A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a first solidifier and a second solidifier. The first solidifier solidifies a liquid to be solidified adhering to a front surface of a substrate by supplying a liquid refrigerant to a back surface of the substrate at a first position. The second solidifier solidifies the liquid to be solidified by at least one of a first cooling mechanism and a second cooling mechanism. The first cooling mechanism cools the liquid to be solidified by supplying a gas refrigerant toward the substrate at a second position more distant from a center of rotation of the substrate in a radial direction than the first position. The second cooling mechanism cools the liquid to be solidified by bringing a processing surface into contact with the liquid to be solidified at the second position.

Processes for removing a mask layer (e.g., doped amorphous carbon mask layer) from a substrate with high aspect ratio structures are provided. In one example implementation, a process can include depositing a polymer layer on at least a portion of a top end of a high aspect ratio structure on a substrate. The process can further include removing at least a portion of the polymer layer and the doped amorphous carbon film form the substrate using a plasma strip process. In example embodiments, depositing a polymer layer can include plugging one or more high aspect ratio structures with the polymer layer. In example embodiments, depositing a polymer layer can include forming a polymer layer on a sidewall of one or more high aspect ratio structures.

A processing solution containing solvent and solute is supplied onto a substrate (9). The processing solution transforms into a particle retention layer as a result of at least part of the solvent being volatilized from the processing solution and causing the processing solution to solidify or harden. The particle retention layer is removed from the substrate (9) by supplying a removal liquid onto the substrate (9). A solute component contained in the particle retention layer is insoluble or poorly soluble in the removal liquid, whereas the solvent is soluble. The solute component contained in the particle retention layer has the property of being altered to become soluble in the removal liquid when heated to a temperature higher than or equal to an alteration temperature. The removal liquid is supplied after the formation of the particle retention layer, without undergoing a process of alternating the solute component.

According to one embodiment, a substrate processing method includes supplying a liquid on a first face of a substrate, forming a solidified layer in which at least part of the liquid has been solidified by cooling the substrate down to be equal to or lower than a solidification point of the liquid, and melting the solidified layer. Forming the solidified layer, includes controlling a cooling parameter by monitoring an optical characteristic or acoustic wave characteristic of the solidified layer.

A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a liquid film former which forms a liquid film by supplying a liquid on an upper surface of the substrate W held horizontally; a cooling gas discharge nozzle which discharges cooling gas of a temperature lower than a freezing point of the liquid forming the liquid film to the liquid film; a thawing liquid discharge nozzle which discharges a thawing liquid to a frozen film formed by freezing the liquid film; a thawing liquid supplier which supplies the heated thawing liquid to the thawing liquid discharge nozzle via a pipe; and a receiver which receives the cooling gas and the thawing liquid respectively discharged from the cooling gas discharge nozzle and the thawing liquid discharge nozzle at the respective retracted position and guides the cooling gas and the thawing liquid to a common flow passage.

The present method comprises providing a flexible web substrate (e.g., polymeric flexible web substrates) that forms at least part of a component of a device, coating so as to wet-out on and cover all or a substantial portion of a major surface on one side or both sides of the flexible web substrate with flowable polymeric material, while the flexible web substrate is moving in a down-web direction, and solidifying the polymeric material so as to form one cleaning layer on the major surface of one side or both sides of the flexible web substrate. The present invention can be utilized in a continuous in-line manufacturing process. In applications of the present invention where the flexible web substrate will not form a component of a device, the present invention broadly provides a method for cleaning particles from a flexible web of indefinite length. Each cleaning layer forms a substantially adhesive bond to the major surface that is readily removable without damaging or leaving a substantial residue of cleaning layer material on the major surface. A substantial number of the particles that were on this major surface are captured by and removable with the cleaning layer.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor memory device includes forming a bit line and a bit line capping pattern on the semiconductor substrate, forming a first spacer covering a sidewall of the bit line capping pattern and a sidewall of the bit line, forming a contact plug in contact with a sidewall of the first spacer and having a top surface that is lower than an upper end of the first spacer, removing an upper portion of the first spacer, forming a first sacrificial layer closing at least an entrance of the void, forming a second spacer covering the sidewall of the bit line capping pattern and having a bottom surface in contact with a top surface of the first spacer, and removing the first sacrificial layer. The bit line capping pattern is on the bit line. The contact plug includes a void exposed on the top surface.

A method for absorbing liquids, such as liquid hydrocarbons, includes applying recycled carpet material to the liquid. The recycled carpet material is prepared by shredding carpet and removing fibers from the shredded carpet to obtain carpet backing material. The carpet backing material may be further treated to remove fibers. The carpet backing material is then applied to the liquid.

The present substrate processing method includes a pre-drying processing liquid supplying step of supplying, to a front surface of a substrate, a pre-drying processing liquid, having a freezing point lower than a freezing point of the solidified body forming substance, a solidified body forming step of solidifying a portion of the pre-drying processing liquid on the front surface of the substrate to form the solidified body, containing the solidified body forming substance, inside the pre-drying processing liquid, a liquid removing step of removing the pre-drying processing liquid on the front surface of the substrate while letting the solidified body remain on the front surface of the substrate, and a solid removing step of removing the solidified body, remaining on the front surface of the substrate, from the front surface of the substrate by making the solidified body change to a gas.

This washing machine for a railway vehicle includes a water texturing system, mixing water with particles able to produce textured water having super-hydrophoby properties making it possible to implement a lotus cleaning effect on the surface on which the textured water flows; a textured water spraying system, fed by the water texturing system and using at least one appropriate spraying device to spray the textured water on a surface of the railway vehicle to be cleaned.