downstream side levitation region 32C also has a similar arrangement structure of the opening 320. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, in the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C, a plurality of openings 320 constituting the opening row 323 are dispersedly arranged in the column direction Y for each opening row 323. The opportunity for thermal transfer from the non-open area to the substrate S is also dispersed in the column direction Y. Therefore, there is little bias in the thermal effect in the width direction of the substrate S (the direction parallel to the row direction Y), and coating unevenness can be suppressed.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement structure of openings in a coating stage according to a third embodiment of the coating apparatus according to the present invention. In the second embodiment, the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C have the same configuration. That is, in the second embodiment, the opening 320 is divided into three arrangement groups in each opening row 323 in the downstream levitation region 32C, and the column positions of each arrangement group are "Py1", "Py2", and "Py3", respectively. ". Therefore, the three array groups of the upstream levitation region 32A and the three array groups of the downstream levitation region 32C are arranged in the moving direction X while having a one-to-one correspondence.

On the other hand, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the opening 320 is divided into three sequence groups G4 to G6 in each opening row 323 in the downstream levitation region 32C, and the sequence groups G4 to G6 are further divided. The row positions are different from the row positions Py1 to py3 on the upstream side levitation region 32A side and the row positions Py4 to py6. By arranging the opening 320 in this way, it is possible to prevent the opening 320 from overlapping in the row direction Y between the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C. As a result, the degree of dispersion of the openings 320 in the coating stage 32 can be increased in the row direction Y, and coating unevenness can be suppressed more effectively. It should be noted that the technical matter of making the row positions of the openings 320 different for each levitation region in this way may be applied to the first embodiment described above and the fourth to seventh embodiments described later. Good.

<Fourth Embodiment>
FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement structure of openings in a coating stage according to a fourth embodiment of the coating apparatus according to the present invention. In the second embodiment, the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C have the same configuration. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the opening 320 may be provided so that the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C are symmetrical with respect to the coating levitation region 32B. Also in the fourth embodiment having such a configuration, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

<Fifth Embodiment>
In the second to fourth embodiments, the openings 320 are distributed to the three arrangement groups G1 to G3 in each opening row 323, but the number of distributions is not limited to this, and 2, 4 Alternatively, it may be set to any of the maximum number (the number of openings 320 forming the opening row 323) (note that the one distributed to the maximum number corresponds to the first embodiment). Hereinafter, the case where the distribution number is set to “2” will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement structure of openings in a coating stage according to a fifth embodiment of the coating apparatus according to the present invention. This fifth embodiment is significantly different from the second embodiment in that the number of distributions of the openings 320 in the upstream levitation region 32A and the downstream levitation region 32C is "2". Others are the same as those in the second embodiment.

In the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the opening 320 is divided into two arrangement groups G1 and G2 in each opening row 323 in the upstream levitation region 32A. More specifically, as shown in the lower drawing of FIG. 9, the openings 321 and 322 are arranged in a zigzag shape along the moving direction X, and move on the upstream side (lower side of the figure) in the row direction Y. The array group G1 is composed of openings 322 arranged parallel to the direction X, while the array group G2 is composed of openings 321 arranged parallel to the moving direction X on the downstream side (upper side in the figure) in the row direction Y. Is configured. The positions of the array groups G1 and G2 in the column direction Y are the column positions Py1 and Py2, respectively, and are different from each other. Further, the downstream side levitation region 32C also has a similar arrangement structure of the opening 320. Therefore, the same effect as that of the second embodiment can be obtained.

<Sixth Embodiment>
In the first to fifth embodiments, the opening rows 323 adjacent to each other in the column direction Y are aligned in the moving direction X in any of the upstream levitation region 32A, the coating levitation region 32B, and the downstream levitation region 32C. However, the adjacent opening rows 323 may be shifted in the moving direction X in any of the floating regions. For example, in the first embodiment, the opening rows 323 adjacent to each other in the column direction Y in the coating levitation region 32B may be arranged with a deviation of half a pitch in the moving direction X, and the openings 320 may be arranged in a zigzag shape (see FIG. 10). ).

<7th Embodiment>
In the first to sixth embodiments, the openings 321 and 322 are alternately arranged in each opening row 323. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the opening rows 323 adjacent to each other in the column direction Y One of them may be composed of the opening 321 and the other may be composed of the opening 322.

<Others>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the first embodiment (column (b) of FIG. 4), the sixth embodiment (FIG. 10), and the seventh embodiment (FIG. 11), the inclination angles θa to satisfy the above relational expression (1). Although θc is set respectively, the magnitude of the inclination angles θa to θc and the inclination direction are arbitrary.

Further, in the second to fifth embodiments, the inclination angle θb of the opening 320 in the coating levitation region 32B is set to zero, but as in the first embodiment and the like, the coating levitation region 32B The inclination angle θb of the opening 320 may be set to a value other than zero.

The present invention can be applied to a general coating technique in which a treatment liquid is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate while moving the substrate floated by the coating stage to apply the coating.

1 ... Coating device 5 ... Substrate moving part 32 ... Coating stage 32A ... Upstream side levitation area 32B ... Coating levitation area 32C ... Downstream side levitation area 71 ... Nozzle 320, 321, 322 ... Opening 323 ... Opening row Py1 to Py9 ... Column Position S ... Board Sf ... Top surface (of board) X ... Moving direction Y ... Row direction

Claims (11)

A coating stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas, and floating the substrate above the plurality of openings.
A substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction,
A nozzle for supplying and applying a processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate, which is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion, is provided.
The coating stage is located in a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. Has a downstream levitation area and
In the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction, and opening rows are arranged in a horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction. The substrate is levitated
In the coating levitation region, the plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction.
In the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the openings into three arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction. A coating device characterized in that the positions of the respective sequence groups in the column direction are different from each other . A coating stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas, and floating the substrate above the plurality of openings.
A substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction,
A nozzle for supplying and applying a treatment liquid to the upper surface of the substrate, which is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion, is provided.
The coating stage is located in a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. Has a downstream levitation area and
In the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction, and opening rows are arranged in a horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction. The substrate is levitated
In the coating levitation region, the plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction.

In the upstream levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the openings into three arrangement groups in the opening row, each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction, and each arrangement in the column direction. The positions of the groups are different from each other

In the downstream levitation region, the opening is divided into three arrangement groups in each opening row, and the column position of each arrangement group is different from the column position on the upstream levitation region side. Coating device. A coating stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas, and floating the substrate above the plurality of openings.
A substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction,
A nozzle for supplying and applying a treatment liquid to the upper surface of the substrate, which is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion, is provided.
The coating stage is located in a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. Has a downstream levitation area and
In the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction, and opening rows are arranged in a horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction. The substrate is levitated
In the coating levitation region, the plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction.
In the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the openings into three arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction. A coating apparatus characterized in that the positions of the array groups in the row direction are different from each other, and the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region are symmetrical with the coating levitation region interposed therebetween . A coating stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas, and floating the substrate above the plurality of openings.
A substrate moving portion that moves the substrate floating on the coating stage in the moving direction,
A nozzle for supplying and applying a treatment liquid to the upper surface of the substrate, which is moved in the moving direction by the substrate moving portion, is provided.
The coating stage is located in a coating levitation region located below the nozzle, an upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and downstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. Has a downstream levitation area and
In the coating levitation region, the upstream levitation region, and the downstream levitation region, a plurality of openings are arranged along the movement direction, and opening rows are arranged in a horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the movement direction. The substrate is levitated
In the coating levitation region, the plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction.
In the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the opening into two arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group is arranged in a direction parallel to the movement direction. A coating apparatus characterized in that the positions of the respective sequence groups in the column direction are different from each other . The coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .
A coating device in which the opening rows arranged in a plurality of column positions are arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the moving direction. The coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .
In the plurality of opening rows, the coating device in which the opening having the spout and the opening having the suction port are alternately arranged. The coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .
A coating device in which the opening having the spout is arranged in one of the two opening rows adjacent to each other in the column direction, and the opening having the suction port is arranged in the other. A moving direction while floating the substrate above the plurality of openings by a levitation stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas. The first step to move to
A second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle and applying the treatment liquid to the upper surface of the substrate that is moved in the moving direction is provided.
In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A total of a plurality of openings are arranged along the moving direction in the horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the moving direction, and in the coating floating area, the opening row is arranged in the horizontal plane. A plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream side levitation region and the downstream side levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the opening into three arrangement groups in the opening row. The coating is characterized in that the substrate is levitated by the levitation stage, wherein the array groups are arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction, and the positions of the array groups in the row direction are different from each other. Method. A moving direction while floating the substrate above the plurality of openings by a levitation stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas. The first step to move to
A second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate to be moved in the moving direction and applying the treatment liquid is provided.
In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A total of a plurality of openings with the downstream levitation region located in the above movement direction are arranged along the movement direction, and the opening rows are arranged in the horizontal plane in the column direction orthogonal to the movement direction, and in the coating levitation region, the said A plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the opening into three arrangement groups in the opening row, and each arrangement group Arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction, the positions of the arrangement groups in the column direction are different from each other, and in the downstream levitation region, the openings are divided into three arrangement groups in each opening row, and each arrangement. A coating method characterized in that the substrate is levitated by the levitating stage in which the row positions of the groups are different from the row positions on the upstream side levitating region side . A moving direction while floating the substrate above the plurality of openings by a levitation stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas. The first step to move to
A second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle and applying the treatment liquid to the upper surface of the substrate that is moved in the moving direction is provided.
In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A total of a plurality of openings are arranged along the moving direction in the horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the moving direction, and in the coating floating area, the opening row is arranged in the horizontal plane. A plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream side levitation region and the downstream side levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the opening into three arrangement groups in the opening row. Each array group is arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction, the positions of the array groups in the column direction are different from each other, and the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region are symmetrical with respect to the coating levitation region. in it, a coating method, characterized in that it is floated to the substrate by the floating stage. A moving direction while floating the substrate above the plurality of openings by a levitation stage having a plurality of openings having an outlet for ejecting gas upward and a plurality of openings having suction ports for sucking gas. The first step to move to
A second step of supplying a treatment liquid from a nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate to be moved in the moving direction and applying the treatment liquid is provided.
In the first step, the coating levitation region located below the nozzle, the upstream levitation region located upstream of the coating levitation region in the moving direction, and the downstream side of the coating levitation region in the moving direction. A total of a plurality of openings are arranged along the moving direction in the horizontal plane in a column direction orthogonal to the moving direction, and in the coating floating area, the opening row is arranged in the horizontal plane. A plurality of opening rows are arranged without inclination with respect to the moving direction, and in the upstream levitation region and the downstream levitation region, the plurality of opening rows divide the opening into two arrangement groups in the opening row. The coating method is characterized in that the substrate is levitated by the levitation stage in which the array groups are arranged in a direction parallel to the moving direction and the positions of the array groups in the row direction are different from each other .

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