A photolithography method includes dispensing a first liquid onto a first target layer formed over a first wafer through a nozzle at a first distance from the first target layer; capturing an image of the first liquid on the first target layer; patterning the first target layer after capturing the image of the first liquid; comparing the captured image of the first liquid to a first reference image to generate a first comparison result; responsive to the first comparison result, positioning the nozzle and a second wafer such that the nozzle is at a second distance from a second target layer on the second wafer; dispensing a second liquid onto the second target layer formed over the second wafer through the nozzle at the second distance from the second target layer; and patterning the second target layer after dispensing the second liquid.

A substrate processing method includes performing a developing processing on a substrate. The developing processing includes supplying a developing liquid on a surface of the substrate to form a liquid film of the developing liquid on the surface of the substrate; maintaining the liquid film on the surface such that development progresses; and performing, during the maintaining of the liquid film, a first processing of supplying a gas to an inner region located at an inner side than a peripheral region on the surface of the substrate and a second processing of supplying an adjusting liquid configured to suppress progress of the development on the peripheral region to adjust a degree of the development between the peripheral region and the inner region. The second processing is started after a start time of the first processing, and the second processing is ended after an end time of the first processing.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device, including: at least two processing units; a processing liquid spraying arm, which is located above the processing units; a fixed baffle, located between the adjacent processing units, the fixed baffle being provided with an opening by which the adjacent processing units are communicated, the processing liquid spraying arm moving between the adjacent processing units through the opening; a movable baffle, located at least on one side of the fixed baffle or located in the fixed baffle; a first driving apparatus, connected to the movable baffle and configured to drive the movable baffle to move to completely block the opening when the processing liquid spraying arm stops in the processing unit, so as to isolate the adjacent processing units, and drive the movable baffle to move to unblock the opening when the processing liquid spraying arm moves between the adjacent processing units.

In semiconductor manufacturing, deionized (DI) water or another process fluid is flowed through a nonmetallic pipe and onto a semiconductor wafer. Static electric charge is discharged from the DI water or other process fluid flowing through the nonmetallic pipe via an electrically conductive material disposed on an outside of the nonmetallic pipe. The electrically conductive material disposed on the outside of the nonmetallic pipe is electrically grounded. The nonmetallic pipe may comprise fluoropolymer (PFA) based tubing. In some embodiments, the nonmetallic pipe includes: a PFA-NE pipe connected with a chamber or housing containing the wafer, and a second pipe connected with the PFA-NE pipe by a pipe connector, in which the second pipe is more electrically insulating than the PFA-NE pipe.

A method of operating a wet process apparatus, includes dispensing a solution from a nozzle and directing the solution to a bath through an inlet port. A purge gas is injected into the bath to force flow of the solution from the bath to a buffer tank. A condition of the fluid within the buffer tank is monitored with a sensor. The solution is circulated to a pump and then through a filter before returning the solution to the nozzle. Overflow solution is directed out of the bath via an overflow path to a drain for preventing an overflow condition.

An apparatus for monitoring particles in a chemical solution includes a chemical solution supply device that stores a chemical solution and supplies the chemical solution according to a work start signal of a control unit, a first supply channel that is connected with the chemical solution supply device to supply the chemical solution, a filter that is connected with the first supply channel to purify the chemical solution, a branch channel and a main channel that are branched from the filter, a drain valve that is connected with the branch channel to open and close the branch channel, a particle monitor that is connected with the main channel to detect the amount of particles in the chemical solution, and a dispenser unit that receives the chemical solution from the particle monitor to supply the chemical solution to an object to be worked.

A photolithography method includes dispensing a first liquid toward a target layer through a nozzle at a first distance from the target layer; moving the nozzle such that the nozzle is at a second distance from the target layer, wherein the second distance is different from the first distance; dispensing a second liquid toward the target layer through the nozzle at the second distance from the target layer; and patterning the target layer after dispensing the first liquid and the second liquid.

A state monitoring method, a state monitoring apparatus and a state monitoring system for a developing device are provided. After image information is obtained through the acquired video information of the developing device, it is determined by an analysis unit whether the image information includes nozzle anomaly information, and alarm information is issued after the nozzle anomaly information is determined. Moreover, similarity between the image information that does not include the nozzle anomaly information and second preset nozzle anomaly information is compared, and the nozzle information is stored in the analysis unit in a case that the similarity between the image information and the second preset nozzle anomaly information is greater than a first threshold.

A substrate inspection system is provided to monitor characteristics of a substrate, while the substrate is disposed within (or being transferred into/out of) a processing unit of a liquid dispense substrate processing system. The inspection system is integrated within a liquid dispense substrate processing system and includes one or more optical sensors of a reflectometer (such as a spectrometer or laser-based transceiver) configured to obtain spectral data from a substrate. A controller is coupled to receive the spectral data from the optical sensors(s). The one or more optical sensors (or one or more optical fibers coupled to the rest of the optical sensor hardware) are coupled at locations within the substrate processing system. The controller analyzes the spectral data received from the optical sensors(s) to detect characteristic(s) of the substrate including, but not limited to, film thickness (FT), refractive index changes, and associated critical dimension (CD) changes.

In a chemical liquid container replacement device D2 configured to replace a chemical liquid container 50, multiple chemical liquid containers 50 respectively connected to base end sides of chemical liquid supply paths configured to supply chemical liquids, and a nozzle attachment/detachment device 61 is configured to attach/detach the base end side of the chemical liquid supply path with respect to the chemical liquid container 50 of a container arrangement section 60. A loading/unloading port 62 loads a new chemical liquid container 50 for performing a liquid process on a substrate W and unloads a completely used chemical liquid container 50. A container transfer device 7 unloads the completely used chemical liquid container 50 from the container arrangement section 60 toward the loading/unloading port 62 and loads the new chemical liquid containers 50 from the loading/unloading port 62 toward the container arrangement section 60.