JP2010109235A - Substrate treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate treatment apparatus having a function of changing an operation speed in response to one command from a superior controller without causing a motion controller to stop operation in the middle of sequential operations when a speed change is required upon the execution of the sequential operations by one and the same shaft. <P>SOLUTION: The substrate treatment apparatus includes the motion controller 706 which holds parameters for specifying speed and a position downloaded from the controller 701 in advance, and monitors the position of the transfer unit to change operation speed when the transfer unit reaches a given position when a transfer unit operates. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

    The present invention relates to a main controller (upper controller) that is divided into an operation system and a control system and a lower mechanism control controller (motion controller, etc.) that performs mechanism control when transferring a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The present invention relates to a function for efficiently performing continuous operation of the same mechanism from the host controller.

  FIG. 1 is a communication sequence diagram between a conventional host controller and a motion controller.

  When operating continuously with respect to the same mechanism, for example, when performing a pick-up operation of picking up a substrate or a workpiece as a wafer carrier for storing the substrate into the mechanism, (1) immediately before pick-up, (2 ) Pick-up operation needs to be performed at a low speed to suppress displacement of the work placement position, and (3) standby position movement after pick-up needs to be performed at a medium speed. All these operations are performed sequentially. The Pick Up operation is completed.

  In order to perform three continuous movements on the same axis, it is necessary to specify a command each time the speed is switched in order to operate the mechanism while switching the speed. Therefore, the host controller has to send three motion commands to the motion controller. That is, in order to perform the operation command three times, there is a control delay time that the next operation command cannot be transmitted unless the communication data time and the mechanism are completely stopped for each operation command.

  In the future, as the substrate (wafer) has a larger diameter (300 mm or more), the mechanism control described above will cause a delay in the time to stop and the time to start moving due to its own weight, which hinders throughput. there is a possibility. Moreover, it takes time to properly control the stop of the large-diameter wafer and the start of movement, and it takes time to set up, and as a result, the operation rate of the apparatus may be reduced.

  The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus having a function capable of performing speed change without stopping on the motion controller side by a single command from a host controller even when speed change is necessary when performing continuous operation on the same axis. The purpose is to provide.

  A feature of the present invention is that a control unit that controls various sub-controllers that perform process control for performing processing on a substrate and transport control for transporting a substrate, and a state of a processing unit that performs processing on the substrate And a main controller provided with an operation unit for monitoring and displaying a state of a transport unit used for transporting the substrate and a state of a sensor for detecting these operations, and a speed downloaded from the main controller in advance. It has a motion controller that holds parameters for setting the position, monitors the position of the transport unit during operation of the transport unit, and changes the speed when it reaches a predetermined position.

  Since the operation can be performed while performing optimum speed switching to a target position without performing communication between the host controller and the motion controller a plurality of times, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the throughput of the apparatus. Further, since the operation command is not transmitted a plurality of times as in the prior art, a reduction in communication amount can be expected.

Next, a preferred embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device manufacturing method is realized by an asher device used as a semiconductor manufacturing device.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an asher device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view for explaining an asher device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the asher apparatus 10 is a process used as an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) 100, a load lock chamber unit 200, a transfer module unit 300, and a processing chamber in which ashing processing is performed. And a chamber portion 400.

  The EFEM 100 includes FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) 110 and 120 and an atmospheric robot 130 which is a first transfer unit that transfers wafers from the respective FOUPs to the load lock chamber. 25 wafers are mounted on the FOUP, and the arm portion of the atmospheric robot 130 pulls out five wafers from the FOUP.

  The load lock chamber section 200 includes load lock chambers 250 and 260 and buffer units 210 and 220 for holding the wafer 600 transferred from the FOUP in the load lock chambers 250 and 260, respectively. The buffer units 210 and 220 include boats 211 and 221 and index assemblies 212 and 222 below them. The boat 211 (221) and the index assembly 212 (222) below the boat 211 (221) rotate simultaneously by the θ axis 214 (224).

  The transfer module unit 300 includes a transfer module 310 used as a transfer chamber, and the above-described load lock chambers 250 and 260 are attached to the transfer module 310 via gate valves 311 and 312. The transfer module 310 is provided with a vacuum arm robot unit 320 used as a second transfer unit.

  The process chamber unit 400 includes plasma processing units 410 and 420 that are used as processing chambers, and plasma generation chambers 430 and 440 provided on the upper part thereof. The plasma processing units 410 and 420 are attached to the transfer module 310 via gate valves 313 and 314.

  The plasma processing units 410 and 420 include susceptor tables 411 and 421 on which the wafer 600 is placed. Lifter pins 413 and 423 are provided through the susceptor tables 411 and 421, respectively. The lifter pins 413 move up and down in the Z-axis 412 and 422 directions, respectively.

  The plasma generation chambers 430 and 440 include reaction vessels 431 and 441, respectively, and high frequency coils 432 and 442 are provided outside the reaction vessels 431 and 441, respectively. A high frequency power is applied to the high frequency coils 432 and 442 to convert the ashing reaction gas introduced from the gas inlets 433 and 443 into plasma, and the plasma is used to place the reactive gas on the susceptor tables 411 and 421. The resist on the wafer 600 is ashed (plasma treatment).

In the asher apparatus 10 configured as described above, the wafer 600 is transferred from the FOUPs 110 and 120 to the load lock chamber 250 (260). At this time, first, as shown in FIG. 3, the atmospheric robot 130 stores the tweezers in the pod of the FOUP and places five wafers on the tweezers. At this time, the tweezer and arm of the atmospheric robot are moved up and down in accordance with the height direction position of the wafer to be taken out.
After placing the wafer on the tweezers, the atmospheric transfer robot 130 rotates in the direction of the θ axis 131 to load the wafer on the boat 211 (221) of the buffer unit 210 (220). At this time, the boat 211 (221) receives 25 wafers 600 from the atmospheric transfer robot 130 by the operation of the boat 211 (221) in the Z-axis 230 direction. After receiving 25 wafers, the boat 211 (221) is moved in the Z-axis 230 direction so that the wafer in the lowermost layer of the boat 211 (221) matches the height position of the transfer module unit 300.

  In the load lock chamber 250 (260), the wafer 600 held by the buffer unit 210 (220) in the load lock chamber 250 (260) is mounted on the finger 321 of the vacuum arm robot unit 320. The vacuum arm robot unit 320 is rotated in the θ-axis 325 direction, the fingers are further extended in the Y-axis 326 direction, and transferred onto the susceptor table 411 (421) in the plasma processing unit 410 (420).

  Here, a process of transferring the wafer 600 from the finger 321 to the susceptor table 411 (421) will be described.

  The wafer 600 is transferred onto the susceptor table 411 (421) by the cooperation of the fingers 321 of the vacuum arm robot unit 320 and the lifter pins 413 (423). Also, by the reverse operation, the wafer 600 that has been processed is transferred from the susceptor table 411 (421) to the buffer unit 210 (220) in the load lock chamber 250 (260) by the vacuum arm robot unit 320. To do.

  In the asher apparatus 10 configured as described above, the wafer 600 is transferred to the load lock chamber 250 (260), the inside of the load lock chamber 250 (260) is evacuated (vacuum replacement), and the load lock chamber 250 (260). Then, the wafer 600 is transferred to the plasma processing unit 410 (420) through the transfer module 310, and the resist is removed from the wafer 600 by the plasma processing unit 410 (420) (removal process), and the resist is removed. 600 is transferred again to the load lock chamber 250 (260) via the transfer module 310.

FIG. 4 shows details of the plasma processing unit 410. The above-described plasma processing unit 420 has the same configuration as the plasma processing unit 410.
The plasma processing unit 410 is a high-frequency electrodeless discharge type plasma processing unit that performs ashing on a semiconductor substrate or semiconductor element by dry processing. As shown in FIG. 4, the plasma processing unit 410 supplies high-frequency power to a plasma source 430 for generating plasma, a processing chamber 445 for accommodating a wafer 600 such as a semiconductor substrate, and a plasma source 430 (particularly, a resonance coil 432). And a frequency matching unit 446 for controlling the oscillation frequency of the high frequency power supply 444. For example, the plasma source 430 is disposed above the horizontal base plate 448 as a gantry, and the processing chamber 445 is disposed below the base plate 448. The resonance coil 432 and the outer shield 452 constitute a spiral resonator.

  The plasma source 430 is configured to be depressurized and supplied with a reaction gas for plasma. The plasma source 430 is provided with a reaction vessel 431, a resonance coil 432 wound around the outer periphery of the reaction vessel 431, an outer periphery of the resonance coil 432, and an electric And an outer shield 452 that is grounded.

  The reaction vessel 431 is usually a so-called chamber formed in a cylindrical shape with high-purity quartz glass or ceramics. The reaction vessel 431 is usually arranged so that its axis is vertical, and the upper and lower ends are hermetically sealed by the top plate 454 and the processing chamber 445. A susceptor 459 supported by a plurality of (for example, four) support columns 461 is provided on the bottom surface of the processing chamber 445 below the reaction vessel 431. The susceptor 459 is a substrate for heating the susceptor table 411 and the wafer on the susceptor. A heater 463 as a heating unit is provided.

  An exhaust plate 465 is disposed below the susceptor 459. The exhaust plate 465 is supported by the bottom plate 469 via the guide shaft 467, and the bottom plate 469 is airtightly provided on the lower surface of the processing chamber 445. An elevating board 471 is provided to move up and down with a guide shaft 467 as a guide. The lift board 471 supports at least three lifter pins 413. The lifter pin 413 passes through the susceptor 459. A wafer support portion 414 that supports the wafer 600 is provided on the top of the lifter pins 413. Wafer support 414 extends in the center direction of susceptor 459. The wafer 600 can be placed on the susceptor table 411 or lifted from the susceptor table 411 by raising and lowering the lifter pins 413. An elevating shaft 473 of an elevating drive unit (not shown) is connected to the elevating substrate 471 via the bottom plate 469. As the elevating drive unit moves the elevating shaft 473 up and down, the lift pin support unit 414 moves up and down via the elevating substrate 471 and the lifter pin 413.

  A baffle ring 458 is provided between the susceptor 459 and the exhaust plate 465. A first exhaust chamber 474 is formed by the baffle ring 458, the susceptor 459, and the exhaust plate 465. The cylindrical baffle ring 458 is provided with a large number of air holes uniformly. Therefore, the first exhaust chamber 474 is partitioned from the processing chamber 445 and communicates with the processing chamber 445 through the vent holes.

  An exhaust communication hole 475 is provided in the exhaust plate 465. The first exhaust chamber and the second exhaust chamber 476 communicate with each other through the exhaust communication hole 475. An exhaust pipe 480 communicates with the second exhaust chamber 476, and an exhaust device 479 serving as a gas exhaust unit is provided in the exhaust pipe 480.

A gas supply pipe 455 extending from the gas supply unit and supplying a required plasma reaction gas is attached to the gas inlet 433 on the top plate 454 at the top of the reaction vessel 431. The gas supply unit has a function of controlling the gas flow rate, and specifically includes a mass flow controller 477 and an on-off valve 478 which are flow rate control units. The amount of gas supply is controlled by controlling the mass flow controller 477 and the on-off valve 478.
Further, a baffle plate 460 made of quartz is provided in the reaction vessel 431 in a substantially disc shape for allowing the reaction gas to flow along the inner wall of the reaction vessel 431.
Note that the pressure in the processing chamber 445 is adjusted by adjusting the supply amount and the exhaust amount by the flow rate control unit and the exhaust device 479.

  Since the resonance coil 432 forms a standing wave having a predetermined wavelength, the winding diameter, the winding pitch, and the number of turns are set so as to resonate in a constant wavelength mode. That is, the electrical length of the resonance coil 432 is an integral multiple of one wavelength (1 times, 2 times,...) Or a half wavelength or a quarter wavelength at a predetermined frequency of the power supplied from the high frequency power supply 444. Is set. For example, the length of one wavelength is about 22 meters at 13.56 MHz, about 11 meters at 27.12 MHz, and about 5.5 meters at 54.24 MHz. The resonance coil 432 is formed of an insulating material in a flat plate shape and is supported by a plurality of supports that are vertically provided on the upper end surface of the base plate 448.

  Both ends of the resonant coil 432 are electrically grounded, but at least one end of the resonant coil 432 is used to fine-tune the electrical length of the resonant coil during initial installation of the apparatus or when processing conditions are changed. And grounded via a movable tap 462. Reference numeral 464 in FIG. 4 indicates the other fixed ground. Further, in order to finely adjust the impedance of the resonance coil 432 during the initial installation of the apparatus or when the processing conditions are changed, a power feeding unit is configured by a movable tap 466 between the grounded ends of the resonance coil 432. The

  In other words, the resonance coil 432 includes a ground portion that is electrically grounded at both ends and a power feeding portion that is supplied with power from the high-frequency power source 444 between the ground portions, and at least one of the ground portions is adjusted in position. The variable grounding unit is possible, and the power feeding unit is a variable power feeding unit whose position is adjustable. When the resonance coil 432 includes a variable ground portion and a variable power supply portion, the resonance frequency and the load impedance of the plasma source 430 can be adjusted more easily as will be described later.

  The outer shield 452 is provided to shield leakage of electromagnetic waves to the outside of the resonance coil 432 and to form a capacitance component necessary for configuring a resonance circuit between the resonance coil 432 and the outer shield 452. The outer shield 452 is generally formed in a cylindrical shape using a conductive material such as aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy. The outer shield 452 is arranged at a distance of, for example, about 5 to 150 mm from the outer periphery of the resonance coil 432.

  An RF sensor 468 is installed on the output side of the high frequency power supply 444 and monitors traveling waves, reflected waves, and the like. The reflected wave power monitored by the RF sensor 468 is input to the frequency matching unit 446. The frequency matching unit 446 controls the frequency so that the reflected wave is minimized.

  The controller 470 controls not only the high frequency power supply 444 but also the entire asher device 10. A display 472 that is a display unit is connected to the controller 470. The display 472 displays, for example, data detected by various detection units provided in the asher device 10 such as a monitoring result of reflected waves by the RF sensor 468.

  The placement process will be described. A finger 321 loaded with the wafer 600 enters the processing chamber 445. The lifter pin 413 rises. The finger 321 places the wafer 600 on the lifter pins 413 raised.

  In the transfer step, after placing the wafer 600 kept at room temperature, ashing gas is supplied from the gas supply pipe 433 to the plasma source 430. Ashing gas includes oxygen, hydrogen, water, ammonia, carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) and the like. After the gas supply, the high frequency power supply 444 supplies power to the resonance coil 432.

  Free electrons are accelerated by an induced magnetic field excited inside the resonance coil 432 and collide with gas molecules to excite gas molecules to generate plasma. In this way, the ashing process is performed using the plasmad ashing gas.

  The above-described plasma processing unit 410, a transfer unit such as the atmospheric transfer robot 130 and the vacuum arm robot unit 320 for transferring the substrate 600, a gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas or the like to the plasma processing unit 410, and the inside of the plasma processing unit 410 The controller 470 controls the gas exhaust unit for exhausting the substrate and the substrate heating unit 463 for heating the substrate 600, respectively.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a controller configuration in the present invention. In FIG. 5, the controller 470 corresponds to the control unit 703.

  The controller system 700 according to the present invention includes a display unit 704 that displays a screen for performing monitor display, analysis of logging data and alarms, parameter editing, and the like, and instruction data input via the display unit 704. And an operation unit 702 having a storage unit (not shown) that stores various recipes and various parameters as files, a motion controller 704 that is a mechanism control controller that controls the transport unit that transports the substrate, and the like. A main controller 701 as a host controller composed of a control unit 703 connected to an APC (auto pressure controller), RF (RF sensor 468), temperature controller (temperature controller), etc. via at least the motion controller 706 and the above-mentioned shike Composed of the sub-controller as subordinate controller including a support 705. The display unit 704 is attached integrally with the operation unit 702, but may be separate from the operation unit 702 or may be separate from the main controller 701.

  The host controller 701 is connected to a GEM controller (not shown) via a LAN. Further, it is connected to a user (customer) host computer (not shown) via the GEM controller, thereby realizing an automated system in the factory.

  The control unit 703 is connected to various sub-controllers and controls each sub-controller. The motion controller 706 is connected to a plurality of motors 708 and controls each motor. The motion controller 706 includes not only a transport unit for transporting a substrate such as the atmospheric robot 130 and the vacuum arm robot unit 320 but also a lifting drive unit (not shown).

  The motion controller 706 holds a speed parameter and a position (position) parameter. These parameters are managed for each mechanism unit, and a plurality of parameters can be designated for each purpose. These parameters are input and determined in advance by the display unit 704 provided in the host controller 701 before being operated, and transmitted (downloaded) to the motion controller 706. However, for position parameters, the position (position) may be determined via a pendant.

  FIG. 6 shows the configuration of these parameters. In the speed table, for example, the mechanism No. When picking up a substrate by picking up a substrate by No. 1, Since No. 1 does not hold the substrate, it has a high speed and a speed No. 1. Since No. 2 is a state in which the substrate is held, the medium speed and speed No. 2 are set. 3 is set to a low speed to change the substrate to another mechanism. In FIG. 1 = XX, speed no. 2 = YY, speed no. Although 3 = ZZ is represented by a character string, it is needless to say that it is actually set by a numerical value. Similarly, in the position table, for example, the mechanism No. When picking up the substrate by picking up the substrate by No. 5, position No. 1 is the origin position, position no. 2 is the PickUp standby position, position No. 3 is the PickUp completion position, position No. 4 is set to the PickUp start position. Similarly, each position is represented by a character string (XX, YY), but it goes without saying that it is actually set by a numerical value. The speed table includes three speed numbers. The position table has four position numbers. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any number of tables may be provided.

  FIG. 7 shows a communication message format used when performing the mechanism operation. In response to an operation command from the mechanical unit, the host controller 701 sends an operation command message indicating the position number and speed or acceleration number already held by the motion controller 706. Here, the mechanism NO is a number assigned in advance to the target mechanism unit, the target position NO and the designated speed NO are the numbers shown in FIG. 6, respectively, and parameter 1 is the target mechanism unit, For example, in the case of a robot, it is the robot's arm NO, parameter 2 indicates the tweezer number assigned to the arm (finger number in the case of the asher device in this embodiment), and parameter 3 indicates the boat or FOUP. Slot numbers are indicated. These parameters are used for the pitch calculation amount. For example, it is used for calculating the pitch amount from the base position (initial position) to the slot of the FOUP, and calculating the pitch amount of the arm or tweezer that picks up the substrate. These pitch amounts are registered in the motion controller 706 in advance. Upon receiving this communication message format, the motion controller 706 receives the instructed speed No. And position no. The specified value is derived and output to the mechanism body. After receiving the operation end signal from the mechanism main body, the motion controller 706 reports to the host controller 701 with an operation end message. The operation result is 0 when the operation ends normally, and 1 is transmitted when the operation ends abnormally. The operation result error details are 0 when the operation ends normally.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a communication flowchart between the host controller 701 and the motion controller 706 in the embodiment of the present invention.

S1 (step 1): An instruction command for picking up a substrate is received from the host controller 701.
S2 (step 2): A check is made as to whether or not speed switching is necessary based on the current position and the target position. If necessary, go to step 3. If not necessary, wait for completion of movement to the final position.
S3 (step 3): The position monitor value transmitted from the mechanism unit body is monitored (checked) for the speed switching position set in advance.
S4 (Step 4): At the timing when the arrival at the switching position is recognized, the speed is changed (switched) while it is operating.
S5 (Step 5): When the speed switching is completed, if there is a position to be switched next, the process returns to Step 3, otherwise waits for the completion of movement to the final position, and receives the fact that the final position has been reached from the mechanism body. Then, the command end is transmitted to the host controller 701.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the current position and the target position at the time of speed switching check.

  When the current position is A, it is necessary to go through the speed switching position 1 and the speed switching position 2 before going to the final target position, so that the speed switching is required twice. When the current position is B, it is necessary to go through the speed switching position 2, so that one speed switching is necessary. If the current position is C, speed switching is not necessary and the process goes to the final position.

  6 as an example regarding the PickUp operation of the board, when an operation command to the PickUp standby position is received from the host controller 701, if the current position is A, the speed switching position that is the origin position and the PickUp start position Since it is between 1, the speed No. of the speed parameter is controlled as 1 (number set at high speed). Similarly, when the current position is B, it is between the speed switching position 1 and the speed switching position 2 that is the PickUp completion position, so the speed parameter speed No is controlled as 3 (number set to low speed). . When the current position is C, it is between the speed switching position 2 and the final target position, and the speed No is controlled as 2 (number set to medium speed).

  As described above, in this embodiment, by designating the position of the mechanism and the speed at that position, the next operation is performed (instructed) after waiting for the command to end (stop) as in the prior art. Since the mechanism operation can be controlled, an improvement in throughput can be expected.

It is a figure which shows the communication sequence in the prior art of this invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an asher device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating the asher apparatus of the preferable Example of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the plasma processing unit used for the asher apparatus of the preferable Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the controller structure in the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of a speed parameter and a position parameter. It is a figure which shows an example of an operation command message | telegram communication format. It is a figure which shows the communication flowchart between a high-order controller and a motion controller. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the present position at the time of speed switching check, and a target position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Asher apparatus 200 ... Load lock chamber part 300 ... Transfer chamber part 400 ... Process chamber part 410 ... Plasma processing unit 472 ... Display apparatus 600 ... Wafer 701 ... Host controller (main controller)
706 ... Motion controller

Claims (1)

Used to transport the substrate and the state of the processing unit that processes the substrate and the control unit that controls various sub-controllers that perform process control for performing processing on the substrate and transport control for transporting the substrate A main controller provided with an operation unit for monitoring and displaying the state of the transport unit and the state of the sensor for detecting these operations;
Motion that holds parameters for setting the speed and position downloaded from the main controller in advance, monitors the position of the transport unit during operation of the transport unit, and changes the speed when it reaches a predetermined position A controller,
A substrate processing apparatus.

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