JP2009088349A - Substrate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the throughput of a substrate processing device by shortening the time needed to load a wafer, charge a boat, draw the boat out, and discharge the wafer; to reduce differences in conveyance wait time on the boat among individual wafers; and to suppress the sticking of water or impurities on the wafer. <P>SOLUTION: The substrate processing device comprises a vertical processing furnace 18, the boat 23 capable of holding a plurality of substrates 10 in a horizontal posture and storing them in the vertical processing furnace, a boat elevator 21 elevating and lowering the boat so that the boat can be loaded in the vertical processing furnace, a substrate reloading machine 22 which charges and discharge the substrates in and from the boat, and a controller 26 which controls operations of the boat elevator and the substrate reloading machine. The controller performs control over the charging and discharging to the boat by the substrate reloading machine and control over conveyance of the substrates, and also performs elevation control over the boat to carry out the conveying operation of the substrate reloading machine and the elevating operation of the boat in parallel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing such as oxidation processing, diffusion processing, and thin film generation on a substrate such as a wafer.

  As one of the processing steps of a semiconductor device, there is a substrate processing step for performing processing such as oxidation processing, diffusion processing, and thin film generation on a substrate such as a silicon wafer, and there is a substrate processing device as an apparatus for executing the substrate processing step. There is also a vertical substrate processing apparatus that includes a vertical processing furnace and processes a predetermined number of substrates at a time.

  In the substrate processing in the vertical substrate processing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, a substrate (wafer) is put into the substrate processing apparatus. The wafer is loaded into the substrate processing apparatus for each substrate transport container in a state where the wafer is stored in the substrate transport container.

  One batch of wafers (for example, 50 to 125) is loaded into a substrate holder (boat) by the substrate transfer machine. The boat holds the wafers in a horizontal posture at a predetermined pitch. The boat is raised by the lifting device and charged into the processing furnace. The processing furnace is hermetically closed, the inside of the processing furnace is maintained at a processing pressure, the substrate is heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature in the processing furnace, and a processing gas is introduced to perform a predetermined processing on the wafer.

  When the processing is completed, the boat is lowered and pulled out from the processing furnace, and the processing furnace is closed by the furnace gate, and the processed wafer is discharged from the boat by the substrate transfer machine and loaded into the substrate transfer container. The Further, the substrate transfer container storing the processed wafer is carried out.

  When all processed wafers are dispensed and substrate processing is continued, unprocessed wafers are loaded into the boat by the substrate transfer machine, the furnace gate is opened, the boat is loaded into the processing furnace, and substrate processing is performed. Is executed repeatedly.

  In the conventional substrate processing apparatus, after all the wafers specified in advance are loaded into the boat, the boat is lifted and loaded into the processing furnace, and the boat is discharged after the substrate processing. The boat was completely pulled out of the processing furnace, and it was confirmed that the furnace gate closed the processing furnace, and the wafers were discharged.

  Therefore, conventionally, the steps of loading the wafer, loading the boat, drawing the boat, and discharging the wafer are performed in series, which takes time. In addition, the wafer that is dispensed first after processing and the wafer that is subsequently dispensed become longer in the time held in the boat as the order becomes lower, and there is a possibility that moisture or impurities adhere to the processed wafer. there were.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention shortens the time required for wafer loading, boat loading, boat withdrawal, and wafer dispensing, and improves throughput. In addition, the difference in waiting time on the boat for each wafer is reduced, and the adhesion of moisture or impurities to the wafer is suppressed.

  The present invention relates to a vertical processing furnace, a boat that holds a plurality of substrates in a horizontal posture and can be stored in the vertical processing furnace, and a boat elevator that lifts and lowers the boat to and from the vertical processing furnace. A substrate transfer machine for loading and unloading the substrate to and from the boat; and a control device for controlling the operation of the boat elevator and the substrate transfer machine. Substrate processing for controlling loading and unloading of the boat and controlling the transport of the substrate, controlling the lifting of the boat, and performing the transporting operation of the substrate transfer machine and the lifting and lowering operation of the boat in parallel. It concerns the device.

  According to the present invention, a vertical processing furnace, a boat that holds a plurality of substrates in a horizontal posture and can be stored in the vertical processing furnace, and a boat that moves the boat up and down detachably in the vertical processing furnace. An elevator, a substrate transfer machine for loading and unloading the substrate to and from the boat, and a control device for controlling operations of the boat elevator and the substrate transfer machine, the control device transferring the substrate Control of loading and unloading of the boat with respect to the machine and control of transport of the substrate, and lift control of the boat, so that the transport operation of the substrate transfer device and the lift operation of the boat are performed in parallel. Therefore, the time for loading all the substrates into the boat is shortened, and the throughput is improved. Further, the difference in waiting time of each wafer on the boat is reduced, and an excellent effect that moisture or impurities can be prevented from adhering to the wafer is exhibited.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, an outline of a substrate processing apparatus in which the present invention is implemented will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a substrate processing apparatus, and 2 is a housing. The wafer 10 is carried into and out of the substrate processing apparatus 1 in a state where the wafer 10 is stored in a substrate transfer container. For example, a pod 3 is used as the substrate transfer container, and a predetermined number, for example, 25 sheets of wafers 10 are stored in the pod 3. The pod 3 is a hermetically sealed container having a lid that can be opened and closed, and the loading and unloading of the wafer 10 to and from the pod 3 is performed by opening the lid.

  A substrate transfer device 4 is provided in front of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and the pod 3 is carried into and out of the substrate transfer device 4 by an external transfer device (not shown).

  A pod loading / unloading port 5 is provided at a portion of the housing 2 facing the substrate transfer device 4, and a front shutter 6 for opening and closing the pod loading / unloading port 5 is provided. The pod 3 passes through the front shutter 6. It is carried in and out of the housing 2.

  A pod transfer device 7 is provided at the front of the housing 2, and the pod transfer device 7 includes a pod transfer arm 8 that can hold the pod 3. Further, the pod transfer arm 8 can move up and down, traverse (perpendicular to the paper surface), and advance and retreat (left and right direction of the paper surface). It can be transported.

  Opposite to the pod transfer device 7, a pod storage unit 9 is provided in the upper part of the housing 2. The pod storage unit 9 has a plurality of pod storage shelves 11 that can rotate intermittently, and each pod storage shelf 11 can store a plurality of the pods 3.

  A sub case 12 is provided below the rear portion of the case 2, and the sub case 12 defines a transfer chamber 13.

  Pod openers 15 and 15 are provided on the front wall 14 of the sub-housing 12 in two upper and lower stages. Each of the pod openers 15 includes a mounting table 16 and a lid attaching / detaching mechanism 17. The pod 3 is placed on the mounting table 16 and is in close contact with the front wall 14. The lid attaching / detaching mechanism 17 opens and closes the lid. It has become like that. When the lid of the pod 3 is opened, the inside of the pod 3 and the transfer chamber 13 are in communication with each other.

  A processing furnace 18 is erected on the rear portion in the casing 2 and on the upper side of the sub casing 12. The processing furnace 18 includes a reaction tube that hermetically defines a processing chamber, a heater provided around the reaction tube, and a gas supply line and an exhaust line are connected to the reaction tube. The chamber is heated and maintained at a predetermined processing pressure to supply and discharge the processing gas.

  The processing chamber has a furnace port portion communicating with the transfer chamber 13 at the lower end, and the furnace port portion is opened and closed by a furnace port shutter 19.

  A boat elevator 21 is provided in the transfer chamber 13 below the processing furnace 18, and the boat elevator 21 has a seal cap 20 that can close the furnace port in an airtight manner. 23 can be placed, and the boat elevator 21 can move the seal cap 20 up and down to attach and detach the boat 23 to and from the processing chamber. Further, in a state where the boat 23 is inserted into the processing chamber, the seal cap 20 airtightly closes the furnace port portion.

  In the transfer chamber 13, a substrate transfer device 22 is provided between the pod opener 15 and the boat elevator 21, and the substrate transfer device 22 holds a plurality of substrate holding plates (tweezers) 24 that hold the wafer 10. It has. For example, five tweezers 24 are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction, and the vertical interval (pitch) is the same as the wafer storage pitch of the pod 3 and the wafer holding pitch of the boat 23 described later.

  The substrate transfer machine 22 has a configuration in which the tweezers 24 can be moved back and forth in the horizontal direction, can be moved up and down, and can be rotated about a vertical axis. The wafer 10 can be held and transferred to a desired position.

  The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a control device 26, and the control device 26 is disposed on the front surface of the substrate processing apparatus 1, for example.

  FIG. 2 shows an outline of the control device 26.

  30 is a control calculation unit represented by a CPU, 31 is a display unit, 32 is a semiconductor memory, a storage unit such as an HDD, 33 is a pressure control unit, 34 is a flow rate control unit, 35 is a heating control unit, and 36 is a mechanism control unit. 36 is shown.

  The pressure control unit 33 controls the pressure of the processing chamber of the processing furnace 18, and the flow rate control unit 34 supplies the processing gas supplied to the processing chamber, the flow rate of purge gas, or the transfer chamber 13. The purge gas flow rate is controlled, and the heating state of the processing furnace 18 is controlled by the heating control unit 35 so that the temperature of the processing chamber becomes a predetermined temperature. The display unit 31 displays substrate processing conditions, progress, and the like. Further, by using the display unit 31 as a touch panel, it can also serve as an input device.

  The mechanism control unit 36 controls driving of the mechanism units such as the pod transfer device 7, the pod opener 15, the boat elevator 21, and the substrate transfer machine 22. Although not shown in the figure, the front shutter 6 and the pod storage unit 9 are similarly controlled.

  The storage unit 32 stores data (recipe) for processing the substrate, a control program for controlling pressure, gas flow rate, and temperature, and a sequence program for controlling the mechanism unit. As will be described later, in the sequence program, a plurality of operation patterns are set and selectable for loading and unloading of the substrate, and loading and unloading of the substrate are performed according to the selected operation pattern. ing.

  Next, the operation of the above substrate processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, an operation pattern is selected.

  As the operation pattern, for example, there are a first operation pattern and a second operation pattern, and the first operation pattern is selected when the thermal history affects the processing in the substrate processing. A critical process is one example.

  When the heat history does not affect, the second operation pattern (operation time shortening pattern) is selected. The second operation pattern is a case where the thermal history does not affect the substrate processing, and examples of the processing include low-temperature film formation using plasma and low-temperature annealing processing such as metal and Cu.

  FIG. 4 shows a screen display example of the display unit 31 when an operation pattern is selected.

  FIG. 4A shows a main operation screen 31a. By touching the transfer function button 38 in the main operation screen 31a, an operation pattern setting screen 31b shown in FIG. 4B is displayed. In the operation pattern setting screen 31b, a guidance display of the work of “loading simultaneous operation” is displayed, and it is shown that the selected screen is the operation pattern setting screen.

  The first operation pattern is selected by touching the none button 39 in the operation pattern setting screen 31b. The operation when the first operation pattern is selected is the pattern shown in the timing chart of FIG. 6 described above, and the next operation is started every time the operation process is completed.

  Next, the second operation pattern is selected by touching the presence button 40 in the operation pattern setting screen 31b.

  Hereinafter, the second operation pattern will be described.

  When the pod 3 is carried into the substrate transfer device 4 by an external transfer device (not shown), the pod loading / unloading port 5 is opened by the front shutter 6. The pod 3 is transferred from the substrate transfer device 4 to the empty pod storage shelf 11 of the pod storage unit 9 by the pod transfer device 7.

  The front shutter 6 is closed, and the pod 3 is transferred from the pod storage unit 9 to the pod opener 15 by the pod transfer device 7. Alternatively, when there is a vacancy in the mounting table 16, it is transferred directly from the substrate transfer device 4 to the pod opener 15.

  The lid of the pod 3 is opened by the lid attaching / detaching mechanism 17. The boat 23 is pulled out to the transfer chamber 13 by the boat elevator 21 and is in a standby state.

  The tweezer 24 of the substrate transfer machine 22 is inserted into the pod 3, and the wafer 10 is picked up and transferred to the boat 23 (STEP: 01). The number of wafers 10 transferred at a time by the substrate transfer machine 22 is the number of the tweezers 24 (for example, 5), except when the fraction processing is executed.

  Transfer is sequentially loaded from the upper side of the boat 23 (STEP 02).

  The substrate transfer machine 22 returns to the pod 3 to execute the next transfer operation. In parallel with the returning operation of the substrate transfer machine 22, the boat 23 is raised (STEP 03). The rising amount is the height of the wafer 10 loaded, for example, the height of loading five wafers 10. Accordingly, if the pitch of the wafers 10 on the boat 23 is 10 mm, the amount of increase is 40 mm.

  The transfer of the wafer 10 to the boat 23 and the raising of the boat 23 are repeatedly executed until all the scheduled wafers 10 are transferred to the boat 23 (STEP 04 to STEP 08). During the transfer operation of the wafer 10, the loading process of the boat 23 into the processing furnace 18 is performed in parallel, and when the transfer of the wafer 10 is completed, the loading of the boat 23 is also performed. It is in a completed state (STEP: 09).

  The boat 23 is completely charged into the processing furnace 18, the furnace port of the processing furnace 18 is hermetically closed by the boat 23, the wafer 10 is heated, and the temperature, pressure, and processing gas introduction amount are controlled. This is executed and the required processing is performed on the wafer 10.

  When the processing of the wafer 10 is completed, the dispensing operation of the wafer 10 is started.

  The boat elevator 21 lowers the boat 23 by a one-time payout amount by the substrate transfer machine 22, and the wafers 10 loaded in the lower portion of the boat 23 are discharged. As a one-time payout amount, since five wafers 10 are paid out, it is lowered to a position where the five wafers 10 can be discharged first. (STEP: 10).

  The wafer 10 is transferred to the pod 3 of the pod opener 15 by the substrate transfer machine 22. In parallel with the transfer of the wafer 10 by the substrate transfer device 22, the boat 23 is lowered by 40 mm in the above example, corresponding to the next payout, that is, four pitches of the wafer 10 held on the boat (STEP). : 11).

  The operations of STEP: 10 and STEP: 11 are repeatedly executed, and all the wafers 10 loaded in the boat 23 are discharged.

  Also in the wafer 10 dispensing process, the boat 23 is lowered in parallel with the wafer transfer of the substrate transfer device 22, so that the operation time of the boat 23 is saved.

  When the pod 3 of the pod opener 15 is filled with processed wafers, the pod transfer device 7 transfers the pod opener 15 from the pod opener 15 to the substrate transfer device 4 and further carries it out by an external transfer device (not shown). .

  In the second operation pattern, the wafer loading and unloading operations are performed in parallel with the loading and unloading operations of the boat into the processing furnace, so that the total wafer transfer time is shortened and the wafer is unloaded. In the operation, the wafer is discharged every time the boat is pulled out, so that adhesion of moisture and impurities to the processed wafer is avoided.

  In the above-described embodiment, a substrate transfer machine that collectively conveys five sheets is shown, but a transfer substrate transfer machine that collects five or more, for example, 10 or 20 sheets, can also be implemented. In this way, if the number of batches transported is large, the amount of lifting / lowering of the boat 23 can be increased.

  Further, in the above embodiment, each time the substrate transfer machine loads a wafer into the boat once, the boat is lifted by the loading amount. However, the substrate transfer machine performs loading a plurality of times, and then a plurality of times. The boat may be lifted by the amount loaded. Further, when the number of wafers loaded is 1, 4 or less, the boat may be raised by an amount corresponding to the number of loaded wafers.

  Even when batch loading or fractional loading is performed on the boat, the boat can be lifted and wafers transferred efficiently by raising the amount corresponding to the number of loaded sheets. The same applies to the payout.

  Furthermore, when a product substrate is loaded in the center of the boat and dummy wafers are placed on the upper and lower ends of the boat, the dummy wafer is loaded on the upper part of the boat, the boat is lifted, and the product substrate is loaded in the center of the boat. It is also possible to raise the boat for each type of wafer, such as raising the boat afterwards and loading the dummy wafer at the bottom of the boat and then raising the boat.

  Further, as described above, when the second operation pattern is selected, it is desirable to use a film type or treatment (annealing treatment, diffusion treatment) that does not depend on the thermal history before the wafer treatment (the dependence is as small as possible).

  In such a case, the boat 23 can be efficiently loaded into the processing furnace and the wafers can be loaded into the boat 23, and the throughput can be improved without impairing the quality of the substrate.

  Further, when the boat is charged, the efficiency of the processing furnace at room temperature (normal temperature) is improved. That is, the loading of the boat into the furnace, the loading of the wafer into the boat, and the temperature increase of the furnace can be performed simultaneously.

  Substrate processing is preferably a low temperature process. After the substrate processing, the boat 23 can be pulled out from the furnace and simultaneously the wafers can be sequentially discharged from the boat 23 by the substrate transfer device 22, so that the throughput can be improved. Note that any processing can be performed as long as the temperature is low. In short, it is sufficient that the temperature of the wafer is equal to or lower than the heat resistance temperature of the tweezer 24 of the substrate transfer machine 22 when the boat is loaded and pulled out.

  Except for the above temperature, basically, wafer discharge and boat pull-out can be performed at the same time as wafer loading and boat loading at the same time.

(Appendix)
The present invention includes the following embodiments.

  (Supplementary Note 1) A vertical processing furnace, a boat that holds a plurality of substrates in a horizontal posture and can be stored in the vertical processing furnace, and a boat elevator that lifts and lowers the boat to and from the vertical processing furnace. A substrate transfer machine for loading and unloading the substrate to and from the boat; and a control device for controlling the operation of the boat elevator and the substrate transfer machine. Control of loading and unloading of the boat and control of transport of the substrate, and lift control of the boat, so that the transport operation of the substrate transfer machine and the lift operation of the boat are performed in parallel. A substrate processing apparatus.

  (Supplementary note 2) The substrate processing apparatus according to supplementary note 1, wherein when the substrate is dispensed, the boat is lowered corresponding to the number of dispenses in parallel with the transport operation of the substrate transfer machine.

  (Supplementary note 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to supplementary note 1, wherein the control device is capable of controlling the loading and unloading operations of the substrate in a plurality of operation modes, and executes the substrate processing in the selected operation mode.

  (Appendix 4) One of the operation modes is to raise the boat in correspondence with the number of loaded sheets in parallel with the transfer operation of the substrate transfer machine, or to pay out in parallel with the transfer operation of the substrate transfer machine The substrate processing apparatus of appendix 3, which is an operation mode in which the boat is lowered corresponding to the number of sheets.

  (Supplementary Note 5) One of the operation modes is that after all wafers are loaded into the boat that has been lowered to the lowest position at the start of processing, the boat is loaded into the vertical processing furnace, and after processing, The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 3, which is an operation mode in which the boat is lowered to a lowest position and all processed wafers in the boat are discharged.

  (Appendix 6) A vertical processing furnace, a boat that holds a plurality of substrates in a horizontal posture and can be stored in the vertical processing furnace, and a boat elevator that lifts and lowers the boat to and from the vertical processing furnace. A substrate processing method in a substrate processing apparatus comprising a substrate transfer machine for loading and unloading a substrate to and from the boat, wherein the substrate transfer machine is loaded into the boat; and And a step of raising the boat by an amount corresponding to the number of sheets to be loaded, and the step of carrying and the step of raising the boat are performed in parallel. .

  (Supplementary Note 7) The method further includes a step of paying out the boat, a step of transporting the substrate, and a step of lowering the boat by an amount corresponding to the number of payouts, and the step of transporting and lowering the boat The substrate processing method according to appendix 6, wherein the steps are performed in parallel.

  (Supplementary note 8) The substrate processing method according to supplementary note 6, wherein the loading and unloading of the substrate to and from the boat and the raising and lowering of the boat can be performed in a plurality of operation modes, and the operation mode is selected in accordance with a substrate processing mode.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a control block diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. It is an operation | movement system diagram which shows the operation | movement in embodiment of this invention. (A) (B) is a figure which shows an example of the display part in embodiment of this invention. It is a timing chart of operation in an embodiment of the invention. It is a timing chart of the operation | movement in the conventional substrate processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing apparatus 3 Pod 4 Substrate transfer apparatus 7 Pod transfer apparatus 10 Wafer 13 Transfer chamber 15 Pod opener 18 Processing furnace 21 Boat elevator 22 Substrate transfer machine 23 Boat 24 Tweezer 26 Control apparatus 30 Control arithmetic section 31 Display section 32 Memory Part

Claims (1)

  A vertical processing furnace, a boat that holds a plurality of substrates in a horizontal posture and can be stored in the vertical processing furnace, a boat elevator that lifts and lowers the boat to and from the vertical processing furnace, and the boat A substrate transfer machine for loading and unloading the substrate, and a control device for controlling the operation of the boat elevator and the substrate transfer machine, the control device loading the boat with respect to the substrate transfer machine The substrate is controlled to perform the control of feeding and discharging, and the substrate is transported, and the boat is controlled to move up and down, so that the transporting operation of the substrate transfer machine and the lifting and lowering operation of the boat are performed in parallel. Processing equipment.

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