The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment includes: a support portion having a placement surface on which a substrate is placed in a horizontal posture; a processing tank configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate and process the substrate; an elevating portion configured to raise and lower the support portion in order to lower the substrate into the processing tank and raise the substrate from the processing tank; a gripping portion configured to grip a periphery of the substrate supported by the support portion above the processing tank, and receive the substrate from the support portion; and a first nozzle configured to emit a gas onto the substrate, gripped by the gripping portion, to dry the substrate.

The disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a plurality of substrates. The apparatus comprising a reactor mounted in the apparatus and configured for processing substrates and a reactor mover for moving the reactor for maintenance. The reactor mover is constructed and arranged with a lift to move the reactor to a lower height to allow for access to the reactor by a maintenance worker.

Apparatus and methods for automatically handling die carriers are disclosed. In one example, a disclosed apparatus includes: at least one load port each configured for loading a die carrier operable to hold a plurality of dies; and an interface tool coupled to the at least one load port and a semiconductor processing unit. The interface tool comprises: a first robotic arm configured for transporting the die carrier from the at least one load port to the interface tool, and a second robotic arm configured for transporting the die carrier from the interface tool to the semiconductor processing unit for processing at least one die in the die carrier.

A substrate treatment method includes a rinsing step of performing treatment of a substrate with a rinse liquid, an immersing step of immersing the substrate in a diluted isopropyl alcohol (dIPA) stored in a treatment tank after the rinsing step, a first isopropyl alcohol treatment step of performing treatment of the substrate with an isopropyl alcohol after the immersing step, and a water-repellent treatment step of performing water-repellent treatment of the substrate after the first isopropyl alcohol treatment step.

A method for preventing a collision in a wafer processing system is provided. The method includes aligning a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is disposed on a predetermined position of an elevating member connected to a bottom of a vertical wafer boat of the wafer processing system, and the second sensor is disposed on a shutter of a chamber of the wafer processing system. The method further includes activating the first sensor and the second sensor to monitor a path alongside the vertical wafer boat when the chamber is closed by the shutter.

A technique for improving uniformity of film thickness on substrates, includes a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate retainer including substrate and partition plate supports; a reaction tube; a first driver vertically moving the substrate retainer into or out of the reaction tube; a second driver vertically moved by the first driver and rotating the substrate retainer to change a distance between a substrate and a partition plate by moving at least one of the substrate or the partition plate support; a heater; a gas supplier comprising a nozzle; a gas exhauster; and a controller controlling the first driver, the second driver and the gas supplier such that a gas is supplied to the substrate while changing at least one of a relative position of the substrate and a relative position of the partition plate with respect to a hole of the nozzle by driving the second driver.

The disclosure relates to a wafer processing apparatus for processing wafers with a rotatable table provided with a support constructed and arranged to support a removable holder for storing a plurality of wafers. A drive assembly may be provided to provide a rotary movement to the rotatable table around a vertical axis perpendicular to the table; and, a supply line may be constructed and arranged to supply utilities to the rotatable table. The drive assembly may be controlled and configured to create the rotary movement of the table in a clockwise and/or an anticlockwise direction to avoid breakage of the supply line.

A method and apparatus for applying an electric field and/or a magnetic field to a photoresist layer without air gap intervention during photolithography processes is provided herein. The method and apparatus include a chamber body, which is configured to be filled with a process fluid, and a substrate carrier. The substrate carrier is disposed outside of the process volume while substrates are loaded onto the substrate carrier, but is rotated to a processing position either simultaneously or before entering the process fluid. The substrate carrier is rotated to a process position parallel to an electrode before an electric field is utilized to perform a post-exposure bake process on the substrate.

A process chamber system adapted for both vacuum process steps and steps at pressures higher than atmospheric pressure. The chamber door may utilize a double door seal which allows for high vacuum in the gap between the seals such that the sealing force provided by the high vacuum in the seal gap is higher than the opposing forces due to the pressure inside the chamber and the weight of the components.

There is provided a technique including a plurality of process chambers to process a substrate; a plurality of standby chambers to accommodate the substrate; a transfer chamber disposed adjacent to the plurality of standby chambers and the plurality of process chambers; a transfer robot in the transfer chamber to transfer the substrate between one of the plurality of process chambers and one of the plurality of standby chambers or between the plurality of standby chambers adjacent to each other across the transfer chamber; a temperature adjustment mechanism to adjust temperature of at least one of the plurality of standby chambers; and a controller capable of controlling the temperature adjustment mechanism to change a mode of temperature adjustment of the at least one of the plurality of standby chambers depending on a transfer path through which the substrate accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of standby chambers passes.