JP2001210691A - Multi-chamber type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transfer substrates according to the change, etc., of process chambers. SOLUTION: A first cassette chamber 12, second cassette chamber 13, first cooling chamber 14 having a cooler 80 for two wafers, second cooling chamber 15 having a cooler 90 for one wafer, first CVD chamber 16 having a two-wafer processing CVD apparatus 40, and second CVD chamber 17 having a single-wafer processing CVD apparatus 60 are disposed on the sides of transfer chambers 11, having a transfer robot 18 for transferring wafers. Parameters for controlling the transfer robot 18 according to the number of wafers processed in each chamber are preset in a general-purpose wafer transfer controller, which selects a prescribed parameter corresponding to the number of wafers to be transported from a parameter table, when transferring wafers in each chamber, and controls the transfer robot 18 according to the number of wafers to be transferred. Since the transfer robot can make a transfer according to each condition, the general-purpose availability is enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-chamber type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a technique for transferring a substrate, which is a work, to each chamber of a multi-chamber. The present invention relates to a technique that is effective for a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus for forming a film of silicon oxide (SiO ₂ ), silicon nitride (SiNx), metal, or the like on a wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor device manufacturing plant, the following multi-chamber type CVD apparatus is sometimes used to deposit silicon oxide, silicon nitride, metal, and the like on a wafer. That is, this multi-chamber type CV
The D unit houses two CVD chambers for depositing silicon oxide, silicon nitride, metal, etc. on wafers, two cooling chambers for cooling wafers, and a cassette holding a plurality of wafers. And two cassette chambers for transferring the wafers, and these chambers are arranged around a transfer chamber in which a transfer robot for transferring the wafers and carrying the wafers into and out of each chamber is installed.

In this multi-chamber type CVD apparatus, the CVD chamber is of a two-sheet type hot wall type C type.
When configured with a VD device, the cooling chamber and the transfer robot are also configured to collectively cool and transfer two wafers.

[0004]

However, in the above-described multi-chamber type CVD apparatus, for example, when one of the CVD chambers is changed to process wafers one by one, it is necessary to control the transfer robot. Controller cannot support single-sheet transfer,
At least, the software of the controller of the transfer robot must be modified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-chamber type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of coping with a change or a remodeling of a processing chamber and a docking of a new chamber.

[0006]

Means for solving the problem is a multi-chamber semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a plurality of processing chambers are connected around a transfer chamber provided with a transfer robot for transferring a substrate. The holding position of the substrate in a plurality of processing chambers is set as a parameter that can be changed by a controller for each processing chamber, so that the storage position of the substrate is set for each processing chamber. I do.

According to the above-described means, when the holding position of the substrate in the chamber is changed due to a change in the specifications or modification of the processing chamber, docking of a new chamber, or the like, the parameter corresponding to the changed holding position is designated. By doing so, the transfer robot can transfer the substrate to the changed holding position.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, a multi-chamber type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention forms an insulating film such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride on a wafer or a tantalum pentoxide on a wafer in a semiconductor device manufacturing factory. (Ta ₂ O
₅ ) It is configured as a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus for forming a metal film such as ruthenium (Ru).

As shown in FIG. 1, a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a transfer chamber 11 formed in a hexagonal cylindrical shape, and a first cassette is provided on each side thereof. Chamber 12, second cassette chamber 13, first cooling chamber 14, second cooling chamber 15, first CVD chamber 16 and second CVD
Chambers 17 are arranged respectively. First cooling chamber 14, second cooling chamber 15, first C
The VD chamber 16 and the second CVD chamber 17 constitute a plurality of processing chambers. A transfer robot 18 as a transfer device for transferring a wafer into and out of each of the chambers 12 to 17 is provided inside the transfer chamber 11. Gate valves 19 are interposed between the transfer chamber 11 and the first cassette chamber 12 and the second cassette chamber 13, respectively.

The multi-chamber type CVD apparatus 10 has a control system 20 shown in FIG. 2 for controlling each chamber and a transfer robot. As shown in FIG. 2, the control system 20 is a personal computer or F
Main controller 2 constructed from computer A, etc.
The main controller 21 is connected to input / output devices 22 such as a flow panel, a keyboard, a touch panel, a mouse, a display, a printer, and an audio alarm device.

The main controller 21 is connected to various sub-controllers 23 to 27. The pressure control sub-controller 23 controls the pressure of the transfer chamber 11, the cassette chambers 12, 13 and the like via an exhaust device (not shown). The cooling chamber sub-controller 24 controls the temperatures of the cooling chambers 14 and 15 via a heat exchanger or the like. First CVD chamber sub-controller 25 and second CV
The D chamber sub-controller 26 controls the first CVD chamber 16 and the second CVD chamber 17 via a heater, a source gas supply device, and the like. The transfer robot sub-controller 27 controls the transfer robot 18 via an electric motor or the like.

The main controller 21 has a storage device 28
Is connected, and the storage device 28 stores a flow, a table, and the like used in the transport control described later. Further, the main controller 21 is connected to a host computer 29 for managing and controlling the production process of the semiconductor device in a comprehensive manner, and the host computer 29 controls the film formation, cooling, transport and the like described later. Information such as a recipe number of a new lot is obtained.

A part of the main controller 21 (software) is constructed (programmed) with a general-purpose wafer transport controller 30 as a general-purpose wafer transport controller, and the general-purpose wafer transport controller 30 is shown in FIG. It is configured as shown. That is, the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for a wafer includes a parameter table storage unit 31, a parameter selection unit 32, a parameter acquisition unit 33, and a warning unit 34.
These are configured (programmed) to execute a general-purpose transfer control flow for a wafer described later.

In the present embodiment, the first CVD chamber 16 is constituted by a hot wall type two-wafer type low pressure CVD apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a two-wafer type CVD apparatus) shown in FIG. The two CVD chambers 17 are constituted by a cold-wall single-wafer-type low-pressure CVD apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a single-wafer-type CVD apparatus) shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, a two-sheet type CV
The D device 40 includes a process tube 41 formed of quartz glass, which is an example of a material having heat resistance and capable of preventing heavy metal contamination and the like. The process tube 41 is formed in the shape of a rectangular tube with both ends opened, and is placed horizontally so that the center line is horizontal. Process tube 41
The inside chamber substantially forms a processing chamber 42, and a holding jig 43 is disposed inside the processing chamber 42. The holding jig 43 is formed of quartz glass similarly to the process tube 41, and is configured to horizontally hold the two wafers 1 and 1 at the upper stage and the lower stage.

The heat insulating tank 4 is provided outside the process tube 41.
The heater 45 surrounded by the process tube 4
1 is provided so as to surround the periphery of the heater 45.
Is configured to uniformly heat the entire inside of the processing chamber 42.

An opening at one end of the process tube 41 substantially constitutes a furnace port for taking in and out the wafer 1 as an object to be processed, and a furnace port member 47 having a gate valve 46 attached thereto is connected to the furnace port. Have been. Process tube 4
The first furnace port member 47 is connected adjacent to the transfer chamber 11, and the wafer 1 is loaded and unloaded between the transfer chamber 11 and the processing chamber 42 by opening and closing the gate valve 46. The other end of the process tube 41 substantially constitutes a furnace end, and a furnace end member 48 for closing the opening is connected to the furnace end.

On the upper side wall of the furnace port member 47 and the furnace end member 48, a plurality of gas supply ports 49 are arranged in the longitudinal direction, and the furnace port side gas supply port member 50A and the furnace end side gas supply port member 50B are opened. Are attached to the furnace port side gas supply port member 50A, respectively.
Is connected, and a furnace-side gas supply passage 51B is connected to the furnace-side gas supply port member 50B. Furnace side gas supply path 5
Both 1A and the furnace end side gas supply path 51B are connected to a raw material gas supply device 53 via a direction control valve 52.
The direction control valve 52 supplies the raw material gas to the furnace port side gas supply path 5.
It is configured to switch between 1A and the furnace end side gas supply path 51B.

The lower wall of the furnace port member 47 and the furnace end member 48
The furnace side exhaust port 54A and the furnace end side exhaust port 5
4B are respectively opened, and a furnace port side exhaust path 55A and a furnace end side exhaust path 55B are connected to the furnace port side exhaust port 54A and the furnace end side exhaust port 54B, respectively. A furnace port side switching valve 56A and a furnace side switching valve 56B for switching between opening and closing are provided in the furnace port side exhaust path 55A and the furnace side exhaust path 55B, respectively. A downstream side of the furnace-side switching valve 56A and the furnace-side switching valve 56B is connected to the main exhaust path 57. The main exhaust path 57 is connected to an exhaust device 59 constituted by a vacuum pump or the like via a variable flow control valve 58. Direction control valve 52 and source gas supply device 5
3. The furnace-side switching valve 56A and the furnace-side switching valve 56B are configured to be controlled by the first CVD chamber sub-controller 25.

As shown in FIG. 5, a single-sheet type CV
The D device 60 includes a process tube 61 formed in a substantially cubic box shape, and an inner chamber of the process tube 61 substantially forms a processing chamber 62. The gate valve 6 is located at an intermediate height position on one side wall of the process tube 61.
A wafer loading / unloading port 63 which is opened and closed by the opening 4 is opened horizontally and horizontally, and the loading / unloading port 63 communicates the transfer chamber 11 and the processing chamber 62.
The processing chamber 62 is evacuated by an exhaust device (not shown) constituted by a vacuum pump or the like.

On the center line of the bottom wall of the process tube 61, an elevating shaft 65 which is raised and lowered by an elevating device (not shown).
A holder 66 formed in a circular box shape is supported at the insertion end of the elevating shaft 65. A susceptor 67 formed in a disk shape is disposed at an upper end of the holder 66, and the susceptor 67 is configured to place and hold one wafer 1 concentrically. Holder 66
A heater 68 is supported by a support 69 and installed therein, and the heater 68 heats the wafer 1 held by the susceptor 67. Also, holder 6
6, three lifting pins 70 (only one is shown in FIG. 5) are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and slidably supported in the vertical direction. As shown in (b), these lifting pins 70 are
When the wafer 1 descends, it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the processing chamber 62 and rises to lift the wafer 1 horizontally from the susceptor 67.

A gas supply head 7 for supplying a raw material gas, a purge gas and the like to the processing chamber 62 is provided at an upper end portion of the processing chamber 62.
1 is installed. The gas supply head 71 includes a main body 72 formed in a circular box shape with an open lower surface.
A blow-out plate 73 having a large number of blow-out ports 73a is attached to the lower end opening of the main body 72. A gas supply passage 74 is formed by a hollow portion of the main body 72, and a gas supply pipe 75 is connected to the main body 72 so as to supply a raw material gas, a purge gas, and the like to the gas supply passage 74. Therefore,
The gas supplied to the gas supply pipe 75 is diffused entirely in the gas supply path 74, and blows out from each outlet 73 a of the blowing plate 73 onto the entire surface of the wafer 1 on the susceptor 67 like a shower.

In the present embodiment, the first cooling chamber 14 is constituted by the cooling apparatus 80 for two sheets shown in FIG. 6, and the second cooling chamber 15 is formed by the cooling apparatus 80 for one sheet shown in FIG. The cooling device 90 is configured.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cooling device 80 for two sheets has a casing 81 formed in a substantially cubic box shape, and the inner chamber of the casing 81 substantially corresponds to the processing chamber 82. Is formed. A wafer loading / unloading port 8 opened and closed by a gate valve 84 is located at an intermediate height position on one side wall of the housing 81.
3 is opened so that the two wafers 1 and 1 can pass therethrough, and the loading / unloading port 83 is connected to the transfer chamber 11 and the processing chamber 8.
2 is communicated. A cooling water passage 85 through which cooling water circulates is provided inside the wall of the housing 81, and the processing chamber 82 is cooled by the cooling water circulating through the cooling water passage 85. The processing chamber 82 is evacuated by an exhaust device (not shown) constituted by a vacuum pump or the like.

Inside the processing chamber 82, a three-stage holding shelf 86 is provided.
A, 86B, 86C are aligned on the same vertical axis in the upper, middle, and lower tiers, and the holding shelves 86A, 86B, 86 of each tier are provided.
C is configured to hold the wafers 1 one by one by engaging a part of the outer periphery of the lower surface thereof. A holding shelf 86A at the first tier from the top (hereinafter referred to as an upper holding shelf), a holding shelf at a second tier from the top (hereinafter referred to as a lower holding shelf) 86B, and a holding shelf at a third tier from the top (hereinafter, referred to as the following). The distance from the holding shelf 86C is set to be equal to the vertical distance between the holding jigs 43 of the two-wafer CVD apparatus 40 described above.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cooling device 90 for one sheet includes a casing 91 formed in a substantially cubic box shape, and the internal chamber of the casing 91 substantially corresponds to the processing chamber 92. Is formed. A wafer loading / unloading port 9 opened and closed by a gate valve 94 is located at an intermediate height position on one side wall of the housing 91.
3 is opened so that one wafer 1 can pass through, and the loading / unloading port 93 connects the transfer chamber 11 and the processing chamber 92. A cooling water passage 95 through which cooling water circulates is provided inside the wall of the housing 91, and the processing chamber 92 is cooled by the cooling water circulating through the cooling water passage 95. The processing chamber 92 is evacuated by an exhaust device (not shown) constituted by a vacuum pump or the like.

Inside the processing chamber 92, a two-stage holding shelf 96 is provided.
A and 96B are aligned vertically on the same vertical axis, and the two-stage holding shelves 96A and 96B hold the wafers 1 one by one by engaging a part of the outer periphery of the lower surface thereof. Each is configured. A first holding shelf (hereinafter, referred to as an upper holding shelf) 96A from the top and a second holding shelf (hereinafter, referred to as a dummy holding shelf) 96B from the top.
Are set such that the upper holding shelf 96A does not interfere with the transfer of the wafer 1 to and from the dummy holding shelf 96B.

In this embodiment, the transfer robot 18
Are configured as shown in FIG. That is, the transfer robot 18 includes a Z-axis 101 that is moved up and down by a lifting device (not shown). The Z-axis 101 penetrates the bottom wall of the transfer chamber 11 and is inserted inside.
A linear motor 102 is horizontally supported at the insertion end of the Z-axis 101, and an X table 103 is mounted on the linear motor 102 so as to be horizontally moved in the X direction. A Y table 104 is mounted on the X table 103 so as to be horizontally moved by a linear motor (not shown) in the Y direction which is a direction perpendicular to the X direction. Is mounted to be rotated in a horizontal plane by a rotary motor (not shown). A mounting block 106 is fixed on the table 105, and the two-piece arm 107 and the one-piece arm 108 are horizontally mounted on the mounting block 106, respectively. The two arms 107 support two tweezers 109 and 109, and the one arm 108 supports one tweezer 109.

The operation will be described below.

First, the overall operation of the multi-chamber type CVD apparatus 10 is described as follows. A tantalum pentoxide (Ta ₂ O ₅ ) film as a gate insulating film is formed in the first CVD chamber 16 and the second CVD chamber 17 is formed. A case where a ruthenium (Ru) film as a gate metal film is formed will be described.

From this, twenty-five wafers 1 on which tantalum pentoxide is to be formed are supplied to the first cassette chamber 12 in a state where twenty-five wafers are stored in the cassette 2 as a carrier jig. Two wafers 1 stored in the cassette 2 of the first cassette chamber 12 are picked up and carried out by the transfer robot 18 and transferred to the first CVD chamber 16. That is, two wafers 1 and 1 out of the twenty-five wafers held in the cassette 2 are picked up by the upper and lower two-stage tweezers 109 and 109 attached to the two-sheet arm 107 of the transfer robot 18. (See FIG. 6), the first CVD chamber 1 is operated by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27.
6.

The two wafers 1, 1 transferred to the first CVD chamber 16 by the transfer robot 18 are two-wafer type C
It is carried into the processing chamber 42 of the VD device 40 from the furnace port, passed from the two tweezers 109, 109 to the holding jig 43, and as shown in FIG. Is held horizontally.

On the other hand, in the two-wafer CVD apparatus 40,
By opening the furnace port side switching valve 56A or the furnace end side switching valve 56B, the inside of the processing chamber 42 is evacuated to a predetermined degree of vacuum (for example, 50 to 500 Pa) by the exhaust device 59. Further, the inside of the processing chamber 42 is uniformly heated by the heater 45 to a predetermined temperature (for example, about 400 ° C.).

Next, pentaethoxy tantalum [Ta (OC ₂ O ₅₎ was used as a source gas for forming the Ta ₂ O ₅ film.
A mixed gas of H ₅ ) ₅ ] and oxygen (O ₂ ) is supplied into the processing chamber 42 by the source gas supply device 53. The raw material gas flowing into the processing chamber 42 flows through the processing chamber 42 while contacting the two wafers 1 and 1 held by the holding jig 43, and is exhausted from the furnace port side exhaust port 54A or the furnace end side exhaust port 54B. You. Since the raw material gas that has come into contact with the wafer 1 is in a state where a chemical reaction has progressed due to thermal energy, a Ta ₂ O ₅ film is deposited (deposited) on the wafer 1 by a CVD reaction using the raw material components.

By the way, in order to uniformly form the CVD film over the entire wafer 1, the supply of the raw material gas is appropriately controlled by the direction control valve 52 between the furnace port side gas supply path 51A and the furnace end side gas supply path 51B. Can be switched at the same time,
The exhaust gas is switched between the furnace-side exhaust path 55A and the furnace-side exhaust path 55B by the furnace-side switching valve 56A and the furnace-side switching valve 56B.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, the supply of the source gas from the source gas supply device 53 is stopped under the control of the first CVD chamber sub-controller 25, and the gate valve 4
6 is opened under the control of the first CVD chamber sub-controller 25. The two wafers 1 and 1 on which the film is formed on the holding jig 43 are the upper and lower two-stage tweezers 10 of the transfer robot 18 controlled by the transfer robot sub-controller 27.
By the operations of 9 and 109, the light is picked up from the holding jig 43 and is carried out of the processing chamber 42.

From the processing chamber 42 of the two-wafer CVD apparatus 40, the upper and lower two-stage tweezers 109, 109 of the transfer robot 18 are provided.
The two wafers 1 and 1 carried out by the transfer robot 18 are transferred as they are from the first CVD chamber 16 to the first cooling chamber 14 by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27.

As shown in FIG. 6, the two wafers 1 and 1 transferred to the first cooling chamber 14 are stored in the upper holding shelf 86A and the lower holding shelf 86A in the two-cooling device 80 of the first cooling chamber 14. Each is transferred to the holding shelf 86B. The upper holding shelf 86A holds the two wafers 1 and 1
When the transfer is transferred to the lower holding shelf 86B, the two-stage tweezers 109, 109 are retracted by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27,
It is moved to the first cassette chamber 12.

On the other hand, the two wafers 1 and 1 are
6A and the lower holding shelf 86B hold the gate valve 84 under the control of the cooling chamber sub-controller 24. Then, the wafers 1 and 1 held by the upper holding shelf 86A and the lower holding shelf 86B are cooled by heat exchange with the atmosphere in the processing chamber 82.

When a predetermined time has elapsed, the gate valve 84 is opened under the control of the cooling chamber sub-controller 24. The two cooled wafers 1 and 1 on the upper holding shelf 86A and the lower holding shelf 86B are transferred to the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27.
Are picked up from the upper holding shelf 86A and the lower holding shelf 86B by the operation of the upper and lower two-stage tweezers 109, 109 and carried out of the processing chamber 82.

The two wafers 1 and 1 unloaded from the processing chamber 82 of the two-wafer cooling device 80 by the upper and lower two-stage tweezers 109 of the transfer robot 18 are left as they are from the first cooling chamber 14. It is transferred to the first cassette chamber 12 by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27.

Then, the two wafers 1 and 1 transferred to the first cassette chamber 12 are stored in the first cassette chamber 1.
2 is transferred to the original slot of the original cassette 2 from the upper and lower two-stage tweezers 109 and 109, respectively. Thereafter, the above-described operation is repeated.

On the other hand, the wafer 1 on which ruthenium is to be formed is supplied to the second cassette chamber 13 in a state where twenty-five wafers 1 are stored in the cassette 2. One of the wafers 1 stored in the cassette 2 of the second cassette chamber 13 is picked up by the transfer robot 18, carried out, and transferred to the second CVD chamber 17. That is,
One wafer 1 of the twenty-five wafers held in the cassette 2 is picked up by the tweezer 109 attached to the one-sheet arm 108 of the transfer robot 18 (see FIGS. 5 and 7) and transferred. The wafer is transferred to the second CVD chamber 17 by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the robot sub-controller 27.

The single wafer 1 transferred to the second CVD chamber 17 by the transfer robot 18 is a single wafer type CVD.
As shown in FIG. 5B, the tweezers 109 are loaded into the processing chamber 62 of the apparatus 60 through the loading / unloading port 63.
Is transferred to the susceptor 67 and held horizontally.

In the single-wafer CVD apparatus 60, when the susceptor 67 holds the wafer 1, the holder 66
Under the control of the D chamber sub-controller 26, the film is raised to the film formation position. Wafer 1 held by susceptor 67
Is heated by the heater 68. A source gas for forming a ruthenium film is supplied to the processing chamber 62 under the control of the second CVD chamber sub-controller 26.
It is blown out from 1 like a shower. The blown source gas flows through the processing chamber 62 while being in contact with the wafer 1 held by the susceptor 67 and is exhausted. Since the chemical reaction of the raw material gas in contact with the wafer 1 has progressed due to the thermal energy, a ruthenium film is deposited (deposited) on the wafer 1 by the CVD reaction using the raw material components.

When a predetermined time has elapsed, the supply of the raw material gas from the gas supply head 71 is stopped, the holder 66 is lowered, and the gate valve 64 is opened under the control of the second CVD chamber sub-controller 26. Holder 66
Is lowered, the wafer 1 is lifted from the susceptor 67 by the three lifting pins 70. The lifted wafer 1 is picked up by the operation of the tweezer 109 of the arm 108 for one sheet of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27, and is processed by the processing chamber 62.
It is carried out from.

The wafer 1 unloaded from the processing chamber 62 of the single-wafer CVD apparatus 60 by the tweezer 109 of the transfer robot 18 is left as it is, and the second CVD chamber 17
Is transferred to the second cooling chamber 15 by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27.

As shown in FIG. 7, one wafer 1 transferred to the second cooling chamber 15 is transferred to the upper holding shelf 96A in the cooling device 90 for one sheet of the second cooling chamber 15. . When the wafer 1 is transferred to the upper holding shelf 96A, the tweezers 109 are retracted by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27, and are moved to the second cassette chamber 13.

When the wafer 1 is held by the upper holding shelf 96 A, the gate valve 94 is closed under the control of the cooling chamber sub-controller 24. Then, the wafer 1 held by the upper holding shelf 96A is cooled by heat exchange with the atmosphere in the processing chamber 92.

When a predetermined time has elapsed, the gate valve 94 is opened under the control of the cooling chamber sub-controller 24. The cooled wafer 1 on the upper holding shelf 86A is picked up from the upper holding shelf 96A by the operation of the tweezer 109 of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27, and is unloaded from the processing chamber 92.

The wafer 1 unloaded by the tweezers 109 of the transfer robot 18 from the processing chamber 92 of the cooling device 90 for one wafer is kept in the second cooling chamber 1 as it is.
From 5, the transfer robot 18 is transferred to the second cassette chamber 13 by the operation of the transfer robot 18 under the control of the transfer robot sub-controller 27.

The single wafer 1 transferred to the second cassette chamber 13 is placed in the original slot of the original cassette 2 in the second cassette chamber 13 by the tweezer 109.
Passed from. Thereafter, the above-described operation is repeated.

Next, the general-purpose transfer controller 3 for the wafer in the film forming method using the multi-chamber type CVD apparatus 10 described above.
The operation of 0 will be described for the case where the number of transferred wafers is one and two.

In this embodiment, a parameter table shown in Table 1 below is created in advance and stored in the storage unit 31 of the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for wafers.

[0056]

[Table 1]

In the above-described film forming method, when the two wafers 1 and 1 are transferred from the first cassette chamber 12 to the first CVD chamber 16 by the transfer robot 18 and loaded into the two-wafer CVD apparatus 40. The tweezers 109 of the two-arm 107 are used. At this time, the parameter selection unit 32 of the general-purpose wafer transfer control unit 30 reads the parameter table in the storage unit 31 and
The parameters “01”, “05”, and “14” are selected and transmitted to the transfer robot sub-controller 27. When controlling the transfer robot 18, the transfer robot sub-controller 27 transmits the transmitted parameters “01” and “0”.
The contents of the operation designation sections 5 "and 14" are stored in the storage section 31 through the parameter acquisition section 33 of the wafer general-purpose transfer control section 30.
The transfer robot 18 is operated as described above by controlling the transfer robot 18 by reading out the information.

Similarly, the two wafers 1 and 1 on which a film is formed are unloaded from the first CVD chamber 16 by the transfer robot 18 and transferred to the first cooling chamber 14.
In carrying in the two-sheet cooling device 80, the tweezers 109 of the two-sheet arm 107 are used.
At this time, the parameter selection unit 32 of the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for the wafer reads the parameter table from the storage unit 31 and sets the parameters “03”, “07”, “10”, “1”.
"2", "16", and "18" are selected and transmitted to the transfer robot sub-controller 27. When controlling the transfer robot 18, the transfer robot sub-controller 27 sends the transmitted parameters “03”, “07”, “10”,
By reading the contents of the operation specifying sections of “12”, “16”, and “18” from the storage section 31 through the parameter acquisition section 33 of the general-purpose transfer control section 30 for the wafer and controlling the transfer robot 18, the transfer robot 18 is controlled. Operate as described above.

In the film forming method described above, when one wafer 1 is transferred from the second cassette chamber 13 to the second CVD chamber 17 by the transfer robot 18 and loaded into the single-wafer CVD apparatus 60, The tweezers 109 of the one-piece arm 108 are used. At this time, the parameter selection unit 32 in the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for the wafer reads the parameter table from the storage unit 31, selects the parameters “02”, “06”, and “15”, and transmits them to the transfer robot sub-controller 27. . When controlling the transfer robot 18, the transfer robot sub-controller 27 transmits the transmitted parameters “02”, “06”,
The transfer robot 18 is operated as described above by controlling the transfer robot 18 by reading out the contents of the operation specifying unit of “15” from the storage unit 31 through the parameter acquisition unit 33 of the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for the wafer and controlling the transfer robot 18.

Similarly, a single wafer 1 on which a film is formed is unloaded from the second CVD chamber 17 by the transfer robot 18, transferred to the second cooling chamber 15, and transferred to the single-plate cooling device 90. At this time, the tweezers 109 of the one-piece arm 108 are used. At this time, the parameter selection unit 32 of the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for the wafer reads the parameter table from the storage unit 31 and stores the parameters “04”, “08”, “11”, “13”, “17”,
"19" is selected and the transfer robot sub-controller 27
Send to When controlling the transfer robot 18, the transfer robot sub-controller 27 sends the transmitted parameters “04”, “08”, “11”, “13”, “1”.
The contents of the operation designation sections 7 ”and 19 are stored in the storage section 31 through the parameter acquisition section 33 of the general-purpose transfer control section 30 for the wafer.
The transfer robot 18 is operated as described above by controlling the transfer robot 18 by reading out the information.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the second CVD chamber 17 is changed to a two-wafer CVD apparatus 40 and the second cooling chamber 15 is changed to a two-sheet cooling apparatus 80. In addition, the transfer robot 18 can be used as it is in the multi-chamber type CVD apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. That is, by preparing in advance a parameter table as shown in Table 2 below in the parameter table for wafer transfer control, the general-purpose transfer control unit 30 for wafers can control two wafers related to the second CVD chamber 17 and the second cooling chamber 15. When the wafers 1 and 1 are transferred, the corresponding parameters are selected and the transfer robot 18 is automatically controlled.

[0062]

[Table 2]

In the above-described general wafer transfer control flow, if the transfer is physically impossible due to the selection of parameters, the warning unit 34 constructed in the general wafer transfer control unit 30 is connected to the main controller 21. A warning message is displayed on a display (not shown) of the input / output device 22 that has been set. With this warning message, interference with other components of the transfer robot 18 and the like is avoided. For example, if “both and one step” is not set in the parameter “09”, the transfer robot 18 can share both “two wafers” and “one wafer”. Can not.

When the setting regarding whether or not to display the location of the wafer is performed for each chamber, if the transfer robot sub-controller 27 determines that the parameter is not supported, a warning that information cannot be set is issued. A message is displayed. For example, if information is set for two wafers even though it is a cooling device for one sheet, there is no physical holding shelf, so "information cannot be set for one wafer". Is displayed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the CVD apparatus installed in the second CVD chamber is changed from a single-wafer CVD apparatus to a two-wafer CVD apparatus, Even if the wafer holding position in each processing chamber is changed by changing the cooling device installed in the processing chamber from the single-sheet cooling device to the two-sheet cooling device, it corresponds to the changed holding position. By specifying the parameters, the transfer robot can appropriately transfer the wafer to the changed holding position in each chamber. That is, the transfer control of the multi-chamber type CVD apparatus 10 and the versatility of the whole multi-chamber type CVD apparatus can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the parameter table is not limited to be created corresponding to the number of processing chambers to be processed at one time.
It is desirable to create it even in the following cases.
When the holding positions of the chambers are different. When there are restrictions on any of a plurality of axes that can be transferred by the transfer robot, or when the positions that can be transferred are limited. When the chamber is provided with an elevator as a holding means for a buffer function or the like. When the distance between the upper holding shelf and the lower holding shelf of each chamber is different.

The number of processing chambers is not limited to six, but may be three or more.

The processing chamber is not limited to a two-wafer CVD apparatus, a single-wafer CVD apparatus, a two-wafer cooling apparatus or a one-wafer cooling apparatus, but also includes a plasma CVD apparatus, a heating apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, It may be constituted by a dry etching device.

The general-purpose transfer controller for the wafer is not limited to being provided in the main controller, but may be provided in the transfer robot sub-controller, or may be provided with dedicated software or hardware.

In the above embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a multi-chamber type semiconductor such as a single wafer cluster type sputtering apparatus or a multi-chamber type dry etching apparatus. The present invention can be applied to all manufacturing apparatuses.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the semiconductor device is used in a pre-process of a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device has been described.

[0073]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the holding position of the substrate in the chamber was changed due to a specification change or modification of the processing chamber, docking of a new chamber, or the like, the transfer robot was changed by specifying a parameter corresponding to the changed holding position. Since the substrate can be transferred to the holding position, the versatility of the multi-chamber type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can be enhanced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a general-purpose transfer control unit for the wafer.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing a two-wafer CVD apparatus.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are front cross-sectional views showing a single-wafer CVD apparatus, wherein FIG. 5A shows a state during film formation and FIG. 5B shows a state during wafer transfer.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing a cooling device for two sheets.

FIG. 7 is a front sectional view showing a cooling device for one sheet.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a transfer robot.

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing a case where the processing chamber is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wafer, 2 ... Cassette, 10 ... Multi-chamber type C
VD equipment (multi-chamber semiconductor manufacturing equipment), 11 ...
Transfer chamber, 12: first cassette chamber (processing chamber), 13: second cassette chamber (processing chamber), 14: first cooling chamber (processing chamber), 15: second cooling chamber (processing chamber), 16: first One CVD chamber (processing chamber), 1
7 second CVD chamber (processing chamber), 18 transfer robot (transfer device), 19 gate valve, 20 control system, 21 main controller, 22 input / output device, 23 pressure control sub-controller, 24 Cooling chamber sub-controller, 25 ... First CVD chamber sub-controller, 26 ... Second CVD chamber sub-controller, 27 ... Transport robot sub-controller,
28: storage device, 29: host computer, 30: general-purpose transfer control unit for wafer, 31: parameter table storage unit, 32: parameter selection unit, 33: parameter acquisition unit, 34: warning unit, 40: double-wafer CVD Apparatus (hot-wall two-wafer low-pressure CVD apparatus), 41 ...
Process tube, 42 processing chamber, 43 holding jig, 4
4: heat insulation tank, 45: heater, 46: gate valve, 47
... Furnace opening member, 48 ... Furnace end member, 49 ... Gas supply port, 50
A: Furnace side gas supply port member, 50B: Furnace side gas supply port member, 51A: Furnace side gas supply path, 51B: Furnace side gas supply path, 52: Directional control valve, 53: Raw material gas supply device
54A: Furnace outlet side exhaust port, 54B ... Furnace end side exhaust port, 55A
... furnace side exhaust path, 55B ... furnace side exhaust path, 56A ... furnace side switching valve, 56B ... furnace side switching valve, 57 ... main exhaust path, 58 ... variable flow control valve, 59 ... exhaust device, 60 ... one Single wafer CVD apparatus (cold wall single wafer CVD apparatus), 61: process tube, 62: processing chamber, 63:
Wafer loading / unloading port, 64 gate valve, 65 elevating shaft, 66 holder, 67 susceptor, 68 heater, 6
9: Support, 70: Lifting pin, 71: Gas supply head, 72: Main body, 73: Blow plate, 73a: Blow outlet, 74
... gas supply path, 75 ... gas supply pipe, 80 ... cooling device for two sheets, 81 ... housing, 82 ... processing chamber, 83 ... wafer loading / unloading port, 84 ... gate valve, 85 ... cooling water path, 86A,
86B, 86C: holding shelf, 90: cooling device for one sheet, 9
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Case, 92 ... Processing chamber, 93 ... Wafer carry-in / out port, 9
4: Gate valve, 95: Cooling channel, 96A, 96B ...
Holding shelf, 101: Z axis, 102: Linear motor, 103
... X table, 104 ... Y table, 105 ... Θ table, 106 ... Mounting block, 107 ... Two arm, 1
08: One-piece arm, 109: Tweezer.

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A multi-chamber semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a plurality of processing chambers are connected around a transfer chamber provided with a transfer robot for transferring a substrate, wherein a holding position of the substrate in each of the plurality of processing chambers is different from each other. A multi-chamber semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein the substrate holding position is set for each of the processing chambers by being set as a parameter that can be changed by a controller for each processing chamber.