IIIH
US006605153B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,605,153 B2
Kitano et al. (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 12,2003
(54) COATING FILM FORMING APPARATUS
(75) Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Kikuchi-gun (JP);
Masateru Morikawa, Kikuchi-gun
(JP); Yukihiko Esaki, Kikuchi-gun
(JP); Nobukazu Ishizaka, Kikuchi-gun
(JP); Norihisa Koga, Kikuchi-gun (JP);
Kazuhiro Takeshita, Kikuchi-gun (JP);
Hirofumi Ookuma, Kikuchi-gun (JP);
Masami Akimoto, Kikuchi-gun (JP)
(73) Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 123 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/735,657
(22) Filed: Dec. 14, 2000
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2001/0003967 Al lun. 21, 2001 (30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Dec. 17, 1999 (IP) 11-359080
(51) Int. CI.7 B05C 11/10
(52) U.S. CI 118/57; 118/56; 118/70;
118/320; 118/323
(58) Field of Search 118/50, 52, 56,
118/57, 301, 320, 321, 323, 504, 720, 721, 70; 427/240, 282, 425; 134/902
An apparatus includes a holding portion for holding a substrate, a nozzle, provided to lace the substrate held by the holding portion, for discharging a solution to the substrate, a driver for moving the nozzle along a surface ol the substrate relatively with respect to the substrate while the solution is being discharged to the surface ol the substrate from the nozzle, a mask unit covering a portion other than a film formation area ol the substrate and including a mask member for catching the solution from the nozzle, and a cleaner provided in the mask unit. The coating solution can be supplied to the surface ol the substrate in a way similar to a picture drawn with a single stroke ol a brush. A cleaning unit for cleaning the mask member does not need to be provided separately, leading to the lacilitation ol cleaning and a reduction in space.
8 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets
