JP2003115518A - Substrate treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the generation of negative effects such as the growth of a natural oxide film even in irregular operation. SOLUTION: A multichamber type CVD device has a negative pressure transfer chamber 10 constituted into a load lock chamber structure which resists negative pressure, a negative pressure transfer device 12 which is installed in the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 and transfers a wafer W, a carry-in chamber 20, a carry-out chamber 30 and a buffer chamber 40 constituted into a load lock chamber structure and continuously installed in front of the negative pressure transfer chamber 10, a positive pressure transfer chamber 50 which is constituted to maintain positive pressure, a positive pressure transfer device 52 which is installed in the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 and transfers a wafer W between the carry-in chamber 20, the carry-out chamber 30 and the buffer chamber 40, and a pod-mounting table 61 and a plurality of CVD units 71, 72, 73 and 74 installed in the rear side of the negative pressure transfer chamber 10. Thereby, it is possible, in an irregular operation, to prevent the generation of negative effects, such as the growth of a natural oxide film by storing a wafer W temporarily in the buffer chamber 40 which enables pressure reduction.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus.
And maintain a highly clean surface condition of the substrate that is the workpiece.
To continuously form multiple types of thin films on the same substrate
For example, for example, a semiconductor integrated circuit device (hereinafter, referred to as an IC)
U. ), The integrated circuit including the semiconductor element
(Hereinafter, referred to as wafer)
Effective for forming oxide film, nitride film and metal film on
About things. 2. Description of the Related Art In a method of manufacturing an IC, a wafer is oxidized.
The following multi-chambers are used to form films and metal films.
Type CVD equipment may be used. That is, this
The multi-chamber type CVD apparatus operates at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure (negative pressure).
Pressure) with a load lock chamber structure
The pressure-side wafer transfer chamber and the vacuum-side wafer transfer chamber
And the load lock chamber structure.
And was installed in front of the wafer transfer chamber on the negative pressure side.
Spare room for loading and unloading, and pressure higher than atmospheric pressure
(Positive pressure) is constructed so that
Transfer of wafers on the positive pressure side installed in front of the loading and unloading room
Chamber and the positive-pressure-side wafer transfer chamber installed in the positive-pressure-side wafer transfer chamber.
Loading device and a wafer installed in front of the wafer transfer chamber on the positive pressure side.
Carrier stage on which carrier containing c is placed
And a plurality of CVD units installed behind the suction side transfer chamber.
And a computer. [0003] The above-mentioned multi-channel
In a bulk type CVD apparatus, a spare room for carrying in and a spare room for carrying out
Rooms are only set up and should be treated urgently.
Multi-chamber type CVD with carrier containing wafers
In case of irregular delivery to the equipment, a spare
After the processing of the wafers loaded into the chamber is completed,
Until the carrier is unloaded from the carrier stage
Have to wait for a long time. On this occasion
Wafers to be processed irregularly due to long-term standby
The adverse effects such as the growth of the natural oxide film may occur.
is there. In order to prevent such a situation from occurring,
Multi-chamber type for comprehensive control of the entire process
Provide a relatively long margin for the operation of CVD equipment
As a result, as a result, the film formation process and, consequently, I
The overall throughput of the C connection method has been reduced.
U. [0005] The object of the present invention is to provide even an irregular operation.
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of adverse effects such as the growth of natural oxide films.
To provide a substrate processing apparatus. [0006] A substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.
The one substrate processing unit is connected via a gate valve
The first transfer room where the substrate transfer device is installed and the substrate are stored
A substrate transfer device that moves substrates in and out of
Having a second transfer chamber installed, the first transfer chamber and
One or more sheets through a gate valve between the second transfer chamber
Connect at least three substrate storage chambers for storing substrates
These substrate storage chambers are configured to be decompressible.
A buffer in which one of the chambers temporarily stores the substrate
It is characterized by being used as a key room. [0007] According to the above means, irregular operation is indispensable.
If necessary, temporarily place the substrate in the buffer chamber.
Can be stored. Buffer chamber is configured to be able to decompress
The substrate stored in the buffer chamber
The occurrence of adverse effects such as the formation of a natural oxide film can be prevented.
You. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
I will explain according to the aspect. In this embodiment, FIG. 1 and FIG.
As shown, the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention has a
Multi-chamber type CVD equipment (hereinafter referred to as CVD equipment)
U. ), And this CVD apparatus is an IC
Silicon oxide or silicon nitride on the wafer
Or an insulating film such as tantalum pentoxide (T
a _Two O _Five ) Or a metal film such as ruthenium (Ru)
It is used for a film forming process. Note that the CVD apparatus according to the present embodiment
In addition, as a carrier for transferring wafers, FOUP (fr
ont opening unified pod. Hereinafter, it is called a pod. )But
It is used. In the following description, front, rear, left and right
Is based on FIG. That is, the wafer transfer chamber 50 side
The front side, the opposite side, that is, the wafer transfer chamber 10 side is the rear side,
The loading spare room 20 side is on the left side, and the unloading spare room 30 side is on the right side.
And As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, C
VD equipment is a load rod that can withstand pressures less than atmospheric pressure (negative pressure)
The first wafer transfer chamber (hereinafter referred to as a
Below, it is called negative pressure transfer room. 10) equipped with negative pressure transfer
A housing 11 of the chamber 10 (hereinafter referred to as a negative pressure transfer chamber housing) 11
Formed in a box shape with a 9-sided plan view and closed at both upper and lower ends
ing. The wafer W is placed under a negative pressure in the center of the negative pressure transfer chamber 10.
Transfer device (hereinafter referred to as negative pressure transfer device)
U. ) 12 is installed, and the negative pressure transfer device 12 is
Robot (selective compliance assembly robot
arm SCARA) and a negative pressure transfer room
The air is lifted by an elevator 13 installed on the bottom wall of the housing 11.
It is configured to move up and down while maintaining a tight seal. The positive side of the nine side walls of the negative pressure transfer chamber housing 11
On the three side walls located on the side of the surface,
It is called a loading room. ) 20, extra room for unloading (hereinafter referred to as unloading room)
Say. ) 30 and a spare room for buffer (hereinafter, buffer)
Room. ) 40 are connected adjacent to each other.
A housing of the loading room 20 (hereinafter, referred to as a loading room housing) 21;
The housing 31 of the unloading room 30 (hereinafter, referred to as the unloading room housing) 31 and
And the housing of the buffer chamber 40 (hereinafter referred to as the buffer housing).
U. ) 41 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and upper and lower ends.
Formed in a closed box and withstands negative pressure
The load lock chamber structure is obtained. The side walls of the carrying-in housing 21 adjacent to each other and
The entrances 22 and 23 are provided on the side wall of the housing 11 for the negative pressure transfer chamber.
Each of them is opened, and the loading port 23 on the side of the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 is provided.
Has a gate valve 24 for opening and closing the carry-in ports 22 and 23.
Is placed. The side wall and the side of the unloading chamber housing 31 adjacent to each other
And the outlets 32 and 33 are provided on the side wall of the negative pressure transfer chamber housing 11.
Each of them is opened, and the exit 3 on the negative pressure transfer room 10 side
3 has a gate valve 34 for opening and closing the carry-out ports 32 and 33.
is set up. Of the buffer chamber housing 41 adjacent to each other
The loading / unloading port 4 is provided on the side wall and the side wall of the negative pressure transfer chamber housing 11.
2 and 43 are respectively opened, and the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 side
The loading / unloading ports 42, 43 are opened and closed at the loading / unloading port 43 of
A gate valve 44 is provided. The loading room 20 is provided with a temporary loading table 25.
In the unloading room 30, a temporary storage table 35 for the unloading room is installed.
The buffer chamber 40 is provided with a buffer chamber temporary table 45.
Is placed. These temporary tables 25, 35, 45 are substantially the same.
Configuration, so that the configuration is
The platform 45 will be described representatively. 1 and 2
As shown, the temporary support 45 is a pair of upper and lower end plates.
81, 82 and upper and lower end plates 81 and 82 in the circumferential direction.
Plural holding members 83 vertically installed at intervals
And water is disposed on each holding member 83 at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction.
And a holding groove 84 that is flatly engraved. Wafer W
Each holding member whose outer peripheral portion is located in the same plane of each holding member 83.
By being inserted into the holding groove 84, the wafer W
45 is held horizontally. And several sheets
The wafer W was aligned with the center on the temporary placing table 45.
Held in state. The temporary table 45 is moved by the elevator 85.
It is configured to be raised and lowered. The carry-in room 20, the carry-out room 30, and the buffer room
At the front side of 40, a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure (hereinafter referred to as positive pressure)
U. Second wafer transfer configured to maintain
Chambers (hereinafter referred to as positive pressure transfer chambers) 50 are connected adjacently.
And the housing of the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 (hereinafter referred to as the positive pressure transfer chamber housing).
The body. ) 51 is a rectangle which is horizontally long in plan view and has upper and lower ends.
It is formed in a closed box shape. In the positive pressure transfer chamber 50
A wafer transfer device (hereinafter, referred to as a positive
It is called a pressure transfer device. ) 52 is installed and positive pressure transfer
The device 52 is constituted by a SCARA robot.
The positive pressure transfer device 52 is an elevator installed in the positive pressure transfer chamber 50.
Is configured to be raised and lowered by the
Also, the linear actuator 54
It is configured to be moved back. The side walls of the carrying-in housing 21 adjacent to each other and
The entrances 26 and 27 are provided on the side wall of the housing 51 for the positive pressure transfer chamber.
The loading entrance 27 on the positive pressure transfer room 50 side is opened.
Is provided with a gate valve 28 for opening and closing the carry-in ports 26 and 27.
Is placed. The side wall and the side of the unloading chamber housing 31 adjacent to each other
And the outlets 36 and 37 are provided on the side wall of the positive pressure transfer chamber housing 51.
Each of them has been opened, and the exit 3 on the positive pressure transfer room 50 side
7 has a gate valve 38 for opening and closing the carry-out ports 36 and 37.
is set up. Of the buffer chamber housing 41 adjacent to each other
A loading / unloading port 4 is provided on the side wall and the side wall of the positive pressure transfer chamber housing 51.
6 and 47 are respectively set up, and the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 side
The loading / unloading ports 46, 47 are opened and closed at the loading / unloading port 47 of
A gate valve 48 is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the positive pressure transfer chamber 5
A notch aligning device 55 is installed on the left side of the zero.
Also, as shown in FIG.
Clean unit 56 that supplies clean air
is set up. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
The front wall of the pressure transfer chamber housing 51 has three wafer loading / unloading ports.
57, 58, and 59 are set up side by side
These wafer loading / unloading ports 57, 58, 59
C is installed so that it can be carried in and out of the positive pressure transfer chamber 50.
Is defined. These wafer loading / unloading ports 57, 58,
The pod openers 60 are installed at 59 respectively.
You. The pod opener 60 is a mounting table 6 on which the pod P is mounted.
1 and the cap of the pod P mounted on the mounting table 61
And a cap attaching / detaching mechanism 62 for detaching.
A cap attaching / detaching mechanism for the cap of the pod P placed on 1
62, the pod P is exposed to the wafer.
The entrance is opened and closed. Pod opener
A pod P is mounted on the mounting table 61 of
Supply and discharge by the inside transfer device (RGV)
It has become. Therefore, the key is
Pod stage as carrier stage is practically composed
It will be. As shown in FIG. 1, a negative pressure transfer chamber housing
Four side walls located on the back side of the nine side walls of body 11
The first CVD unit 71 as the first processing unit, the second
A second CVD unit 72 as a processing unit, a third processing unit,
As the third CVD unit 73 and the fourth processing unit
Are connected adjacently to each other.
ing. First CVD unit 71, Second CVD unit
72, the third CVD unit 73 and the fourth CVD unit.
G is a two-leaf hot wall type decompression CV
D device. Hereinafter, the CVD apparatus according to the above configuration is used.
A film forming step in the method of manufacturing an integrated circuit will be described. There are twenty-five wafers W to be formed.
A CV that performs a film forming process while being housed in the pod P
It is transported to the D device by the in-process transport device. FIG.
And as shown in FIG.
P is a mounting table for the pod opener 60 in the loading room 20.
It is delivered from the in-process transfer device and placed on 61
You. The cap of the pod P is
Pod P and the wafer slot of pod P is opened.
You. Pod P is opened by pod opener 60
Then, the positive pressure transfer device 5 installed in the positive pressure transfer chamber 50
2 transfers the wafer W from the pod P through the loading / unloading port 57.
Pickup is carried out one by one, and the loading port 2
Carry in (wafer loading) through 6, 27
25 wafers W stored in the pod P for the loading room
It is transferred to the temporary holder 25. During this transfer operation,
The loading ports 22 and 23 on the pressure transfer chamber 10 side are gate valves 24.
And the negative pressure in the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 is maintained.
Have been. Temporary table 2 for loading 25 wafers W
5 is completed, the transfer port 2 on the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 side is set.
6 and 27 are closed by the gate valve 28,
20 is exhausted to a negative pressure by an exhaust device (not shown).
You. The loading chamber 20 is depressurized to a preset pressure value.
Then, the entrances 22 and 23 on the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 side are
Opened by the valve 24 and the first CVD unit.
The gate loading / unloading port of the knit 71
be opened. Subsequently, the negative pressure transfer device 12 in the negative pressure transfer chamber 10
Is a temporary table 25 of the loading room 20 through the loading ports 22 and 23.
Wafers W are picked up two by two from the negative pressure transfer chamber 1
To the processing chamber of the first CVD unit 71.
When loading (wafer loading) through the loading / unloading port
Both are transferred (set) to the boat in the processing room.
When the transfer of the wafer W to the boat is completed, the first CVD unit
The gate loading / unloading port of the knit 71
Closed. The wafer W is transferred to the first CVD unit 71.
When loading, the loading chamber 20 and the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 are
Internal oxygen and moisture are removed in advance by exhausting air
To the first CVD unit 71 of the wafer W
Oxygen and moisture from the first CVD unit
Intrusion into the processing chamber 71 is reliably prevented. Then, in the first CVD unit 71,
Reaches a predetermined pressure when the processing chamber is airtightly closed
Exhausted by the exhaust pipe, and
Is heated to a predetermined temperature, and a predetermined raw material gas is
Is supplied at a predetermined flow rate,
A desired first film corresponding to the set processing conditions is formed on the wafer W.
It is formed. Set in advance in the first CVD unit 71
After the elapse of the film formation processing time, the first film has been formed.
The two wafers W are subjected to the first CVD by the negative pressure transfer device 12.
Picked up from unit 71 and maintained at negative pressure
To the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 (wafer unloading)
Is done. The processed wafer W is stored in the first CVD unit 71
From the vacuum transfer chamber 10, the second CVD unit
The wafer loading / unloading port of port 72 is opened by the gate valve
It is. Subsequently, the negative pressure transfer device 12 is a first CVD unit.
The two wafers W unloaded from 71 are placed in a second CVD unit.
72 and into the processing chamber through the wafer loading / unloading port.
First, transfer to the boat in the processing room. Of the two wafers W
From one CVD unit 71 to the second CVD unit 72
When the transfer operation is completed, the processing of the second CVD unit 72 is performed.
Wafer loading / unloading port in science room closed by gate valve
It is. Thus, the first CVD unit 71
Of the two wafers W on which the first film has been formed
Transfer from CVD unit 71 to second CVD unit 72
The replacement operation was performed in the first CVD unit maintained at a negative pressure.
Unit 71, second CVD unit 72 and negative pressure transfer chamber 1
0, the first CVD unit 71
Transfer of wafers to the second CVD unit 72
As a result, a natural oxide film is formed on the surface of the first film of the wafer W.
Or the attachment of foreign matter, etc.
You. Wafer transfer in the second CVD unit 72
When the loading / unloading port is closed by the gate valve,
As in the case of the first CVD unit 71,
Is processed on the first film of the wafer W by the second CVD unit 72.
The film is formed in a laboratory. The second CVD unit 72
During the deposition of the film, it is prepared in advance on the temporary placing table 25 in the loading chamber 20.
Of the twenty-five wafers W that have been
The above-mentioned load is applied to the empty boat in the processing chamber of the unit 71.
It is loaded by the transfer operation of the pressure transfer device 12. This transfer
During the loading operation, the loading port on the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 side of the loading chamber 20
26 and 27 are closed by the gate valve 28
, The negative pressure in the loading chamber 20 and the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 is maintained.
Have been. In the second CVD unit 72, the second film
When a preset processing time elapses for film formation,
As in the case of the first CVD unit 71 described above,
The two wafers W on which the two films have been formed are transferred to the negative pressure transfer device 12.
Therefore, it is picked up from the second CVD unit 72,
It is carried out to the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 maintained at a negative pressure. place
The processed wafer W is transferred from the second CVD unit 72 to the negative pressure.
When the third CVD unit 73 is carried out to the loading chamber 10,
The Eha loading / unloading port is opened by the gate valve. Continued
Thus, the negative pressure transfer device 12 is carried from the second CVD unit 72.
Processing of the two wafers W taken out by the third CVD unit 73
Into the chamber through the wafer loading / unloading port,
Transfer to the boat in the room. Second CVD unit for two wafers W
Transfer work from knit 72 to third CVD unit 73
Is completed, the wafer in the processing chamber of the third CVD unit 73 is
The loading / unloading port is closed by the gate valve. Thus, the second CVD unit 72
Of the two wafers W on which the second film has been formed.
Transfer from CVD unit 72 to third CVD unit 73
The second CVD unit, which was maintained at negative pressure,
Unit 72, third CVD unit 73 and negative pressure transfer chamber 1
0, the second CVD unit 72
Transfer of wafers to the third CVD unit 73
However, a natural oxide film is formed on the surface of the second film of the wafer W.
And to prevent foreign matter from adhering.
Become. In the third CVD unit 73, the boat
Two wafers W after the second film processing are loaded and the third CV
The wafer loading / unloading port of the D unit 73 is controlled by a gate valve.
The first CVD unit 71 and the second
As in the case of the CVD unit 72, the third film is
C into the processing chamber of the third CVD unit 73 on the second film of W
Is formed. It should be noted that the first CVD
Transfer work to unit 71, first CVD unit 71
The transfer operation from the second CVD unit 72 to
Execute during the formation of the third film in the third CVD unit 73.
Can be In the third CVD unit 73, the third film
When a preset processing time elapses for film formation,
The first CVD unit 71 and the second CVD unit
In the same manner as in case 72, the two
The wafer W is transferred to the third CVD unit by the negative pressure transfer device 12.
Negative pressure that is picked up from
It is carried out to the pressure transfer chamber 10. Processed wafer W is third
It is carried out from the CVD unit 73 to the negative pressure transfer chamber 10.
And the wafer loading / unloading port of the fourth CVD unit 74
Opened by a double valve. Subsequently, the negative pressure transfer device 12
Are the two wafers W unloaded from the third CVD unit 73
Into and out of the processing chamber of the fourth CVD unit 74
And transferred to the boat in the processing room
You. From the third CVD unit 73 of the two wafers W to the fourth
When the transfer operation to the CVD unit 74 is completed,
The wafer loading / unloading port in the processing chamber of the CVD unit 74 is
Closed by a valve. Thus, the third CVD unit 73
Of the two wafers W on which the third film has been formed.
Transfer from CVD unit 73 to fourth CVD unit 74
The third CVD unit, which was maintained at negative pressure,
Unit 73, fourth CVD unit 74 and negative pressure transfer chamber 1
0, the third CVD unit 73
Transfer of wafers to the fourth CVD unit 74
However, a natural oxide film is formed on the surface of the third film of the wafer W.
And to prevent foreign matter from adhering.
Become. In the fourth CVD unit 74, the boat
Four wafers W after the fourth film processing are loaded and the fourth CV
The wafer loading / unloading port of the D unit 74 is controlled by a gate valve.
The first CVD unit 71 and the second CV
D unit 72 and third CVD unit 73
Similarly, the fourth film has a fourth CV on the third film of the wafer W.
The film is formed in the processing chamber of the D unit 74. It should be noted that the first CVD
Transfer work to unit 71, first CVD unit 71
From the second to the second CVD unit 72 and the second
Transfer from CVD unit 72 to third CVD unit 73
The replacement operation is performed by the fourth CVD unit 74.
It can be performed during film formation. In the fourth CVD unit 74, the fourth film
When a preset processing time elapses for film formation,
First CVD unit 71 and second CVD unit 7 described above
As in the case of the second and third CVD units 73,
The two wafers W on which the fourth film has been formed are transferred to the negative pressure transfer device 12.
Picked up from the fourth CVD unit 74 by
And transferred to the negative pressure transfer chamber 10 maintained at a negative pressure.
You. The processed wafer W is transferred from the fourth CVD unit 74
After being unloaded to the negative pressure transfer chamber 10, the unloading port 3 of the unloading chamber 30
2 and 33 are opened by the gate valve 34. Continued
Thus, the negative pressure transfer device 12 is transported from the fourth CVD unit 74.
The two unloaded wafers W are unloaded through the unloading ports 32 and 33.
While being carried into the room 30, it is transferred to the temporary placing table 35.
From the fourth CVD unit 74 for the wafer W, the temporary
When the transfer operation to the table 35 is completed,
The outlets 32, 33 are closed by the gate valve 34.
You. During this transfer operation, the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 of the unloading chamber 30 is moved.
Side outlets 36 and 37 are closed by gate valve 38
As a result, the discharge chamber 30 and the negative pressure transfer chamber 10
Negative pressure is maintained. By repeating the above operation, the transport
Twenty-five wafers W loaded into the entry chamber 20 all at once
The film formation process for the first to fourth films is performed two by two
Then it will be implemented. From the first film to the 25th wafer W,
When the film forming process for the four films is completed,
The transfer ports 36 and 37 on the pressure transfer chamber 50 side are gate valves 38.
And the load lock of the carry-out room 30 is released.
Is done. When the load lock of the unloading room 30 is released,
Wafer loading / unloading port corresponding to the loading / unloading chamber 30 of the pressure transfer chamber 50
58 is opened by the pod opener 60,
The cap of the empty pod P placed on the
It is opened by the door opener 60. Next, the positive pressure transfer room
50 positive pressure transfer device 52 is used for the unloading room through the unloading port 37.
The wafers W are sequentially picked up one by one from the
To the positive pressure transfer chamber 50 (wafer unloading
Through the wafer loading / unloading port 58 of the positive pressure transfer chamber 50.
And store it in the pod P (charging). Deposited
Of the twenty-five wafers W into the pod P is completed.
And the pod P cap is the pod opener 60
Is attached to the wafer slot by the
Pod P is closed. The closed pod P is placed on the mounting table 61 from above.
It is transported to the next process by the in-process transport device. By the way, during the execution of the above film forming process,
Pod P containing wafers W to be processed in a regular manner
If it is sent to the device, the pod that needs
P is a wafer corresponding to the buffer chamber 40 of the positive pressure transfer chamber 50
It is mounted on the mounting table 61 of the loading / unloading port 59. This port
Twenty-Five Wafers Needed for Irregular Processing
W is immediately transferred to the buffer chamber 40 by the positive pressure transfer device 52.
It is carried in and transferred to the temporary placing table 45. The temporary table 45 is carried into the buffer chamber 40 and
The wafer W which needs the irregular processing and is held in the first CVD
A desired processing among the units 71 to the fourth CVD unit 74
Added the ability to launch in the first unit that needs to be managed
At this point, negative pressure transfer from buffer chamber 40 to the relevant unit
The sheets are carried two by two by the device 12. Hereafter, the desired processing
Are sequentially transferred by the negative pressure transfer device 12 to the units that require
Then, the desired processing is performed. The desired processing is
The wafer W requiring the irregular processing is temporarily stored in the buffer chamber 40.
It is returned to the placing table 45 by the negative pressure transfer device 12. Returned to the temporary table 45 in the buffer chamber 40
The processed wafer W is transferred from the buffer chamber 40 to the corresponding area.
Of the mounting table 61 mounted on the wafer loading / unloading port 59
It is returned to the pod P by the positive pressure transfer device 52. Desired
The pod P to which the wafer W having been subjected to the irregular processing of
Work on the mounting table 61 corresponding to the
It is conveyed by the in-conveyance device. Here, the wafer is carried into the buffer room 40 and temporarily stored.
The wafer W held on the base 45 and requiring the irregular process is
Is too long, the custody carried into the carry-in room 20
Until the processing of the EHA W group is completed and the
At the buffer chamber 40. Only
The buffer chamber 40 is load-locked and maintained at a negative pressure.
Even during this long waiting period, natural acid
To prevent adverse effects such as the growth of an oxide film
be able to. According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
It is. 1) Load a wafer that needs irregular processing
By storing it in a buffer room that can
The natural oxide film grows on this waiting wafer, etc.
Since an adverse effect can be prevented,
Any wafer that requires processing can be arbitrarily received. 2) Arbitrarily receive wafers requiring irregular processing
Control over the entire deposition process
The margin of margin in the operation of CVD equipment necessary for
It can be suppressed small. 3) Reducing the margin of operation of the CVD apparatus
To reduce the downtime of CVD equipment
Can be performed, so that the CVD apparatus, and thus the film forming process
And increase the throughput of the IC manufacturing method.
Wear. 4) Temporary loading, unloading and buffer rooms
Holds 25 wafers as many as the number of pods.
As well as the temporary table by elevator.
The negative pressure transfer device and the
A single pod wafer can be used without significantly modifying the negative pressure transfer chamber.
Because it can be handled, the initial
Can reduce the increase in running and running costs.
Wear. The present invention is limited to the above embodiment.
However, various changes can be made without departing from the gist.
It goes without saying that it is capable. For example, a CV disposed around the negative pressure transfer chamber
The number of D units is not limited to four, but two or three or five or less.
It may be above. The wafer disposed around the negative pressure transfer chamber is processed.
The processing part is a two-wafer hot wall type low pressure CVD
Only when the equipment consists of an equipped CVD unit
No batch type CVD equipment and single wafer type CVD equipment
Equipped CVD unit, as well as oxidizing and diffusion equipment
Equipment, heat treatment equipment, sputtering equipment, dry etching
Processing units equipped with substrate processing equipment such as
May be configured. In the above-described embodiment, when a CVD film is formed,
Was explained, but oxidation treatment, diffusion treatment, annealing
Processing, plasma processing, sputtering processing, dry etching
Processing, cleaning, cooling, preheating and
And processes that combine them.
You. The case of processing a wafer will be described.
However, the basics of liquid crystal panels, magnetic disks, optical disks, etc.
It can be applied to all boards. As described above, according to the present invention,
Even in irregular operation, adverse effects such as natural oxide film growth may occur.
Life can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially omitted plan sectional view showing a multi-chamber type CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view thereof. [Description of Signs] W: Wafer (substrate), P: Pod (substrate carrier), 1
0: negative pressure transfer chamber (substrate transfer chamber), 11: negative pressure transfer chamber housing, 12: negative pressure transfer apparatus (wafer transfer apparatus), 13: elevator, 20: carry-in chamber (reserve for carry-in) Room), 21: carrying-in case, 22, 23: carrying-in entrance, 24: gate valve, 2
Reference numeral 5: Temporary placing table for loading room, 26, 27 ... Loading entrance, 28 ... Gate valve, 30 ... Loading room (preliminary loading room), 31 ... Housing for loading room, 32, 33 ... Loading exit, 34 ... Gate valve ,
35: Temporary table for unloading room, 36, 37 ... Exit, 38 ...
Gate valve, 40: buffer chamber (preliminary chamber for buffer), 41: buffer chamber housing, 42, 43: loading / unloading port, 44: gate valve, 45: temporary storage for buffer chamber, 46, 47: loading / unloading port , 48 ... gate valve, 5
0: positive pressure transfer chamber (wafer transfer chamber), 51: positive pressure transfer chamber housing, 52: positive pressure transfer device (wafer transfer device), 53: elevator, 54: linear actuator, 55: notch Matching device, 56: Clean unit, 57, 58, 5
9: Wafer loading / unloading port, 60: Pod opener, 61 ...
Mounting table, 62: cap attaching / detaching mechanism, 71: first CVD unit (first processing unit), 72: second CVD unit (second processing unit), 73: third CVD unit (third processing unit), 74 ... 4th CVD unit, 81, 82 ... end plate,
83: holding member, 84: holding groove, 85: elevator.

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    F term (reference) 4K030 BA01 BA40 BA42 BA44 CA04                       CA12 GA12 KA08 KA11 LA15                 5F031 CA02 CA05 DA01 EA14 FA01                       FA02 FA11 FA12 FA15 GA43                       GA47 GA48 GA49 MA04 MA09                       MA23 MA28 MA29 MA30 MA32                       NA03 NA05 NA09 PA26 PA30                 5F045 BB08 BB14 DQ17 EB02 EB08                       EB09 EM10 EN04 EN05

Claims (1)

Claims 1. At least one substrate processing unit is connected via a gate valve, and a substrate is transferred into and out of a first transfer chamber in which a substrate transfer device is installed and a carrier that stores the substrate. Having a second transfer chamber in which a substrate transfer device is installed,
At least three substrate storage chambers for storing one or more substrates are connected between the first transfer chamber and the second transfer chamber via a gate valve, and these substrate storage chambers can be decompressed. The substrate processing apparatus is configured, and one of the chambers is used as a buffer chamber for temporarily storing the substrate.