A coating method of supplying a treatment solution to a substrate and coating the substrate with the treatment solution by a spin coating method, includes mixing a solvent for the treatment solution lower in surface tension than the treatment solution into the treatment solution concurrently with a start of supply of the treatment solution or later than the start of the supply of the treatment solution, and then supplying the treatment solution to the substrate.

A substrate treating apparatus and a substrate treating method. The substrate treating apparatus includes a treating unit and a controller. The treating unit includes a substrate holder, a rotation driving unit, a treatment liquid supplying unit, a liquid collecting unit, and a guard driving unit. The substrate holder holds a substrate in a horizontal posture. The rotation driving unit rotates the substrate holder. The liquid collecting unit includes a first guard, a second guard, and a liquid inlet. The first guard and the second guard are arranged so as to surround the substrate holder laterally. The liquid inlet is defined by the guards. The liquid inlet is open toward the substrate held by the substrate holder. The guard driving unit moves the second guard in a vertical direction. The controller controls the guard driving unit in accordance with the shape of the substrate held by the substrate holder, thereby changing a height position of an upper end of the liquid inlet.

A substrate treating apparatus and a substrate treating method. The substrate treating apparatus includes a treating unit and a controller. The treating unit includes a substrate holder, a rotation driving unit, a treatment liquid supplying unit, a liquid collecting unit, and a guard driving unit. The substrate holder holds a substrate in a horizontal posture. The rotation driving unit rotates the substrate holder. The liquid collecting unit includes a first guard, a second guard, and a liquid inlet. The first guard and the second guard are arranged so as to surround the substrate holder laterally. The liquid inlet is defined by the guards. The liquid inlet is open toward the substrate held by the substrate holder. The guard driving unit moves the second guard in a vertical direction. The controller controls the guard driving unit in accordance with the shape of the substrate held by the substrate holder, thereby changing a height position of an upper end of the liquid inlet.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate support unit including a chuck for supporting a substrate, a fluid supply unit that supplies a processing fluid to the substrate, and a recovery unit surrounding the chuck and recovering the supplied processing fluid. The substrate support unit includes an antistatic material in which milled carbon fibers (MCF) are blended into a perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA) resin.

Aspects herein relate to coating apparatus and methods for coating medical devices. In an embodiment, a coating system is included having a valve, a fluid supply reservoir in fluid communication with the valve, a reciprocating positive displacement pump in fluid communication with the valve, and a fluid applicator in fluid communication with the three-way valve. The valve can be configured to assume a first fluid transport state and a second fluid transport state, wherein the valve provides fluid communication between the fluid supply reservoir and the reciprocating positive displacement pump when in the first fluid transport state for filling of the reciprocating positive displacement pump, and wherein the valve provides fluid communication between the reciprocating positive displacement pump and the fluid applicator when in the second fluid transport state for applying a coating suspension to a medical device surface. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Aspects herein relate to coating apparatus and methods for coating medical devices. In an embodiment, a coating system is included having a valve, a fluid supply reservoir in fluid communication with the valve, a reciprocating positive displacement pump in fluid communication with the valve, and a fluid applicator in fluid communication with the three-way valve. The valve can be configured to assume a first fluid transport state and a second fluid transport state, wherein the valve provides fluid communication between the fluid supply reservoir and the reciprocating positive displacement pump when in the first fluid transport state for filling of the reciprocating positive displacement pump, and wherein the valve provides fluid communication between the reciprocating positive displacement pump and the fluid applicator when in the second fluid transport state for applying a coating suspension to a medical device surface. Other embodiments are also included herein.

A modified technology of spin coating which is named Two-Axis spin coating is disclosed. The innovative Two-Axis spin coating apparatus is a rotary device that spins the substrate horizontally the same as conventional spin coaters while the whole horizontal spinning system can be rotated vertically. The vertical rotation of the substrate generates a vertical centrifugal force perpendicular to the surface of the substrate which allows the coating face with an elevated artificial gravity acceleration. The elevation of gravity acceleration adjusts and normalizes the local high and low surface tension stresses on the surface of the coated film. This elevation of gravity also increases the weight of coating elements artificially and obliges the wavy surface convex regions to flow toward the concave areas. The elevation of gravity also obliges the lighter probable air bubbles inside the layer, immediately before the coating surface skinning process, move toward the surface and drain out from the layer. The invention provides a method to level the layer's edge beads, level the coated surface, drain out probable micro sized air bubbles inside the layer and form denser film simultaneously.

A liquid processing device includes: a nozzle configured to discharge, onto a substrate, a processing liquid supplied from a processing liquid source, the processing liquid being configured to process the substrate; a main flow path which connects the processing liquid source and the nozzle; a filter provided in the main flow path; a branch path branched from the main flow path; a pump provided at an end of the branch path; and a controller configured to output a control signal to perform a first process of sucking the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid source by the pump to flow the processing liquid into the branch path and then a second process of discharging the processing liquid of a smaller amount than a capacity of the branch path from the pump to the branch path to discharge the processing liquid from the nozzle.

A liquid processing device includes: a nozzle configured to discharge, onto a substrate, a processing liquid supplied from a processing liquid source, the processing liquid being configured to process the substrate; a main flow path which connects the processing liquid source and the nozzle; a filter provided in the main flow path; a branch path branched from the main flow path; a pump provided at an end of the branch path; and a controller configured to output a control signal to perform a first process of sucking the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid source by the pump to flow the processing liquid into the branch path and then a second process of discharging the processing liquid of a smaller amount than a capacity of the branch path from the pump to the branch path to discharge the processing liquid from the nozzle.

A pipe doping apparatus comprises a bucket assembly including a base and a bucket supported on the base and having an inside volume, a lubricating unit having at least one lubricant applicator inside the bucket; and a source of torque configured to rotate the bucket and/or the lubricating unit relative to a tubular. The apparatus may include a cleaning unit and/or a drying unit and the source of torque may be a fluid jet in either. At least one lubricant applicator may be retractable and may be actuated between a retracted position and an extended position by centripetal force. The apparatus may further include a positioning assembly supporting the base and the rotary bucket assembly and a controller connected to and controlling each of:—the positioning assembly, the cleaning unit, the drying unit, and the lubricating unit.