JP2003068614A - Aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an aligner for efficiently performing a continuous lot process by avoiding the risk of a planned lot process being enable to be conducted. SOLUTION: This aligner comprises a reticle library 20 holding a plurality of reticles, a standby position 21 for making pre-reticle exposures at which the reticle is held for executing a specified process, a means 17 for executing exposure process that executes the specified process by using the reticle held at the standby position 21, a reticle-carrying means 18 that carries the reticle, and a means 16 for managing/controlling lot process and a means 23 for managing reticle information that inhibit or restrict the operation from the outside to individual reticle held in the device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device processing apparatus for processing a device such as a semiconductor, and more particularly to an exposure apparatus such as a stepper or a scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional device processing apparatus for processing a device such as a semiconductor, particularly an exposure apparatus, a plurality of originals such as reticles to be used are stored in advance and used when a lot is set up. The reticle is loaded on the exposure reticle stage and exposure processing is performed. Furthermore, in the conventional technology,
Continuous lot processing can be performed automatically by queuing multiple lot processing in the equipment, and the reticle used in the queued lot processing is automatically inspected for foreign matter according to the processing order and transferred to the standby position. By doing so, the processing efficiency is improved.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a reticle or the like to be used in the queued lot processing is operated by an operator or a remote operation from an external system such as a host computer. There is a problem that the device processing apparatus cannot perform the scheduled lot processing due to operations such as carrying out the original plate out of the apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an exposure apparatus capable of efficiently performing continuous lot processing while avoiding the risk that scheduled lot processing cannot be performed. To aim.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the exposure apparatus of the present invention has an original library for holding a plurality of originals, and a predetermined one for executing the predetermined processing. In the exposure apparatus, which comprises a holding means for holding the processing position, an original processing means for performing a predetermined processing using the original held in the processing position, and an original transfer means for transferring the original, It is characterized in that it comprises means for prohibiting or restricting the operation of the individual original plates held in the apparatus from the outside.

In the present invention, the means for prohibiting or restricting the operation of the individual originals held in the exposure apparatus from the outside or limiting the operation is such that the exposure apparatus can process one or more lots. When set, it is possible to automatically prohibit or limit the operation of the original plate used in the processing of each lot from the outside. The exposure apparatus has means for displaying list information of the originals stored in the exposure apparatus, and for the originals for which operation is prohibited, prohibited operations are displayed on the display means. It is preferable.

With the above arrangement, in the exposure apparatus, it is possible to avoid the trouble that the scheduled lot processing cannot be performed because the reticle to be used is carried out from the apparatus.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a reticle library for holding a plurality of reticles in an apparatus and a predetermined processing position (reticle processing position) for carrying out a predetermined processing. In a semiconductor exposure apparatus having a holding means for holding a reticle, a reticle processing means for performing a predetermined processing using the reticle held at a reticle processing position, and a reticle transfer means for transferring the reticle in the apparatus, It has means for prohibiting or restricting the operation of the individual reticles held by the external. Further, when one or more lots are processed in the exposure apparatus, the operation of the reticle used in the processing of each lot from the outside is automatically prohibited or the operation is restricted.

In this embodiment, the semiconductor exposure apparatus has display means for displaying list information of reticles stored therein, and for the reticles whose operation is prohibited, the prohibited operation is displayed on the display means. For example, it is displayed as a display of the operation restriction information in the list information.

[0010]

EXAMPLES Next, examples of the present invention will be described in detail. [Embodiment of Exposure Apparatus] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a man-machine interface unit, which includes a keyboard, a mouse,
The input from the input unit 12 such as a touch panel is transmitted to the inside of the apparatus, and the information inside the apparatus is displayed on the display unit 13 such as a display.
To display. Reference numeral 14 denotes a communication interface unit (host interface unit) with an external system, which communicates with an external system 15 such as a host computer. 16
Is a lot processing management control means, which receives a lot processing execution command from the man-machine interface unit 11 and the host interface unit 14. The lot processing management control means 16 can receive a plurality of lot processing execution commands and queues them internally. Reference numeral 17 is an exposure processing execution means. The lot processing management control means 16 issues an exposure processing execution command to the exposure processing execution means 17 according to the processing order, and the exposure processing execution means 17 executes the exposure processing according to the received command.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a reticle carrying means, which carries the reticle to the reticle loading / unloading port 19, the reticle library 20, the reticle pre-exposure standby position 21, and the reticle exposure stage 22. The reticle transfer unit 18 transfers a reticle by an operator operation via the man-machine interface unit 11 or a command from an external system via the host interface unit 14.
Alternatively, the lot process management control means 16 carries the reticle in accordance with a carrying reticle carrying command issued in accordance with the lot processing order.

The reticle transfer means 18 notifies the lot processing management control means 16 of the completion of the transfer when receiving the transfer command from the lot processing management control means 16 and carrying out the transfer. Reference numeral 23 is a reticle information management means, which holds information on all the reticles in the apparatus.

The reticle conveying means 18 acquires information such as the current position of the reticle to be conveyed from the reticle information held by the reticle information managing means 23 and conveys the reticle. After the conveyance, the latest reticle information is managed. The means 23 is notified and the information is updated. The information held by the reticle information management unit 23 can be displayed on the display unit 13 via the man-machine interface unit 11 and can be notified to the external system 15 via the host interface unit 14.

The reticle information management means 23 holds operation restriction information on each reticle in the apparatus.
The lot processing management control means 16 updates the operation restriction information held by the reticle information management means 23 so as to prohibit an external operation on the reticle used in the queued lot processing. The lot processing management control unit 16 also controls the reticle information management unit 23 to release the external operation prohibition of the reticle that has been used after the lot processing is completed. Upon receiving a reticle transfer command by an operator operation via the man-machine interface unit 11 and a reticle transfer command by an remote system from an external system via the host interface unit 14, the reticle transfer unit 18 is requested to transfer the reticle. First, the operation restriction information is acquired from the reticle information management means 23, and if the reticle is prohibited from external operation, the transportation command is rejected.

FIG. 2 shows the lot processing management control means 1 of FIG.
It is the figure which showed the processing flow which 6 performs. In step S201, the lot processing management control unit 16 receives the lot processing execution command from the man-machine interface unit 11 or the host interface unit 14 (Y
In the case of ES), the lot is queued as a lot to be processed and held together with information necessary for the process including the reticle to be used (step S202).

In step S202, the operation restriction information held by the reticle information management means 23 is updated so that the external operation of the reticle used is prohibited. The lot processing management control means 16 confirms whether or not the reticle used for the queued lot can be conveyed to the pre-exposure standby position (step S203). When the queued lot is at the head of the queue, or when the second lot in the queue and the leading lot is undergoing exposure processing, it is determined that the pre-exposure waiting position can be transported. In step S203, if it is determined that it is possible (in the case of YES), the reticle transport means 18 is transported to the pre-exposure standby position (step S204).
When the lot processing management control means 16 receives from the reticle transport means 18 that the transfer of the used reticle of the leading lot to the pre-exposure standby position has been received (step S205), it confirms whether or not the exposure processing is currently being performed (step S206). If the exposure process is not in progress (in the case of NO), an instruction to convey the reticle to be used to the reticle stage is issued (step S207).

In step S208, when the reticle transfer means 18 receives a notification of the completion of transfer of the used reticle to the reticle stage, it issues an exposure processing start command to the exposure processing execution means 17 (step S209). Step S21
In 0, when the exposure processing start means 17 receives the notification of the start of the exposure processing (in the case of YES), it is confirmed whether or not the lot to be processed next is queued (step S211). For example, reticle preparation for the reticle used in that lot is performed (step S2).
04).

In step S212, when the exposure processing completion notice is received from the exposure processing executing means 17 (in the case of YES), the finished lot is deleted from the queue (step S213). In step S213, if the used reticle of the deleted lot is not scheduled to be used in another lot process in which it is queued, the operation restriction information held by the reticle information management means 23 is released so as to cancel the prohibition of the external operation. Update. In step S214, it is confirmed whether or not the transportation of the used reticle of the lot to be processed next to the pre-exposure standby position is completed, and if completed, an instruction to transfer the used reticle to the reticle stage is issued (step S207). ).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing flow performed by the reticle transport means 18 of FIG. Reticle transport means 18
When the transfer instruction is received from the lot processing management control means 16 (S301), the instruction is immediately executed (S30).
2). When a transport command is received from the man-machine interface unit 11 or the host interface unit 14,
The operation restriction information of the reticle instructed to be carried held by the reticle information management means 23 is acquired (S303), and if the external operation is prohibited (S304), the carrying command is rejected (S305). Further, if the external operation is not prohibited, the command is executed (S302).

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the content of the reticle information held by the reticle information management means 23 in FIG. 1 is displayed on the display means 13 via the man-machine interface section 11.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
By performing an operation such as carrying out the reticle to be used out of the exposure apparatus, it is possible to avoid the trouble that the scheduled lot processing cannot be performed.

[Embodiment of Semiconductor Production System] Next, a device such as a semiconductor (I
An example of a production system of a semiconductor chip such as C or LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CCD, a thin film magnetic head, a micromachine, etc.) will be described. This is to carry out maintenance services such as troubleshooting of a manufacturing apparatus installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, periodic maintenance, or software provision using a computer network or the like outside the manufacturing factory.

FIG. 5 shows the entire system cut out from a certain angle. In the figure, 101 is a business office of a vendor (apparatus supplier) that provides a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. As an example of a manufacturing apparatus, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for various processes used in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, for example,
Pre-process equipment (lithography equipment such as exposure equipment, resist processing equipment, etching equipment, heat treatment equipment, film forming equipment,
Flattening equipment, etc.) and post-process equipment (assembling equipment, inspection equipment, etc.) are assumed. In the business office 101, a host management system 10 that provides a maintenance database for manufacturing equipment is provided.
8, a plurality of operation terminal computers 110, and a local area network (LAN) 109 that connects these to construct an intranet or the like. Host management system 1
08 is provided with a gateway for connecting the LAN 109 to the Internet 105, which is an external network of the office, and a security function for restricting access from the outside.

On the other hand, 102 to 104 are semiconductor manufacturers (semiconductor device makers) as users of the manufacturing apparatus.
Manufacturing plant. The manufacturing factories 102 to 104 may be factories belonging to different makers or may be factories belonging to the same maker (for example, a pre-process factory, a post-process factory, etc.). In each of the factories 102 to 104, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses 106, a local area network (LAN) 111 that connects them to construct an intranet, and a host as a monitoring apparatus that monitors the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 are provided. A management system 107 is provided. The host management system 107 provided in each factory 102 to 104 includes a gateway for connecting the LAN 111 in each factory to the Internet 105 which is an external network of the factory. As a result, the host management system 108 on the vendor 101 side can be accessed from the LAN 111 of each factory via the Internet 105, and only the limited user is permitted to access by the security function of the host management system 108. Specifically, via the Internet 105,
The factory side notifies the vendor side of status information indicating the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 (for example, a symptom of the manufacturing apparatus in which a trouble has occurred), and the response information corresponding to the notification (for example, an instruction for a troubleshooting method is given. Information to
It is possible to receive maintenance information such as countermeasure software and data), the latest software, and help information from the vendor side. A communication protocol (TCP / IP) generally used on the Internet is used for data communication between the factories 102 to 104 and the vendor 101 and data communication on the LAN 111 in each factory. In addition,
Instead of using the Internet as an external network outside the factory, it is also possible to use a leased line network (ISDN or the like) having high security without being accessed by a third party. Further, the host management system is not limited to one provided by a vendor, and a user may construct a database and place it on an external network to permit access from a plurality of factories of the user to the database.

Now, FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the entire system of this embodiment cut out from an angle different from that shown in FIG. In the above example, a plurality of user factories each provided with a manufacturing apparatus are connected to a management system of a vendor of the manufacturing apparatus via an external network, and production management of each factory or at least one unit is performed via the external network. Was used for data communication of information on the manufacturing equipment. On the other hand, in this example, a factory equipped with manufacturing equipment of a plurality of vendors and a management system of each vendor of the plurality of manufacturing equipments are connected by an external network outside the factory, and maintenance information of each manufacturing equipment is displayed. It is for data communication. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a manufacturing plant of a manufacturing apparatus user (semiconductor device manufacturing maker), and a manufacturing apparatus for performing various processes is installed on a manufacturing line of the factory.
The film forming processing device 204 is introduced. Although only one manufacturing factory 201 is drawn in FIG. 6, a plurality of factories are actually networked in the same manner. Each device in the factory is connected by a LAN 206 to form an intranet or the like, and the host management system 205 manages the operation of the manufacturing line. On the other hand, the exposure apparatus manufacturer 210, the resist processing apparatus manufacturer 220, the film deposition apparatus manufacturer 230, etc.
Each business site of the vendor (device supplier) is provided with host management systems 211, 221, 231 for performing remote maintenance of the supplied equipment, respectively, and these are provided with the maintenance database and the gateway of the external network as described above. . The host management system 205 that manages each device in the user's manufacturing factory and the vendor management system 211, 221, 231 of each device are the external network 20.
It is connected by the Internet or a leased line network which is 0. In this system, if a trouble occurs in any of the series of manufacturing equipment on the manufacturing line, the operation of the manufacturing line is suspended, but the vendor of the equipment in trouble receives remote maintenance via the Internet 200. This enables quick response and minimizes production line downtime.

Each manufacturing apparatus installed in the semiconductor manufacturing factory is provided with a display, a network interface, and a computer for executing the network access software and the apparatus operating software stored in the storage device. The storage device is a built-in memory, a hard disk, a network file server, or the like. The network access software includes a dedicated or general-purpose web browser, and provides a user interface having a screen, an example of which is shown in FIG. 7, on the display. The operator who manages the manufacturing equipment at each factory refers to the screen and refers to the model of the manufacturing equipment (4
01), serial number (402), trouble subject (403), occurrence date (404), urgency (405), symptom (406), coping method (407), progress (408), and other information on the screen. Fill in the input fields. The entered information will be sent to the maintenance database via the Internet,
The resulting appropriate maintenance information is returned from the maintenance database and presented on the display. Further, the user interface provided by the web browser further realizes a hyperlink function (410, 411, 412) as shown in the figure, so that the operator can access more detailed information of each item or from a software library provided by the vendor. It is possible to pull out the latest version of software used for the manufacturing apparatus, or pull out an operation guide (help information) to be used as a reference for the factory operator. Here, the maintenance information provided by the maintenance database includes the information about the present invention described above, and the software library also provides the latest software for implementing the present invention.

Next, a semiconductor device manufacturing process using the above-described production system will be described. Figure 8
1 shows an overall manufacturing process flow of a semiconductor device. In step 1 (circuit design), the circuit of the semiconductor device is designed. In step 2 (mask manufacturing), a mask having the designed circuit pattern is manufactured. On the other hand, in step 3 (wafer manufacturing), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon. Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process, and an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by the lithography technique using the mask and the wafer prepared above. The next step 5 (assembly) is called a post-process, which is a process of forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer manufactured in step 4, and an assembly process (dicing,
Assembling process such as bonding) and packaging process (chip encapsulation). In step 6 (inspection), the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 undergoes inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test. A semiconductor device is completed through these processes and shipped (step 7). The front-end process and the back-end process are performed in separate dedicated factories, and maintenance is performed for each of these factories by the remote maintenance system described above. Also, between the front-end factory and the back-end factory,
Information and the like for production management and equipment maintenance are data-communicated via the Internet or a leased line network.

FIG. 9 shows a detailed flow of the wafer process. In step 11 (oxidation), the surface of the wafer is oxidized. In step 12 (CVD), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step 13 (electrode formation), electrodes are formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted in the wafer. Step 1
In 5 (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. In step 16 (exposure), the circuit pattern of the mask is printed and exposed on the wafer by the exposure apparatus described above. In step 17 (development), the exposed wafer is developed. In step 18 (etching), parts other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist stripping), the resist that is no longer needed after etching is removed. By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer. Since the manufacturing equipment used in each process is maintained by the remote maintenance system described above, troubles can be prevented in advance, and even if troubles occur, quick recovery is possible, and Productivity can be improved.

[0029]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, an original library for holding originals such as a plurality of reticles, an original processing position for holding an original for performing a predetermined process, and an original held at the original processing position are used. And has an original plate processing unit that carries out a predetermined process and an original plate transfer unit that transfers the original plate, and prohibits or restricts the operation of the individual original plates held in the exposure apparatus from the outside. By including the means, it is possible to obtain an exposure apparatus that can efficiently perform continuous lot processing while avoiding the risk that scheduled lot processing cannot be performed.

Further, in the exposure apparatus of the present invention, when one or more lots are processed in the exposure apparatus, the operation of the original plate used for the processing of each lot is automatically prohibited or operated. By limiting the number of times, it is possible to efficiently perform continuous lot processing while avoiding the risk that scheduled lot processing cannot be performed due to operations such as carrying out an original plate to be used out of the apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing flow performed by a lot processing management control means 16 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing flow performed by the reticle transport unit 18 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a case where the content of reticle information held by reticle information management means 23 in FIG. 1 is displayed on display means 13 via man-machine interface section 11.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual view of a semiconductor device production system including an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from an angle.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a semiconductor device production system including an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from another angle.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of a user interface in a semiconductor device production system including an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a device manufacturing process by the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a wafer process performed by the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: Man-machine interface section, 12: Input section, 13: Display section, 14: Host interface section, 15: External system, 16: Lot processing management control section, 17: Exposure processing execution section, 18: Reticle transfer section, 19 : Reticle loading / unloading port, 20: reticle library, 21: reticle standby position before exposure, 22: reticle exposure stage, 23: reticle information management means.

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An original library for holding a plurality of originals, holding means for holding the originals at a predetermined processing position for executing a predetermined processing, and the originals held at the processing position are used. In an exposure apparatus that includes an original processing unit that executes a predetermined process, and an original conveying unit that conveys the original, prohibiting an operation from the outside with respect to each of the originals held in the exposure apparatus, or An exposure apparatus having means for restricting operations. 2. A means for prohibiting or restricting the operation of the individual original plates held in the exposure apparatus from the outside or limiting the operation is such that the exposure apparatus is processed for one or more lots. In this case, the exposure apparatus according to claim 1, which automatically prohibits or restricts the operation of the original used in the processing of each lot from the outside. 3. A display unit for displaying list information of the original plate stored in the exposure apparatus, wherein the prohibited operation is displayed on the display unit for the original plate whose operation is prohibited. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display, a network interface, and a computer that executes network software, and the exposure apparatus maintenance information is stored in a computer network. An exposure apparatus that enables data communication via the. 5. The network software provides a user interface on the display for connecting to an external network of a factory in which the exposure apparatus is installed and accessing a maintenance database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, which makes it possible to obtain information from the database via the external network. 6. A step of installing a manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and a plurality of processes using the manufacturing apparatus group. And a step of manufacturing a semiconductor device. 7. Data communication of information relating to at least one of the manufacturing apparatus group between the step of connecting the manufacturing apparatus group with a local area network and between the local area network and an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising: 8. A semiconductor manufacturing factory, which is different from the semiconductor manufacturing factory, accessing a database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus via the external network to obtain maintenance information of the manufacturing apparatus by data communication. 8. The semiconductor device manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein production control is performed by performing data communication with the device via the external network. 9. A manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 1, a local area network connecting the manufacturing apparatus group, and a local area network to outside the factory. A semiconductor manufacturing factory, which has a gateway that enables access to the external network, and enables data communication of information regarding at least one of the manufacturing apparatus groups. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing factory is installed.
5. The exposure apparatus maintenance method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus provides a maintenance database connected to an external network of the semiconductor manufacturing factory, and the semiconductor manufacturing factory. A step of permitting access to the maintenance database from the inside via the external network; and a step of transmitting the maintenance information accumulated in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory side via the external network. Maintenance method for exposure equipment.