JP2010161157A - Substrate storing method and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate storing method for enhancing a yield by cleaning within a hoop by utilizing the existing equipment to prevent wafer contamination. <P>SOLUTION: This substrate processing system 10 includes a process ship 11 for subjecting a wafer W to RIE treatment, hoops 14a to 14c for storing the wafer W, a loader module 13 for linking the process ship 11 with hoops 14a to 14c and a conveying arm mechanism 19 provided within the loader module 13, an FFU 34 for forming a down flow within the loader module 13 to discharge foreign matters from the bottom, and an opening-closing door provided in a linking part between the loader module 13 and the hoops 14a to 14c. When the wafer W is stored in a hoop 14b of the substrate processing system 10, the wafer W is conveyed into the hoop 14b by the conveying arm mechanism 19 and thereafter the opening-closing door is maintained in an open state until a predetermined delay time passes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage method and a storage medium, and more particularly to a substrate storage method for storing a substrate processed in a substrate processing chamber in a substrate storage container.

  In a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as “wafer”) is transported in a clean room between a plurality of substrate processing systems. At this time, in order to prevent dust floating in the clean room from adhering to the wafer, the wafer is a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) (hereinafter referred to as “hoop”) as a substrate storage container that isolates the wafer from the outside. .)

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an example of a hoop as a substrate storage container. 4A is a perspective view, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4A.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the hoop 90 is, for example, U-shaped when viewed from above, and is a container that has a shape extruded from the upper surface, and has a curved side surface and a flat front surface facing the curved side surface. A main body 91 that opens, and a lid 92 that is provided in a front opening of the main body 91 and opens and closes the opening. The lid 92 has a seal rubber made of, for example, NBR or the like at the peripheral edge contacting the main body 91, and is in close contact with the main body 91 via the seal rubber. The main body 91 and the lid 92 are made of a resin such as ABS, for example. The main body 91 has a plurality of flat plate-like support portions 94 that protrude from the inner wall surface toward the center of the main body 91, and the support portions 94 are provided in parallel to each other (FIG. 4B). . Each of the support portions 94 holds the wafer W.

  In a substrate processing system, a plurality of wafers are stored in a hoop as a substrate storage container, and wafers that have been subjected to predetermined processing, for example, reactive ion etching (hereinafter simply referred to as “RIE”) processing, are the same. However, depending on the atmosphere in the hoop, there is a problem that the wafer is contaminated (secondary contamination) and the yield rate of the processed wafer is lowered. The mechanism of the secondary contamination of the wafer in the hoop is not clear, but can be considered as follows. That is, in the substrate processing chamber of the substrate processing system, an atmosphere gas (halogen-based residual gas) in the substrate processing chamber, a halogen-based reaction product, etc. (hereinafter simply referred to as “foreign matter”) Is attached to the hoop together with the wafer. At this time, even if a small amount of foreign matter adheres to one wafer, the inside of the FOUP is contaminated with foreign matter when a large number of wafers are loaded into the hoop, which is a closed narrow space. It is considered that the unprocessed wafer or the processed wafer is secondarily contaminated.

  For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 are publicly known documents in which conventional techniques for preventing a decrease in the yield rate of wafers due to such contamination in the hoop are disclosed.

  In Patent Document 1, a gas supply pipe is arranged above an opening in a so-called FIMS (Front-Opening Interface Mechanical Standard) in order to remove contaminants attached to a wafer accommodated in a hoop. A technique is disclosed in which clean gas is blown from the pipe onto the upper surface of a wafer housed in a hoop.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for providing a gas replacement mechanism that replaces the gas in the hoop with a clean gas in order to keep the inside of the hoop as a storage container in which a wafer as a substrate is stored in a desired gas atmosphere. It is disclosed.

JP 2006-128153 A JP 2006-351619 A

  However, each of the above prior arts adds new equipment to existing equipment, which not only causes a decrease in operating rate by stopping the operating equipment, but also adds new equipment within a limited space. Addition of equipment also complicates the apparatus configuration and increases equipment costs.

  An object of the present invention is to clean the inside of a substrate storage container using existing equipment without adding new equipment, thereby preventing contamination of the substrate stored in the board storage container and yield rate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate storage method and a storage medium that can improve the performance.

  In order to achieve the above object, a substrate storage method according to claim 1 includes a substrate processing chamber that performs a predetermined process on a substrate, a substrate storage container that stores the substrate, the substrate processing chamber, and the substrate storage container. An atmospheric transfer chamber that connects the substrate, a substrate transfer unit provided in the atmospheric transfer chamber, an exhaust unit that forms a downdraft in the atmospheric transfer chamber and discharges foreign matter in the atmospheric transfer chamber from the bottom, and the atmospheric transfer chamber A substrate storage system in a substrate processing system, comprising: a plurality of substrates stored in the substrate storage container; and a plurality of substrates stored in the substrate storage container. A carrying-in step of sequentially carrying the substrate into the substrate processing chamber by the carrying unit, processing the processed substrate into the substrate container by the substrate carrying unit; and the carrying-in step. After flop is completed, characterized by having a, a waiting step of holding the door remains open until a predetermined delay time elapses.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 2 is the substrate storage method according to claim 1, wherein the delay time in the standby step is after the last substrate stored in the substrate storage container is stored in the carry-in step. The measurement is started.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 3 is the substrate storage method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the delay time is changed according to a type of the substrate stored in the substrate storage container. .

  The substrate storage method according to claim 4 is the substrate storage method according to claim 3, wherein the delay time is set to "0" when the substrate stored in the substrate storage container is a dummy substrate or a test substrate. It is characterized by that.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 5 is the substrate storage method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the delay time is changed according to a processing content applied to the substrate stored in the substrate storage container. It is characterized by.

  6. The substrate storage method according to claim 6, wherein the substrate stored in the substrate storage container is a substrate after plasma processing with a halogen-based processing gas, a substrate after purge processing, or after cooling processing. In the case of the substrate, the delay time is set to an arbitrary time other than “0”.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 7 is the substrate storage method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the delay time is before the start of the carry-in step or after the start of the carry-in step and before the start of the standby step. It is characterized in that setting or changing is performed.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 8 is the substrate storage method according to claim 7, wherein the delay time is set to "0" for setting or changing the delay time after the start of the carry-in step and before the start of the standby step. It is characterized by including setting.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 9 is the substrate storage method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the delay time corresponds to each substrate storage container when there are a plurality of substrate storage containers. It is set for each open / close door.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 10 is the substrate storage method according to claim 9, wherein when the plurality of substrate storage containers are arranged, the delay time is set in the central substrate storage container in the atmospheric transfer chamber. The corresponding opening / closing door is shorter, and the opening / closing doors corresponding to the substrate storage containers at both ends in the atmospheric transfer chamber are set longer.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 11 is the substrate storage method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the substrate processing system includes a status display unit and displays that the standby step is performed. / Or the progress status of the delay time in the waiting step is displayed on the status display section.

  The substrate storage method according to claim 12 is the substrate storage method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the substrate storage container is a hoop provided such that a front surface of the container can be opened. And

  In order to achieve the above object, a storage medium according to claim 13 includes a substrate processing chamber for performing predetermined processing on a substrate, a substrate storage container for storing the substrate, the substrate processing chamber, and the substrate storage container. An atmospheric transfer chamber to be connected; a substrate transfer unit provided in the atmospheric transfer chamber; an exhaust unit that forms a downdraft in the atmospheric transfer chamber to discharge foreign matters in the atmospheric transfer chamber from the bottom; and the atmospheric transfer chamber; A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of storing a substrate in the substrate storage container in a substrate processing system having an opening / closing door provided at a connection portion with the substrate storage container. In the substrate storage method, a plurality of substrates stored in the substrate storage container are sequentially carried into the substrate processing chamber by the substrate transfer unit and processed. A carry-in step of sequentially carrying in subsequent substrates into the substrate storage container by the substrate carrying unit, and a standby step of holding the open / close door in an open state until a predetermined delay time elapses after the carry-in step is completed. It is characterized by having.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 1 and the storage medium of claim 13, the substrate is carried into the substrate storage container by the substrate transfer unit, and then the open / close door is opened until a predetermined delay time elapses. Since it holds and waits as it is, it is possible to clean the inside of the substrate storage container by using the downdraft formed by the exhaust unit which is the existing equipment without adding new equipment. Contamination can be prevented and the yield rate can be improved.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 2, the delay time in the standby step is measured last after the last substrate stored in the substrate storage container is stored in the loading step. The yield rate of the substrate can be improved by reliably discharging not only the substrate but also the foreign matter brought into the substrate storage container with the substrate stored before that.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 3, since the delay time is changed according to the type of the substrate stored in the substrate storage container, the foreign matter in the substrate storage container is removed by the delay time suitable for the substrate to be stored. It can be reliably replaced and discharged.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 4, when the substrate stored in the substrate storage container is a dummy substrate or a test substrate, the delay time is set to “0”. (Processing capacity per unit time) is improved.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 5, since the delay time is changed according to the processing content applied to the substrate stored in the substrate storage container, the appropriate delay according to the processing content applied to the substrate It is possible to secure time and to reliably replace and discharge the foreign matter adhering to the substrate and brought into the substrate storage container.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 6, when the substrate stored in the substrate storage container is a substrate after plasma processing with a halogen-based processing gas, a substrate after purge processing, or a substrate after cooling processing, the delay time Is set to an arbitrary time other than “0”, the foreign matter in the substrate storage container can be surely replaced and discharged by a delay time suitable for the substrate to be stored.

  According to the substrate storage method of the seventh aspect, since the delay time is set or changed before the loading step is started or after the loading step is started and before the standby step is started, the delay time is confirmed and changed after the processing is started. User convenience is improved.

  According to the substrate storage method of the eighth aspect, setting or changing the delay time after the start of the carry-in step and before the start of the standby step includes setting the delay time to “0”. Depending on the purpose of use, it is possible to improve the throughput by eliminating unnecessary delay time.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 9, when there are a plurality of substrate storage containers, the delay time is set for each open / close door corresponding to each substrate storage container. Foreign matter can be reliably discharged by setting the time.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 10, when a plurality of substrate storage containers are arranged, the delay time is shorter as the opening / closing door corresponding to the central substrate storage container in the atmospheric transfer chamber is shorter in the atmospheric transfer chamber. Since the opening / closing doors corresponding to the substrate storage containers at both ends are set longer, the descending airflow can surely flow into the substrate storage containers disposed at both ends to discharge foreign matter.

  According to the substrate storage method of the eleventh aspect, the substrate processing system includes a status display unit, and displays that the standby step is in progress and / or the elapsed time of the delay time in the standby step is displayed on the status display unit. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the current device status and / or the elapsed status of the delay time.

  According to the substrate storage method of claim 12, since the substrate storage container is a hoop provided such that the front surface of the container can be opened, the gas in the hoop is replaced and cleaned by a downdraft using existing equipment. Thus, contamination of the substrate stored in the hoop can be prevented and the yield rate can be improved.

1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system to which a substrate storing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is sectional drawing which follows the line II-II in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the board | substrate storage process in the board | substrate storage method which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the hoop as a substrate storage container.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system to which a substrate storing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  In FIG. 1, a substrate processing system 10 includes two process ships 11 as substrate processing chambers for performing RIE processing on a wafer W as a substrate to be processed, and a rectangular common transfer chamber to which the two process ships 11 are connected. And an atmospheric transfer chamber (hereinafter referred to as a “loader module”) 13.

  In the loader module 13, in addition to the process ship 11 described above, for example, three FOUP mounting tables 15 a to 15 c on which FOUPs 14 a to 14 c as substrate storage containers for storing 25 wafers W are respectively mounted, and the FOUP 14 An orienter 16 that pre-aligns the position of the wafer W that has been unloaded is connected to another processing chamber 17 that performs a purge process or a cooling process on the wafer W that has been subjected to the RIE process.

  The two process ships 11 are connected to the side wall in the longitudinal direction of the loader module 13 and are disposed so as to face the three hoop mounting tables 15 a to 15 c with the loader module 13 interposed therebetween. The other processing chamber 17 is arranged at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the loader module 13.

  The loader module 13 includes a scalar type dual arm type transfer arm mechanism 19 serving as a substrate transfer unit for transferring the wafer W, and the wafer W arranged on the side wall so as to correspond to each hoop mounting table 15. Load ports 20a to 20c as three hoop connection ports. Each of the load ports 20a to 20c is provided with an opening / closing door. The transfer arm mechanism 19 takes out the wafer W from the FOUPs 14a to 14c placed on the FOUP placement tables 15a to 15c via the load ports 20a to 20c, and removes the taken wafer W from the process ship 11, the orienter 16, and another one. Carry in and out of the processing chamber 17.

  The process ship 11 includes a process module 25 as a vacuum processing chamber for performing RIE processing on the wafer W, and a load / lock module 27 incorporating a link type single pick type transfer arm 26 for delivering the wafer W to the process module 25. Have

  The process module 25 includes a cylindrical processing chamber container (hereinafter referred to as “chamber”) and an upper electrode and a lower electrode disposed in the chamber, and the distance between the upper electrode and the lower electrode is a wafer. An appropriate interval for performing RIE processing on W is set. Further, the lower electrode has an ESC 28 at the top thereof for chucking the wafer W by Coulomb force or the like.

In the process module 25, a processing gas, for example, HBr gas or Cl ₂ gas is introduced into the chamber, and an electric field is generated between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, and the introduced processing gas is turned into plasma to generate ions and radicals. Then, RIE processing is performed on the wafer W by the ions and radicals, and, for example, a polysilicon layer on the wafer W is etched.

  In the process ship 11, the internal pressure of the loader module 13 is maintained at atmospheric pressure, while the internal pressure of the process module 25 is maintained at vacuum. Therefore, the load lock module 27 is provided with a vacuum gate valve 29 at the connection portion with the process module 25 and an atmospheric gate valve 30 at the connection portion with the loader module 13, thereby enabling the internal pressure to be adjusted. It is configured as a preliminary transfer chamber.

  Inside the load / lock module 27, a transfer arm 26 is installed at a substantially central portion, a first buffer 31 is installed on the process module 25 side of the transfer arm 26, and on the loader module 13 side of the transfer arm 26. A second buffer 32 is installed. The first buffer 31 and the second buffer 32 are arranged on a trajectory on which a support portion (pick) 33 for supporting the wafer W arranged at the front end portion of the transfer arm 26 is moved and subjected to RIE processing. By temporarily retracting W above the trajectory of the support portion 33, it is possible to smoothly exchange the RIE-unprocessed wafer W and the RIE-processed wafer W in the process module 25.

  The other processing chamber 17 performs, for example, a purge process on the wafer after the plasma process and before returning to the substrate storage container. Here, the purge process is a process for positively removing foreign substances adhering to the plasma-processed wafer in the processing chamber, and before returning the plasma-processed wafer to the substrate storage container, It is a process of transporting to a purge processing chamber as the processing chamber 17 and cleaning the foreign matter with high-temperature steam, or vaporizing and removing the halogen-based reaction product by lamp overheating or the like.

  The other processing chamber 17 performs a cooling process for cooling the wafer, for example, after the plasma processing and before returning to the substrate storage container. Here, in the cooling process, when a wafer that has been subjected to high-power plasma processing in the processing chamber is returned to the substrate storage container as it is, problems such as melting of the substrate storage container by a high-temperature wafer may occur. This process is performed in order to prevent the occurrence of such a problem. Before returning the plasma-processed wafer to the substrate storage container, the wafer is transferred to a cooling process chamber as another process chamber 17 and the temperature is increased. This is a process that lowers.

  The substrate processing system 10 includes a system controller (not shown) that controls the operations of the process ship 11, the loader module 13, the orienter 16, and another processing chamber 17 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “components”). The operation controller 60 is provided at one end of the loader module 13 in the longitudinal direction.

  The system controller controls the operation of each component in accordance with a recipe as a program corresponding to the RIE process and the wafer W transfer process, and the operation controller 60 has a status display unit such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The status display unit displays the operation status of each component.

  2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. In FIG. 2, the upper side in the figure is referred to as “upper side”, and the lower side in the figure is referred to as “lower side”.

  In FIG. 2, the loader module 13 is disposed at a height corresponding to an FFU (Fan Filter Unit) 34 as an exhaust unit disposed on the upper side and the hoop 14 mounted on the hoop mounting table 15. The transport arm mechanism 19 and a duct fan 36 disposed on the lower side are provided. Further, an air inlet 41 composed of a plurality of through holes is arranged on the side surface of the loader module 13 above the FFU 34.

  The FFU 34 mainly includes a fan unit 37 and a dust removal unit 40 arranged in order from the upper side.

  The fan unit 37 has a built-in fan that sends air downward, and the dust removal unit 40 has a filter (not shown) that collects dust in the air that has passed through the fan unit 37.

  With the above configuration, the FFU 34 removes the air introduced to the upper side inside the loader module 13 through the atmosphere introduction port 41 and supplies the dust to the lower side inside the loader module 13. This forms a downflow. Thereby, the air inside the loader module 13 is replaced with the purified air.

  The transfer arm mechanism 19 has an articulated transfer arm arm portion 42 configured to bend and extend, and a pick 43 attached to the tip of the transfer arm arm portion 42, and the pick 43 mounts a wafer W thereon. It is configured to be placed. The transfer arm mechanism 19 has an articulated arm-shaped mapping arm 44 configured to be able to bend and stretch. For example, a laser beam is emitted to the tip of the mapping arm 44 to check the presence or absence of the wafer W. A mapping sensor (not shown) is arranged. The base ends of the transfer arm arm portion 42 and the mapping arm 44 are connected to an elevating portion 47 that moves up and down along an arm base end support column 46 erected from the base portion 45 of the transfer arm mechanism 19. The arm base end support column 46 is configured to be rotatable.

  In the mapping operation performed for recognizing the position and number of the wafers W accommodated in the hoop 14, the mapping arm 44 is lifted or lowered while the mapping arm 44 is extended, whereby the wafer in the hoop 14. Check the position and number of W.

  Since the transfer arm mechanism 19 is bendable by the transfer arm arm portion 42 and is rotatable by the arm base end support column 46, the wafer W placed on the pick 43 is transferred to the hoop 14, the process ship 11, the orienter 16, and the like. It can be freely transferred between the other processing chambers 17.

  The duct fan 36 is disposed to face the air discharge port 49 that is a plurality of through holes drilled in the bottom surface of the loader module 13, and the air inside the loader module 13 is passed through the air discharge port 49 to the loader module 13. Discharge outside.

Hereinafter, a substrate storage method according to an embodiment of the present invention executed in the substrate processing system 10 having such a configuration will be described. In the process module 25 of the process ship 11, this processing is performed by, for example, performing the RIE process on the wafer W by plasma based on, for example, HBr gas or Cl ₂ gas, and then performing the system controller according to the substrate storage recipe that is a substrate storage program. Will run.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a substrate storing process in the substrate storing method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 3, when the substrate storage process is started, first, for example, a wafer W that has been subjected to the RIE process is received from the load / lock module 27 by the transfer arm mechanism 19 and carried into the loader module 13 (step S1).

  Next, the transfer arm mechanism 19 loads the wafer W into the FOUP 14b whose opening / closing door is opened via the load port 20b, and places the wafer W on the lowermost holding portion (step S2). Thereafter, the operations of Step S1 and Step S2 are sequentially repeated, and the wafers W are sequentially loaded into the FOUP 14b, and are placed and stored in order from the lower gripping portion. Such a loading step is repeated until the wafer W becomes the last wafer, for example, the 25th wafer W (step S3). After the last wafer W is loaded, the process proceeds to a standby step (step S4). In the standby step, measurement of a preset delay time is started, and thereafter, until the delay time elapses, the open / close door provided in the load port 20b corresponding to the hoop 14b is held in an open state.

  Next, it is determined whether or not a preset delay time has elapsed (step S5). After the delay time has elapsed, the door provided at the load port 20b corresponding to the hoop 14b is closed (step S6). This process is terminated.

  According to the present embodiment, after the loading step (step S3, step S4) for loading the wafer W into the FOUP 14b, the opening / closing door is opened until a predetermined delay time has elapsed without immediately closing the opening / closing door. Since the holding standby step (step S5) is provided, the secondary contamination of the wafer W due to the contamination of the internal atmosphere of the hoop 14b can be prevented, and the decrease in the yield rate of the wafer W can be avoided.

  In the present embodiment, the mechanism capable of preventing the secondary contamination of the wafer W accommodated in the FOUP 14b and avoiding the decrease in the yield rate is not necessarily clear, but the step of loading the wafer W into the FOUP 14b is completed. After that, by opening the open / close door corresponding to the predetermined delay time hoop 14b, the downflow based on the FFU 34 provided in the loader module 13 flows into the hoop 14b, and thereby adheres to the wafer W. It is considered that the foreign matter brought in is discharged from the hoop 14b and replaced with clean air.

  In the present embodiment, the delay time in the standby step is set to a time until the atmosphere in the hoop 14b is replaced by the downflow formed by the FFU 34. The delay time is measured after the last wafer W loaded into the FOUP 14b is loaded. As a result, a sufficient delay time can be secured not only for the wafer W stored last but also for the wafer W previously stored in the hoop 14b, thereby preventing secondary contamination of the wafer W. be able to.

  In the present embodiment, the delay time, that is, the time required to replace the space in the FOUP 14b in which the wafer W is stored with clean air depends on the amount of foreign matter carried into the FOUP together with the wafer W. The amount depends on the type of wafer W.

  When the wafer W stored in the FOUP 14b is a dummy wafer or a test wafer, the standby step is omitted. This is because no foreign matter adheres to these substrates and there is no possibility of contaminating the inside of the hoop 14b. By omitting the waiting step, the throughput is improved. Here, the dummy wafer refers to a wafer that is subjected to plasma processing for temperature adjustment in the substrate processing chamber and stabilization of deposits in the processing chamber before plasma processing is performed on the product wafer, and the test wafer refers to the product wafer. As a test, a wafer for confirming plasma processing characteristics such as an etching rate and in-plane uniformity is used as a test. Since these wafers are not related to the yield due to contamination, the delay time is set to “0”.

  When the wafer W accommodated in the FOUP 14b has been subjected to RIE processing, a standby step is provided, and the delay time is set to 40 minutes to 120 minutes, for example. This is because it is considered that the atmosphere gas in the RIE process or particles mainly composed of reaction products adhere to the wafer W after the RIE process. Experience shows that when 25 wafers after RIE processing are stored in the FOUP, if the opening / closing door is immediately closed after the last (25th) wafer W is stored, the 21st and subsequent wafers W will be contaminated ( There is data that (abnormal) is seen. Accordingly, when it is assumed that the time until one wafer W is taken out from the FOUP 14b and processed in the processing chamber and then loaded into the FOUP is 10 min, for example, after the 20th wafer W is loaded, 25 By setting the time until the first wafer W is carried in, for example, 50 minutes as the delay time, the twenty-first to twenty-fifth wafers after the 25th wafer W is carried into the FOUP 14b. Since the open / close door can be held open for a time equivalent to the time until W is loaded, not only the 25th wafer W but also the 24th and previous wafers W are loaded. The foreign matter brought into 14b can be efficiently discharged from the FOUP 14b, thereby preventing the secondary contamination of the wafer W carried into the FOUP 14b and reducing the yield rate. It is possible to win.

  In this case, the delay time is appropriately changed based on the processing content for the wafer W, for example, the type of processing gas to be applied. A standby step is also provided when the wafer W carried into the FOUP 14b is a wafer after purge processing or a wafer after cooling processing. However, since the foreign matter adhering to the wafer is removed to some extent by the purge process, the delay time in the standby step after the purge process is set to be shorter than the case of the wafer W after the RIE process, for example, 20 minutes to 60 minutes. The

  Note that particles mainly composed of reaction products rolled up in the purge process may reattach to the wafer W, or residual gas (HBr gas or the like) may solidify and adhere to the wafer W in the cooling process. In order to eliminate the influence of the foreign matter, a standby step is necessary even after the purge process or the cooling process.

  In the present embodiment, the substrate processing system 10 preferably has switching means for determining whether or not the delay time in the standby step (step S5) is valid. This switching means is, for example, a selection button for selecting whether the delay time is valid or invalid, and before the loading step is started by the user based on the type of the wafer W loaded into the FOUP 14b and the processing content performed on the wafer W. It is selected after the carry-in step is started and before the standby step is started. The user further sets a delay time when selecting the validity of the standby step.

  In the present embodiment, the delay time is set or changed before the carry-in step is started or after the carry-in step is started and before the standby step is started. The delay time can be set or changed to “0”. When “0” is set or changed to “0” as the delay time, or when invalidity of the delay time is selected, invalidity of the waiting step is selected. The same effect as the case is produced. Thereby, even after the start of the step of loading the wafer W into the FOUP 14b, the user sets the delay time in the standby step to “0” in consideration of the processing contents for the subsequent wafer W. In effect, omission of the waiting step can be selected, and convenience is improved.

  In the present embodiment, when there are a plurality (14a to 14c) of the hoops 14 that store the wafers W, it is preferable that a delay time can be set for each open / close door corresponding to each hoop. This makes it possible to reliably prevent secondary contamination of the wafer W by setting an appropriate delay time for each lot of the wafer W stored in the hoop. When the hoops 14a to 14c are arranged in a row on one side of the load port 13, for example, the opening / closing door corresponding to the central hoop 14b in the load port 13 has a shorter delay time. It is preferable to set the delay time longer for the open / close doors corresponding to the hoops 14a and 14c. As a result, the downflow based on the FFU 34 can effectively flow into the hoops 14a and 14c at both ends where the shortflow easily occurs, thereby ensuring that all the hoops 14a to 14c are cleanly supplied with clean air. The secondary contamination of the wafer W can be prevented by replacement.

  In the present embodiment, the substrate processing system 10 is preferably provided with a status display unit. By providing a status display unit, not only a display indicating that it is a standby step in the substrate storage method and / or the progress of delay time in the standby step, but also the current step or the elapsed time in each step, for example, is displayed. Thus, the user can confirm at a glance the current step or the elapsed time in the step, and convenience is improved.

  In the present embodiment, a system in which a plurality of process ships 11 are arranged in parallel to the loader module 13 is applied as the substrate processing system 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each process The present invention can be similarly applied to a cluster type substrate processing system in which the ships 11 are provided radially.

  In the above-described embodiment, the substrate housed in the hoop is not limited to a semiconductor device wafer, but various substrates used for LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), FPD (Flat Panel Display), etc., photomasks, CD substrates, prints It may be a substrate or the like.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus. It is also achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  Examples of the storage medium for supplying the program code include a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a CD-RW, a DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, and a DVD. An optical disc such as RW or DVD + RW, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used. Alternatively, the program code may be downloaded via a network.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code, etc. Includes a case where part or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the expanded function is based on the instruction of the program code. This includes a case where a CPU or the like provided on the expansion board or the expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Substrate processing system 11 Process ship 13 Loader module 14a-14c, 90 Hoop 15a-15c Hoop mounting stand 17 Another processing chamber 19 Transfer arm mechanism 20a-20c Load port 25 Process module 26 Transfer arm 34 FFU
36 Duct fan 37 Fan unit 40 Dust removal unit 41 Air inlet

Claims (13)

A substrate processing chamber for performing predetermined processing on the substrate;
A substrate storage container for storing the substrate;
An atmospheric transfer chamber connecting the substrate processing chamber and the substrate storage container, and a substrate transfer unit provided in the atmospheric transfer chamber;
An exhaust unit that forms a downdraft in the atmospheric transfer chamber and discharges foreign matter in the atmospheric transfer chamber from the bottom;
An open / close door provided at a connecting portion between the atmospheric transfer chamber and the substrate storage container;
A substrate storage method in the substrate storage container in a substrate processing system comprising:
A carry-in step of sequentially carrying a plurality of substrates stored in the substrate storage container into the substrate processing chamber by the substrate transfer unit and processing the processed substrates into the substrate storage container by the substrate transfer unit. When,
After the carry-in step is completed, a standby step for holding the open / close door in an open state until a predetermined delay time elapses;
A substrate storage method comprising the steps of:   2. The substrate storage method according to claim 1, wherein the delay time in the standby step is started after the last substrate stored in the substrate storage container is stored in the loading step.   3. The substrate storage method according to claim 1, wherein the delay time is changed according to a type of the substrate stored in the substrate storage container.   4. The substrate storage method according to claim 3, wherein when the substrate stored in the substrate storage container is a dummy substrate or a test substrate, the delay time is set to "0".   The substrate storage method according to claim 1, wherein the delay time is changed according to a processing content applied to the substrate stored in the substrate storage container.   When the substrate stored in the substrate storage container is a substrate after plasma processing using a halogen-based processing gas, a substrate after purge processing, or a substrate after cooling processing, the delay time is set to an arbitrary time other than “0”. 6. The substrate processing method according to claim 5, wherein the substrate processing method is set.   The substrate storage method according to claim 3, wherein the delay time is set or changed before the carry-in step is started or after the carry-in step is started and before the standby step is started.   8. The substrate storage method according to claim 7, wherein setting or changing the delay time after the start of the carry-in step and before the start of the standby step includes setting the delay time to “0”.   9. The substrate storage according to claim 1, wherein, when there are a plurality of substrate storage containers, the delay time is set for each of the open / close doors corresponding to each substrate storage container. 10. Method.   When a plurality of the substrate storage containers are arranged, the delay time is shorter as the opening / closing door corresponding to the central substrate storage container in the atmospheric transfer chamber corresponds to the substrate storage containers at both ends in the atmospheric transfer chamber. 10. The substrate storage method according to claim 9, wherein the opening / closing door is set longer.   The substrate processing system includes a status display unit, and displays the fact that the standby step is being performed and / or the progress status of the delay time in the standby step is displayed on the status display unit. The substrate storage method according to any one of 1 to 10.   The substrate storage method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate storage container is a hoop provided such that a front surface of the container can be opened. A substrate processing chamber for performing predetermined processing on the substrate;
A substrate storage container for storing the substrate;
An atmospheric transfer chamber connecting the substrate processing chamber and the substrate storage container, and a substrate transfer unit provided in the atmospheric transfer chamber;
An exhaust unit that forms a downdraft in the atmospheric transfer chamber and discharges foreign matter in the atmospheric transfer chamber from the bottom;
An open / close door provided at a connecting portion between the atmospheric transfer chamber and the substrate storage container;
A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a substrate storage method in the substrate storage container in a substrate processing system having:
The substrate storage method is:
A carry-in step of sequentially carrying a plurality of substrates stored in the substrate storage container into the substrate processing chamber by the substrate transfer unit and processing the processed substrates into the substrate storage container by the substrate transfer unit. When,
After the carry-in step is completed, a standby step for holding the open / close door in an open state until a predetermined delay time elapses;
A storage medium comprising:

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