JP2001127138A - Device and method for treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the yield of a product by preventing the adhesion of particles, etc., to an object to be treated without being affected by the treating environment nor atmosphere. SOLUTION: A container 2 in which a cassette 1 housing wafers W is enclosed in such a way that the wafers W can be carried out of and in the cassette 1 is airtightly clamped on an airtight chamber 20 by means of clamps 7 or pressing members 8. An openable/closeable shutter 21 is provided between the container 2 and chamber 20, and an elevating/lowering mechanism 30 which carries the cassette 1 out of and in the container 2 is set up in the chamber 20. Between the chamber 20 and a treating section 10 having treating chambers 13a-13e for treating the wafers W and a cassette placing chamber 15, a transfer chamber 40 in which wafer transfer tweezers 16 are set up is provided. Therefore, the wafers W housed in the cassette 1 enclosed in the container 2 can be transported to the treating section 10 without exposing the wafers W to the outside air and, at the same time, the cassette 1 can be carried in the container 2 after the wafers W treated in the treating section 10 are housed in the cassette 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processing apparatus and a processing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, high integration and high density of semiconductor integrated circuits have been advanced. With such high integration and high density,
For example, as the processing area of an object to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer is increased, more precise control of the cleanliness of the processing atmosphere is required.

[0003] Conventionally, in view of the above circumstances, processing steps for semiconductor devices, for example, silicon substrates or LCDs
A photoresist is applied to an object to be processed, such as a substrate (glass substrate), and a circuit pattern or the like is reduced and transferred to the photoresist by using photolithography technology, and this is developed and applied. In an etching process for etching the entire surface or a specific portion of the thin film formed on the surface of the body to a predetermined thickness, or an ion implantation process for implanting accelerated ions into the workpiece to introduce impurities into the workpiece. The improvement of the cleanliness of the processing atmosphere has been promoted.

In addition, it is necessary to manage the unprocessed object and the processed object to be carried into the processing step so that they are protected from contamination due to adhesion of particles and the like. Therefore, conventionally, a box for enclosing a cassette accommodating the object to be processed so as to be able to carry in and out, and an interface device having an elevator mechanism for carrying the cassette in and out of the box (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-66733), An apparatus having a manipulator means for transporting a cassette to a predetermined position in addition to such an interface apparatus (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-29).
No. 4120) has been developed. By using such an interface device, an object to be processed can be transported without the need for a clean room.

[0005]

However, in this type of conventional apparatus, the cassette is unloaded between a box for accommodating a cassette for accommodating the object to be loaded and unloaded and a chamber adjacent to the box. Therefore, there is a problem in assembling with an existing processing device. That is, since the environment and atmosphere are different between the chamber in which the elevator mechanism and the manipulator means are disposed and the processing unit of the processing apparatus, particles are transferred to the processing object when the processing object is transferred between the two. However, there is a problem that there is a risk that the processing surface of the object to be processed may be changed due to the attachment of the same or the difference in atmosphere between the two.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is directed to a processing apparatus and a processing apparatus capable of preventing particles and the like from adhering to an object to be processed without being affected by a processing environment or an atmosphere and improving a product yield. It is intended to provide a method.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a first processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a processing chamber for processing an object to be processed and a cassette for mounting a cassette for accommodating the object to be processed. A processing unit having a processing object transporting unit for loading and unloading a processing object between the loading chamber and the processing chamber, a container enclosing the cassette so that the cassette can be loaded and unloaded, and a processing unit between the container and the processing unit. An airtight chamber interposed airtightly, cassette transport means disposed in the airtight chamber, for loading and unloading the cassette between the container, and interposed between the airtight chamber and the processing unit, An object transfer means for transferring the object between the cassette transported by the cassette transport means and the cassette mounting chamber, and connecting the container and the airtight chamber, and a detachable fastening means, Between the above container and hermetic chamber It is characterized in that it comprises a shutter which can be opened and closed to vignetting (claim 1).

According to a second processing apparatus of the present invention, a processing chamber for processing an object to be processed, and a cassette mounting chamber for mounting a cassette for storing the object to be processed and the processing chamber, A processing unit having an object transfer means for carrying in and out, a container enclosing the cassette so as to be able to carry in and out, an airtight chamber interposed airtightly between the container and the processing unit, and an airtight chamber. A cassette conveying means disposed to carry the cassette in and out of the container; a cassette transfer means interposed between the airtight chamber and the processing unit for transferring the cassette; a container and an airtight chamber And detachable fastening means, and an openable / closable shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber (claim 2).

In a third processing apparatus according to the present invention, a processing chamber for processing an object to be processed, a cassette mounting chamber for mounting a cassette for storing the object to be processed, and the processing chamber are disposed between the processing chamber. A processing unit having a processing object transporting means for loading and unloading the processing object, a container enclosing the cassette so as to be capable of loading and unloading, and a container connected to the cassette mounting chamber; and a container between the container and the cassette mounting chamber. Cassette transport means for loading and unloading cassettes, connecting the container and the cassette mounting chamber, detachable fastening means, and an openable / closable shutter provided between the container and the cassette mounting chamber; (Claim 3).

In the processing apparatus according to the present invention, the shutter may be integrally formed if the shutter is openable and closable provided between the container and the airtight chamber or between the container and the cassette mounting chamber. Although it does not matter,
Preferably, the shutter is formed of a pair of shutter bodies that are opened and closed in two stages. Further, it is preferable to connect the container and the airtight chamber or the container and the cassette mounting chamber via a sealing means. In addition, it is preferable that the inside of the container and the airtight room have the same atmosphere. In this case, it is more preferable that the atmosphere in the container and the atmosphere in the airtight chamber be the same inert gas atmosphere. As the inert gas, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas, argon (Ar) gas, helium (He) gas, or the like can be used.

It is preferable that the inside of the container and the hermetic chamber be in the same pressurized or reduced pressure atmosphere.

Further, the cassette transport means is constituted by a transport drive section which moves forward and backward toward the container side, and an airtight wall which partitions the transport drive section and the airtight chamber or the transport drive section and the cassette mounting chamber. Is more preferred. In this case, the airtight wall may be formed to be stretchable.

In addition, the temperature detection means and the humidity detection means provided in the airtight chamber and the temperature and humidity in the airtight chamber are operated based on detection signals from the temperature detection means and the humidity detection means. It is preferable to provide temperature and humidity control means for controlling.

According to a first processing method of the present invention, in the method for processing an object to be processed using the first processing apparatus according to the first aspect, a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber; Opening a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber to communicate the container and the airtight chamber;
The method includes a step of transporting the cassette from the inside of the container to the airtight chamber and a step of transferring the object to be processed from the cassette in the airtight chamber to the processing unit.

According to a second processing method of the present invention, in the method of processing an object to be processed using the second processing apparatus according to the second aspect, a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber; Opening a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber to communicate the container and the airtight chamber;
The method includes a step of transporting the cassette from inside the container to the airtight chamber, and a step of transferring the cassette in the airtight chamber to the cassette mounting chamber (claim 15).

According to a third processing method of the present invention, in the method of processing an object to be processed using the third processing apparatus according to the third aspect, the step of airtightly fastening the container to the cassette mounting chamber. Opening a shutter provided between the container and the cassette mounting chamber to communicate the container with the cassette mounting chamber; and transporting the cassette from the container into the cassette mounting chamber. It is characterized by having (claim 16).

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the container is hermetically fastened to an airtight chamber; A step of bringing the inside and the hermetic chamber into the same pressurized or depressurized atmosphere; a step of opening a shutter provided between the container and the hermetic chamber to communicate the container with the hermetic chamber; A step of transporting the cassette into the airtight chamber, a step of setting the same atmosphere in the airtight chamber and a delivery chamber in which the object transfer means is provided, and transferring the object to be processed from the cassette in the airtight chamber to the processing unit. (Claim 17, claim 17)
18).

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the container is hermetically fastened to an airtight chamber; A step of bringing the inside of the container and the hermetic chamber into the same pressurized or depressurized atmosphere; a step of opening a shutter provided between the container and the hermetic chamber to communicate the container with the hermetic chamber; Transferring the cassette from the airtight chamber to the airtight chamber, setting the airtight chamber and the transfer chamber provided with the cassette transfer means to have the same atmosphere, and transferring the cassette in the airtight chamber to the cassette mounting chamber. (Claim 19, Claim 19)
20).

In the processing method of the present invention, the shutter is opened to the first stage, the cassette in the container is released, the cassette is positioned above the shutter, and then the cassette is fully opened to the second stage. It is preferable that the cassette is opened to the stage and the cassette is delivered to the cassette carrying means (claim 21).

According to the present invention by the above technical means,
After the container is airtightly fastened to the airtight chamber, the shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber is opened to communicate the container and the airtight chamber, and the cassette is transported from the container into the airtight chamber, and then airtight. After the object to be processed is delivered from the cassette in the room to the processing unit, or after the cassette in the airtight chamber is delivered to the cassette mounting room, the object to be processed can be delivered to the processing unit from the cassette in the cassette mounting room. .

According to the present invention, after the container is airtightly fastened to the cassette mounting chamber, a shutter provided between the container and the cassette mounting chamber is opened to open the container and the cassette mounting chamber. After the communication, the cassette is transferred from the inside of the container into the cassette mounting chamber, the object to be processed can be transferred from the cassette in the cassette mounting chamber to the processing section.

The object to be processed, which has been processed in the processing section, is carried into the container by the reverse operation of the above, and is transported to a predetermined place in an atmosphere shielded from the outside air.

Therefore, the object to be processed can be supplied to the processing step without being exposed to the atmosphere of the outside air, and the object to be processed can be similarly transported without being exposed to the atmosphere of the outside air. Contamination due to adhesion of particles and the like to the body can be prevented, and the product yield can be improved.

Further, according to the present invention, after the container is airtightly fastened to the airtight chamber, the inside of the container and the airtight chamber are set to the same pressurized or depressurized atmosphere, and the shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber is provided. Is opened to communicate the container with the airtight chamber, the cassette is transported from the container into the airtight chamber, and then the airtight chamber and the transfer chamber in which the object transfer means are disposed are made to have the same atmosphere. The object to be processed can be transferred from the cassette in the room to the processing section.

Therefore, since the object to be processed can always be kept under the same atmosphere, a qualitative change due to a difference in atmosphere between the objects to be processed can be prevented, and the product yield can be improved.

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG.

The processing apparatus of the first embodiment is applied to a resist coating / developing apparatus for a semiconductor wafer W (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer) as an object to be processed.

The processing apparatus of the present invention includes a processing unit 10 for performing various processing on wafers W, a container 2 for loading and unloading a cassette 1 for accommodating a plurality of, for example, 25 wafers W in a multi-stage shape, An airtight chamber 20 airtightly interposed between the container 2 and the processing unit 10; and an elevating mechanism 30 disposed in the airtight chamber 20 and serving as a cassette transport means for carrying the cassette 1 in and out of the container 2. The wafer W is transferred between the cassette 1 interposed between the airtight chamber 20 and the processing unit 10 and transported by the elevating mechanism 30 and the cassette mounting chamber 15 provided in the processing unit 10. It is provided with a wafer transfer tweezers 16 as a wafer W transfer means.

The processing unit 10 includes a processing mechanism unit 11 for performing various processes on the wafer W, and a processing mechanism unit 11.
The main part is constituted by a cassette mounting chamber 15 for loading and unloading wafers W into and from the processing mechanism unit 11 and the cassette mounting chamber 15, a carrier station 12 as a relay means for transferring the wafer W is provided. Is arranged.

The cassette mounting chamber 15 stores a plurality of, for example, 25 unprocessed wafers W in a multi-stage shape, and a plurality of, for example, 25 processed wafers W, in a multi-stage shape. It has a wafer carrier 17b, and wafer transfer tweezers 18 as loading / unloading means for loading and unloading the wafer W between the wafer carriers 17a and 17b. In this case, the wafer carrier 1
7a and 17b are open on the processing chamber side and the airtight chamber side,
The wafer W can be carried out / in through these openings. Further, the tweezers 18 for wafer transfer includes:
Arm 18a for holding wafer W by suction, for example, vacuum suction
And a moving mechanism 18b for moving the arm 18a in X, Y (horizontal), Z (vertical) and θ (rotation) directions.

On the other hand, the processing mechanism unit 11 includes a plurality of processing chambers 13a to 13e for performing predetermined processing on the wafer W.
And transfer means 14 for loading and unloading the wafer W between the processing chambers 13a to 13e. in this case,
The transfer means 14 includes a transfer table 14b movable along a transfer path 14a formed in the X direction from a carrier station 12 disposed between the processing mechanism unit 11 and the cassette mounting chamber 15, and a transfer table 14b. And a main arm 14c that is mounted movably in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions to hold the wafer W. Also, the transport path 14
One side of a has an adhesion processing chamber 13a for performing an adhesion process for improving the adhesion between the wafer W and the resist film, and a heating chamber for heating and evaporating a solvent remaining in the resist applied to the wafer W. Pre-bake room 1
3b and a cooling chamber 13 for cooling the wafer W subjected to the heat treatment.
c is arranged. A resist coating chamber 1 for coating a resist liquid on the surface of the wafer W is provided on the other side of the transfer path 14a.
3d and two developing chambers 13e for developing a resist film on which a predetermined pattern has been exposed are arranged in parallel.

The container 2 has a box-shaped container main body 3 made of, for example, a hard plastic or a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, and has an opening 3a. And a lid 4 on which the cassette 1 is placed.
When the cassette 1 is closed, the cassette 1 is stored in a sealed state. The interior of the container 2 is set to an atmosphere of an inert gas such as N2 gas at normal pressure or slightly increased pressure, for example, about 0.05 Torr or more. The cassette 1 accommodated in the container 2
Is held in a state fixed in the container 2 by pressing of an airtightly sealed holding member 5 having an operation knob as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 3, and is fixed and held by releasing the pressing of the holding member 5. Is released.
The holding of the cassette 1 is not necessarily required to have such a structure, and the cassette 1 may be fixedly held in the container 2 using other holding means.

An outward flange 3c is provided in the opening 3a of the container body 3, and a sealing member 6 such as an O-ring is provided in a concave groove 3d provided on the lower surface of the outward flange 3c. (Sealing means) is mounted. Further, a sealing member 3e such as an O-ring is attached to the entire lower surface of the inner peripheral surface of the flange 3c, and the inside of the container body 3 is sealed by pressing the upper peripheral edge of the lid 4 against the sealing member 3e. To keep. The lid 4 is brought into close contact with the flange 3c by a lock mechanism, a fitting mechanism, or the like (not shown).

The container 2 constructed as described above is placed on the top of the airtight chamber 20 by a transport means (not shown), and is mounted on the top of the airtight chamber 20 by a clamp 7 as an automatic or manual fastening means. Outward flange 3c
Is fastened, the sealing member 6 comes into close contact with the container 2 and the airtight chamber 20, and the container 2 and the airtight chamber 20 are airtightly connected. The container 2 can be similarly pressed by pressing a pressing member 8 as shown by an imaginary line in FIG.
And the airtight chamber 20 can be connected in an airtight manner. Further, the container 2 may be pressed by its own weight. Further, in this embodiment, the case where the seal member 6 is mounted on the container side has been described. However, such a structure is not necessarily required, and the seal member 6 may be mounted on the airtight chamber side.

On the other hand, the hermetic chamber 20 has an opening window 22 provided with a shutter 21 which can be opened and closed on a container mounting portion on the top surface of the top, and an elevating mechanism 3 therein.
0 is provided. A gas supply port 23 is provided on an upper side wall of the hermetic chamber 20, and an exhaust port 24 is provided on a bottom wall portion. The gas supply port 23 is connected to an N2 gas supply source 26 via a valve 25, and the exhaust port 24 is connected to a vacuum pump 28 as an exhaust means via a valve 27. Therefore, the inside of the hermetic chamber 20 is purged by the N2 gas supplied from the N2 gas supply source 26,
The same normal pressure or slightly pressurized as in the container 2, for example, 0.
Atmosphere of about 05 Torr or a predetermined degree of vacuum by driving the vacuum pump 28, for example, 1 × 10 -1 to 10 -8 Torr
The atmosphere is set. The pressure in the airtight chamber 20 is measured by the pressure detector 29.

The shutter 21 provided in the opening window 22
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a storage groove 22 provided on the lower surface of the top of the hermetic chamber 20 at a position facing the opening window 22.
The shutter body 21a is formed of a pair of shutter bodies 21a that can be stored in the shutter body 21a. Each shutter body 21a is slidably mounted along a guide groove 22b provided on the inner wall of the storage groove 22a, and opens and closes the opening window 22 by driving a cylinder 21c connected to an arm 21b mounted on the shutter body 21a. It is possible to do. In this case, FIG.
As shown in (b), the shutter 21a is opened and closed in two stages, and the cassette 1 accommodated in the container 2 is opened.
When transporting into the airtight chamber 20, first, the shutter body 21
a is opened to a first stage position, for example, a position where the end of the lid 4 is placed on the end of the shutter 21a, and the cassette 1 is placed on the shutter 21a. At this time, the holding of the holding member 5 is released, and the elevating table 31 of the elevating mechanism 30 is raised to support the lid 4.
Next, the cassette 1 can be placed on the lift table 31 of the lift mechanism 30 by opening the shutter body 21a to the second stage, that is, the fully open position. In this case, since the container 2 is air-tightly connected, there is no possibility that particles or the like in an external atmosphere will adhere to the wafer W when the shutter 21 is opened and the cassette 1 is moved.

The elevating mechanism 30 includes, for example, a motor 32 and an elevating rod 33 which is connected to the motor via a ball screw mechanism (not shown). The lifting table 31 is attached to the upper part of the lifting rod 33. Also,
An airtight wall 34 such as a telescopic bellows seal is stretched between the lift table 31 and the bottom wall of the airtight chamber 20. The airtight wall 34 allows the elevating mechanism 30 and the inside of the airtight chamber 20 to be airtight. It is partitioned to prevent dust and the like from entering the airtight chamber 20 from the transport drive unit of the elevating mechanism 30. Note that the transport drive unit of the elevating mechanism 30 does not necessarily need to be driven by the motor 32 and the ball screw mechanism. Instead of the motor 32 and the ball screw mechanism, a reciprocating mechanism using a cylinder may be used.

On the other hand, the tweezers 16 for transferring the wafer
Are gates 3 that can be opened and closed between the airtight chamber 20 and the cassette mounting chamber 15 of the processing unit 10, respectively.
It is arranged in a wafer transfer chamber 40 that communicates through 5 and 36. Like the wafer transfer tweezers 18, the wafer transfer tweezers 16 include an arm 16a for holding the wafer W by suction, and this arm 16a is connected to the X, Y
(Horizontal), Z (vertical), and θ (rotation) directions. In order to transfer the wafer W using the wafer transfer tweezers 16 configured as described above, the cassette 1 is transported from the container 2 into the hermetic chamber 20 by the elevating mechanism 30, and the gate 35 is moved. , 36 are opened to communicate the airtight chamber 20, the cassette mounting chamber 15 and the transfer chamber 40, and one unprocessed wafer W is unloaded from the cassette 1 and loaded into the wafer carrier 17a of the processing unit 10. Alternatively, on the contrary, the processed wafer W is unloaded from the wafer carrier 17a and loaded into the cassette 1 in the hermetic chamber 20.

When the hermetic chamber 20 and the wafer transfer chamber 40 are communicated with each other, it is preferable that the atmospheres of the two chambers 20 and 40 be the same. Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, a temperature sensor 50 and a humidity sensor 51 are provided in the hermetic chamber 20 and the wafer transfer chamber 40, respectively, and the detection detected by the temperature sensor 50 and the humidity sensor 51 is performed. The information is transmitted to a central processing unit 52 (CPU) as temperature and humidity control means, and information from a temperature assurance circuit 53 of, for example, 0 ° C. input to the CPU 52 is compared with a measured temperature, and a control signal is transmitted. Is transmitted to a heater 54 as a heating means provided in the N2 supply system to control the heater 54 (which may be a temperature control mechanism provided with a heating and cooling means), so that the inside of the airtight chamber 20 and the inside of the wafer transfer chamber 40 are controlled. It can be set to a predetermined temperature, for example, room temperature (23.0 ± 2.5 ° C.). Further, the detection information detected by the humidity sensor 51 is also transmitted to the CPU 52, compared with a reference humidity stored in advance in the CPU 52, and the control signal is transmitted to a heater 54 as a humidity control means, so that the airtight chamber is obtained. The inside of the wafer 20 and the inside of the wafer transfer chamber 40 can be set to a predetermined humidity, for example, 40 ± 0.5%. This temperature:
23.0 ± 2.5 ° C. and Humidity: 40 ± 0.5% are the optimal temperature and humidity for resist coating / developing processing of the wafer W. It should be noted that a humidifier / dehumidifier may be used instead of the heater 54 for the humidity control means.

In this embodiment, the case where both the hermetic chamber 20 and the wafer transfer chamber 40 are set to the same temperature and humidity has been described. However, both chambers are cut off from the external atmosphere, Since the communication is established, at least the temperature and the humidity of only the airtight chamber 20 are controlled and managed as described above, so that the unprocessed wafers W loaded into the processing unit 10 and the processed wafers unloaded from the processing unit 10 are processed. Since W can be placed in an optimal temperature and humidity atmosphere, qualitative changes due to differences in temperature and humidity of the wafer W can be prevented.

Next, the procedure of the processing method of the above embodiment will be described.

First, a container 2 in which a cassette 1 for storing unprocessed wafers W is sealed by a transfer means (not shown).
Is placed above the open window 22 at the top of the hermetic chamber 20, and the clamp 7 is fastened to the outward flange 3c of the container 2,
The container 2 and the airtight chamber 20 are airtightly connected. Next, the valve 25 is opened and N2 gas is supplied from the N2 gas supply source 26 into the hermetic chamber 20 to make the inside of the hermetic chamber 20 the same normal pressure or pressurized N2 gas atmosphere as in the container 2. Next, the motor 32 of the elevating mechanism 30 is driven to elevate the elevating table 31 to near the upper part of the airtight chamber 20 and wait. In this state, the shutter 21 is opened to the first stage, and the elevating table 31 is raised to such an extent that the lid 4 is slightly lifted, and at the same time, the holding member 5 for holding the cassette 1 in the container 2 is fixed. Is released, and the cassette 1 is positioned above the shutters 21a, 21a with the cassette 1 placed on the lid 4. Next, the shutter 21 is fully opened to allow the container 2 to communicate with the airtight chamber 20, and the cassette 1 held by the shutter body 21a is transferred onto the elevator 31 so that the cassette 1 is moved to the elevator 31. Place on top. At this time, since the inside of the container 2 and the inside of the airtight chamber 20 are set to the same atmosphere, generation of airflow due to pressure or the like is prevented, and particles do not soar. Next, the cassette 1 is transported from the container 2 into the airtight chamber 20 by driving the motor 32 of the lifting mechanism 30 in reverse to lower the lifting table 31. Next, if pressurized, the valve 27 is opened to return to normal pressure. When the pressure is reduced, the operation of the vacuum pump is stopped to make the inside of the hermetic chamber 20 the same normal pressure as that of the wafer transfer chamber 40, and then the gates 35 and 36 are opened to open the hermetic chamber 20 and the cassette mounting chamber. The chamber 15 communicates with the delivery chamber 40, and the unprocessed wafer W is unloaded from the cassette 1 by the wafer delivery tweezers 16 to be processed by the processing unit 10.
Is carried into the wafer carrier 17a.

The wafer W transferred to the processing section 10 is taken out of the wafer carrier 17 a by the wafer transfer tweezers 18 in the cassette mounting chamber 15 and transferred to the carrier station 12. Next, the wafer W on the carrier station 12 is transferred to the main arm 14 of the transfer means 14.
c, and sequentially transported to each of the processing chambers 13a to 13e, where appropriate processing is performed. The processed wafer W is again transferred to the carrier station 12 by the main arm 14c.
And stored in the wafer carrier 17b by the wafer transfer tweezers 18. Wafer carrier 17b
The processed wafer W stored in the wafer carrier 17b is carried out of the wafer carrier 17b by the wafer transfer tweezers 16 and carried into the cassette 1 in the airtight chamber 20.

In this way, the processed wafer W
Is accommodated in the cassette 1 of the airtight chamber 20, and when a predetermined number of wafers W are accommodated in the cassette 1, the motor 32 is driven again to move the elevating table 31 up and the cassette 1 is carried into the container. . Cassette 1 loaded into container 2
Is held by the pressing of the holding member 5,
Is lowered, the opening window 22 is closed by the shutter 21, and the cassette 1 is temporarily stored in a sealed state in the container 2. Then, in a state where the fastening of the clamp 7 is released, the container 2 is transported to a predetermined place by transport means (not shown). By keeping the inside of the container 2 in an N2 gas atmosphere and keeping the inside at normal pressure or pressurized state, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the wafer W and to prevent the intrusion of particles from the outside. It can be stored and transported in a state. On the other hand, container 2 and hermetic chamber 2
If the pressure is set to a predetermined degree of vacuum in a state where 0 is hermetically connected, particles generated inside are exhausted through the exhaust port 24, so that adhesion to the wafer W can be suppressed.

Second Embodiment FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG.

The processing apparatus according to the second embodiment is similar to the processing apparatus according to the first embodiment, and is applied to a resist coating / developing apparatus for a wafer W. A cassette is provided between the processing unit 10 and the airtight chamber 20. This is a case where a cassette transfer chamber 41 that accommodates transfer means is provided. That is, the cassette transfer chamber 41 is interposed between the cassette mounting chamber 15 and the airtight chamber 20 of the processing unit 10 via the gates 42 and 43 which can be opened and closed, respectively. For example, this is a case where a cassette delivery arm 45 formed by a multi-joint arm is provided. Instead of the cassette transfer arm 45, a cassette transfer mechanism that can move X, Y, Z, and θ may be used.

With the above configuration, the cassette 1 transported into the airtight chamber 20 can be received by the cassette transfer arm 45 and transported to the cassette mounting chamber 15 of the processing unit 10. The cassette 1 containing the processed wafer W in the cassette mounting chamber 15
Can be received by the cassette transfer arm 45 and transported to the lift 31 in the hermetic chamber 20. Therefore,
Since a plurality of unprocessed wafers W can be simultaneously transferred to the processing unit 10 and a plurality of processed wafers W can be simultaneously transferred into the container 2, the transfer of the wafer W is performed efficiently. be able to.

In the second embodiment, other structures and processing procedures are the same as those in the first embodiment.
The same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Third Embodiment FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a main part of a processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The processing apparatus of the third embodiment is similar to the processing apparatuses of the first and second embodiments and is applied to a resist coating and developing apparatus for a wafer W.
This is a case where the container 2 is directly and air-tightly connected to the upper part of the cassette loading chamber 15 of No. 0. That is, the processing unit 1
Shutter 2 which can be opened and closed at the top of the cassette loading chamber 15
1 and an open window 22 having
Is formed so that the container 2 can be airtightly fastened with the same sealing member 6 and clamp 7 or pressing member 8 as those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. This is a case where a lifting mechanism 30 similar to the first embodiment and the second embodiment is provided.

With the above configuration, the cassette 1 in the container 2 is transported into the cassette mounting chamber 15 by the elevating mechanism 30, and the wafer transport tweezers are transferred from the cassette 1 transported into the cassette mounting chamber 15. After the wafers W are received one by one and delivered to the carrier station at 18, the wafers W are processed by the main arm 14 c of the processing unit 10.
Can be transported to each of the processing chambers 13a to 13e. Further, after the wafer W processed in the processing chambers 13a to 13e is transferred to the carrier station 12 by the main arm 14c, the wafer W is received by the wafer transfer tweezers 18 and transferred to the elevating table 31 in the cassette mounting chamber 15. Can be.
Therefore, since the container 2 can be directly connected to the processing unit 10, the loading and unloading of the wafer W can be efficiently performed, and the throughput can be improved.

In this case, the cassette mounting chamber 15 is divided into a chamber 15a in which the elevating mechanism 30 is disposed and a chamber 15b in which the wafer transfer tweezers 18 are disposed.
A gate 19 which can be opened and closed is disposed between the gates b, and an N2 gas supply source 26 and a vacuum pump 28 are connected to the chamber 15a in the same manner as the airtight chamber 20.

An optical sensor 19a is attached as a wafer detecting means at an upper position outside the cassette mounting chamber 15 on the side of the gate 19, for example, near the outer upper end of the chamber 15b. This sensor 19a is, for example, a light transmission type,
The projected light beam 19b passes through a light transmitting window (not shown) provided on the optical path of the light beam 19b on the ceiling of the cassette mounting chamber 15, and is attached near the bottom of the cassette mounting chamber 15. It is configured to be received by a light receiver (not shown).

Then, the wafer W carried by the wafer carrying tweezers 18 detects the wafer W by blocking the light beam 19b. By this wafer detection, for example, it is confirmed that the wafer W in the cassette 1 has been unloaded by the wafer transfer tweezers 18, and the wafer W loaded into the cassette mounting chamber 15 by the wafer transfer tweezers 18 is loaded into the cassette 1. After the wafer transfer tweezers 18 are retracted, the absence of the wafer W is detected when the wafer transfer tweezers 18 are retracted, so that it is confirmed that the wafer W has been securely stored in the cassette 1, It is possible to confirm the presence of the dropped wafer W and the like.

The optical sensor 19a may be arranged, for example, on the ceiling in the cassette mounting chamber 15, or may be a light reflection type sensor.

In the third embodiment, other structures and processing procedures are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG.

The fourth embodiment is a case where the processing apparatus of the present invention is applied to a wafer W etching apparatus.

The above-mentioned etching apparatus comprises a wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46 connected to a hermetic chamber 20 constructed in the same manner as in the first and second embodiments via a gate 44 which can be opened and closed. A plurality (three in the drawing) of vacuum processing chambers 60 are connected to the wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46 via a gate 47 that can be opened and closed.

An exhaust port 71 is provided on the bottom wall of the wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46, and a vacuum pump 73 as an exhaust unit is connected to the exhaust port 71 via a valve 72. In the wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46, a wafer transfer arm 80 as a wafer transfer means for transferring the wafer W between the airtight chamber 20 and the vacuum processing chamber 60 is provided. The wafer transfer arm 80 is formed by an articulated arm having three transfer arm members 81 which are independently rotated in the horizontal direction, and the lower transfer arm member 81 It is attached to a rotating shaft 83 extending from a driving section 82 provided at the lower part of the transfer chamber 46. In this case, the rotating shaft 83 penetrates the wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46 via a seal mechanism, and the driving unit 82 is disposed in a case 84 that is shut off from the outside air. The drive unit 8 is attached to each transfer arm 81 of the wafer transfer arm 80.
A transmission mechanism (not shown) such as a belt or a pulley is incorporated so that the transfer arm body 81 is independently driven by the driving of the second arm, and a suction path for sucking particles generated in a bearing portion of the joint portion. (Not shown) is formed, and this suction path is opened to the space inside the case 84 through the rotation shaft 83. Further, the wafer holding portion of the wafer transfer arm 80 is provided with projections 80a made of a material such as a fluororesin, which hardly generates particles due to friction, at three positions where the wafer W can be stably held, for example. The projections 80a can prevent the wafer W from being displaced and damaged.

An exhaust pipe 85 is connected to the case 84, and the exhaust pipe 85 is connected to the vacuum pump 73 via a valve 86. Therefore, when the valve 86 is opened, the internal space of the case 84 is evacuated, whereby particles generated in each bearing portion of the wafer transfer arm 80 are discharged into the exhaust pipe 85 via the internal space of the case 84. It will be.

In the wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46, a buffer stage 87 for temporarily mounting the wafer W, which can be moved up and down, and the orientation and center position of an orientation flat (hereinafter, referred to as an orientation flat) of the wafer W are provided. And an alignment mechanism 88 for adjusting the position. The alignment mechanism 88 includes a rotary stage 88a movable in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions, and a light emitting / receiving unit 88b that optically detects the peripheral edge of the wafer W.

As shown in FIG. 10, an inert gas supply pipe 90 for supplying an inert gas, for example, an N 2 gas, is provided in the wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46 to rotate the lower transfer arm body 81. An inert gas supply section 91 made of, for example, a sintered metal is formed at the end of the inert gas supply pipe 90. The base end of the inert gas supply pipe 90 is connected to, for example, an N2 gas supply source 92.

On the other hand, the vacuum processing chamber 60 is provided with a lower electrode 61 and an upper electrode 62 which also serve as a susceptor, and a processing gas supply pipe 68 and an exhaust pipe 69 are connected. The upper electrode 62 is grounded via a vacuum processing chamber 60. Above the upper electrode 62, a housing 63 for accommodating a magnet is provided separately from the vacuum processing chamber 60. Are arranged such that a magnet 64 for forming a magnetic field and a magnet 65 for preventing leakage of the magnetic field are rotated by a motor 66 in a vacuum processing chamber 60. The lower electrode 61 is connected to a high frequency power supply 67.

The wafer mounting / transfer chamber 46 of the etching apparatus having the above-described structure is connected to the airtight chamber 20 having the same structure as that of the first and second embodiments through a gate 44 which can be opened and closed. It is installed continuously. In the fourth embodiment, other parts are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and therefore, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the processing procedure of the above etching apparatus will be described. First, a container 2 in which a cassette 1 for storing unprocessed wafers W is sealed by a transfer means (not shown) is placed above an open window 22 at the top of an airtight chamber 20, and a clamp 7 is attached to an outward flange 3 c of the container 2. By fastening, the container 2 and the airtight chamber 20 are airtightly connected. next,
The valve 25 is opened to supply N2 gas from the N2 gas supply source 26 into the hermetic chamber 20 to make the hermetic chamber 20 the same N2 gas atmosphere as that in the container 2, and to operate the vacuum pump 28 to operate the hermetic chamber 20. The inside of the container 2 is set to the same predetermined degree of vacuum as the inside of the container 2, for example, 1 × 10 −7 to 10 −8 Torr. Next, the motor 32 of the elevating mechanism 30 is driven to elevate the elevating table 31 to the upper part of the airtight chamber 20. In this state, the shutter 21 is opened to the first stage and the container 2
The fixing of the holding member 5 holding and holding the cassette 1 therein is released, and the cassette 1 is placed on the upper portions of the shutter bodies 21a, 21a. Next, the shutter 21 is fully opened to allow the container 2 and the airtight chamber 20 to communicate with each other.
The cassette 1 held at 1a is dropped on the elevator 31 and the cassette 1 is placed on the elevator 31. Next, the motor 32 of the elevating mechanism 30 is driven in reverse to
By lowering the cassette 1, the cassette 1 is transported from the container 2 into the airtight chamber 20.

Next, after the inside of the hermetic chamber 20 is evacuated by the operation of the vacuum pump 28 to the same depressurized state as that of the wafer placing and carrying chamber 46, the gate 44 is opened to open the hermetic chamber 20 and the wafer placing and carrying chamber 46. Then, an unprocessed wafer W is taken out of the cassette 1 by the wafer transfer arm 80 and placed on the rotating stage 88a of the alignment mechanism 88, and the light-emitting / light-receiving unit 88b controls the peripheral edge of the wafer W. Is detected, and based on the result, the rotation stage 88a is moved to align the orientation and the center of the orientation flat of the wafer W. Subsequently, the wafer W is carried into the vacuum processing chamber 60 by the wafer transfer arm 80, and the wafer W is placed on the susceptor 61 (lower electrode) through the elevating operation of an elevating pin (not shown) incorporated in the susceptor. I do. The wafer W placed on the susceptor 61 is etched by plasma obtained by the high frequency power applied between the lower electrode 61 and the upper electrode 62 and the energy of the magnetic field of the magnet 64.

The wafer W thus processed is thus processed.
Is stored in the cassette 1 in the hermetic chamber 20 by the wafer transfer arm 80, and when a predetermined number of wafers W are stored in the cassette 1, the motor 32 is driven again to move the elevating table 31 up and the cassette 1 Is carried into the container.
After the cassette 1 carried into the container 2 is held by the pressing of the holding member 5, the elevator 31 descends, the opening window 22 is closed by the shutter 21, and the cassette 1 is sealed in the container 2. Then, in a state where the fastening of the clamp 7 is released, the container 2 is transported to a predetermined place by transport means (not shown).

In the above-described embodiment, the container 2 is composed of a box-shaped container body 3 having an open bottom,
Has been described in which the opening 3a is openably and closably closed and the lid 4 on which the cassette 1 is placed is described. However, the container 2 does not necessarily need to have such a structure, and is shown in FIG. As described above, the container body 3 may have a box-shaped container body 3 having an opening 3b on the side and a door 4a for opening and closing the opening 3b of the container body 3. In the container 2 configured as described above, the wafer W in the cassette 1 may be directly loaded and unloaded from the side opening 3b by the wafer transfer tweezers 16 (see FIG. 12A). A cassette in the container 2 may be carried in / out by the delivery arm 45 (FIG. 12).
(B)).

In the above embodiment, the case where the processing section is a resist coating / developing apparatus and an etching apparatus has been described.
It can be applied to a heat treatment apparatus or a CVD apparatus. Also, the object to be processed can be applied to LCD substrates (glass substrates) other than semiconductor wafers.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention, the object to be processed can be supplied to the processing step without exposing the object to the atmosphere of the outside air, and the object to be processed after the processing can be similarly exposed to the outside air. The wafer can be transported without being exposed to the atmosphere, contamination due to adhesion of particles and the like to the object to be processed can be prevented, and the product yield can be improved.

Further, since the object to be processed is always kept under the same atmosphere, it is possible to prevent a qualitative change due to a difference in the atmosphere of the object to be processed, and to improve the product yield.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a first embodiment of a processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a container is carried in and out according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing an example of an opening / closing portion of an opening window according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an example of an open / closed state of an opening window.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a control section for controlling the atmosphere, such as pressure, temperature, and humidity, of the airtight chamber according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a second embodiment of the processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a main part of a third embodiment of the processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a main part of a fourth embodiment of the processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing another structure of the container according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cassette 2 Container 6 Seal member (seal means) 7 Clamp (fastening means) 8 Pressing member (fastening means) 10 Processing part 13a-13e Processing chamber 14 Transport means (transferring means to be processed) 15 Cassette mounting chamber 16 Wafer delivery Tweezers (object transfer means) 18 wafer transfer tweezers (object transfer means) 20 airtight chamber 21 shutter 21a shutter body 22 opening window 26 N2 gas supply source (inert gas supply source) 28 vacuum pump 30 lifting mechanism (Cassette transfer means) 31 Lifting table 32 Motor (drive unit) 33 Lifting rod (drive unit) 34 Airtight wall 40 Wafer transfer chamber 41 Cassette transfer chamber 45 Cassette transfer arm (cassette transfer means) 46 Wafer mounting and transfer chamber 50 Temperature sensor 51 Humidity sensor 52 CPU (temperature and humidity control ) 53 Temperature protection circuit 54 heater 60 vacuum processing chamber 80 wafer delivery arm (workpiece transfer means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) C23C 14/56 C23C 14/56 G 16/44 16/44 F H01L 21/265 603 H01L 21/265 603C 21 / 027 21/30 502J

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. A processing chamber for processing an object to be processed, and a transfer of the object to be transferred into and out of the processing chamber between a cassette mounting chamber for mounting a cassette for storing the object to be processed and the processing chamber. A processing unit having means, a container enclosing the cassette so that the cassette can be carried in and out, an airtight room airtightly interposed between the container and the processing unit, and a container disposed in the airtight room, Cassette transfer means for loading and unloading the cassette between the cassette and the processing chamber between the cassette transported by the cassette transfer means and the cassette interposed between the airtight chamber and the processing unit. An object delivery means for delivering and receiving a body, a detachable fastening means for connecting the container and the airtight chamber, and a detachable shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber; Processing characterized by apparatus. 2. A processing chamber for processing an object to be processed, and a transfer of an object to be transferred into and out of the processing chamber between a cassette mounting chamber for mounting a cassette for storing the object to be processed and the processing chamber. A processing unit having means, a container enclosing the cassette so that the cassette can be carried in and out, an airtight room airtightly interposed between the container and the processing unit, and a container disposed in the airtight room, Cassette transfer means for carrying the cassette in and out, cassette transfer means interposed between the airtight chamber and the processing unit for transferring the cassette, and connecting and disconnecting the container and the airtight chamber. A processing apparatus, comprising: a possible fastening means; and an openable and closable shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber. 3. A processing chamber for processing an object to be processed, and a processing object transport for loading and unloading the processing object between a cassette mounting chamber for mounting a cassette for storing the processing object and the processing chamber. A processing unit having a means, a container enclosing the cassette so as to be able to be loaded and unloaded, and a container connected to the cassette loading chamber; and a cassette transport means for loading and unloading the cassette between the container and the cassette loading chamber. A processing device for connecting the container and the cassette mounting chamber, comprising: a detachable fastening means; and an openable and closable shutter provided between the container and the cassette mounting chamber. . 4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shutter is formed by a pair of shutter bodies that are opened and closed in two stages. 5. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container and the airtight chamber are connected via a sealing means. 6. The processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the container and the cassette mounting chamber are connected via a sealing means. 7. The cassette transporting means comprises a transport drive unit that moves forward and backward toward the container side, and an airtight wall that partitions the transport drive unit and an airtight chamber. Or a two-processing device. 8. The cassette transporting means comprises a transport drive unit which moves forward and backward toward the container side, and an airtight wall which partitions the transport drive unit and the cassette mounting chamber. Item 3. The processing apparatus according to Item 3. 9. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the atmosphere in the container and the airtight chamber are the same. 10. The processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the atmosphere in the container and the airtight chamber is an inert gas atmosphere. 11. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the container and the airtight chamber are set to the same reduced-pressure atmosphere. 12. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the container and the airtight chamber are set to the same pressurized atmosphere. 13. A temperature detecting means and a humidity detecting means disposed in an airtight room, and operating based on detection signals from the temperature detecting means and the humidity detecting means to control the temperature and humidity in the airtight room. 3. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising temperature and humidity control means. 14. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber; and a step of providing a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber. Opening the container to communicate the container with the airtight chamber, transferring the cassette from the container into the airtight chamber, and transferring the object to be processed from the cassette in the airtight chamber to the processing unit. Processing method. 15. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber; and a step of providing a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber. Opening the container to communicate the container with the airtight chamber, transferring the cassette from inside the container to the airtight chamber, and transferring the cassette in the airtight chamber to the cassette mounting chamber. Processing method. 16. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a container is hermetically fastened to a cassette mounting chamber, and a step is provided between the container and the cassette mounting chamber. A processing method comprising: opening a shutter provided to allow a container and a cassette mounting chamber to communicate with each other; and transporting a cassette from inside the container to the cassette mounting chamber. 17. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a container is hermetically fastened to an airtight chamber, and the same depressurized atmosphere is provided between the container and the airtight chamber. A step of opening a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber to communicate the container and the airtight chamber; a step of transporting a cassette from the inside of the container to the airtight chamber; A processing method, comprising the steps of: setting a delivery chamber in which a workpiece transfer means is disposed to have the same atmosphere; and delivering a workpiece to a processing unit from a cassette in the airtight chamber. 18. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber, and the same pressurizing the inside of the container and the airtight chamber. A step of setting an atmosphere; a step of opening a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber to communicate the container with the airtight chamber; a step of transporting a cassette from inside the container to the airtight chamber; A processing method, comprising the steps of: setting a closed chamber and a delivery chamber in which a workpiece transfer means is disposed to have the same atmosphere; and transferring a workpiece to a processing unit from a cassette in the airtight chamber. 19. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber, and the same depressurized atmosphere in the container and the airtight chamber. A step of opening a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber to communicate the container with the airtight chamber; a step of transporting a cassette from inside the container to the airtight chamber; And a transfer chamber in which the cassette transfer means is provided. The processing method comprises: transferring the cassette in the airtight chamber to the cassette mounting chamber. 20. A method for processing an object to be processed using the processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a step of airtightly fastening a container to an airtight chamber, and the same pressurizing the inside of the container and the airtight chamber. A step of setting an atmosphere; a step of opening a shutter provided between the container and the airtight chamber to communicate the container with the airtight chamber; a step of transporting a cassette from inside the container to the airtight chamber; A processing method comprising the steps of: setting a closed chamber and a delivery chamber provided with cassette delivery means to have the same atmosphere; and delivering a cassette in the airtight chamber to a cassette mounting chamber. 21. Opening the shutter to the first stage, releasing the fixing of the cassette in the container, positioning the cassette on the shutter, and then opening the cassette to the second stage of full opening. 21. The processing method according to claim 14, wherein the cassette is transferred to a cassette transport unit.