JP2023126087A - Substrate processing device and method for manufacturing semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a downsized cleaning and drying unit capable of removing a residual gas component on a wafer generated in a main processing unit and being installed in an EFEM unit or in a Load Port connection part of the EFEM unit, a substrate processing device including the same, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.SOLUTION: In a substrate processing device including an EFEM unit 3, a cleaning and drying unit 6, and a Load Port unit 5, the cleaning and drying unit 6 includes a wafer holding mechanism 16, a transfer arm 12, a cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34, and a gas supply nozzle 26. The EFEM unit 3 includes a transfer robot 10 which can transfer a wafer 7 between the Load Port unit 5 and the cleaning and drying unit 6 and the transfer arm 12. The cleaning and drying unit 6 is connected to the Load Port unit 5 arranged side by side with the EFEM unit 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present embodiment relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

In the process of dry etching a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as wafer) using a corrosive gas such as hydrogen bromide or chlorine, a reaction of the corrosive gas occurs within a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod). This causes quality defects such as deterioration of device constituent materials and generation of particles. Further, it is necessary to take measures against corrosion deterioration in a processing unit using a corrosive gas (for example, a dry etching unit) and another processing unit (for example, a film forming unit) brought in via a FOUP.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-5532 US Patent No. 5,271,774 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-100231 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-123359 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-32901

G. Choi, Solid State Phenomena Vol. 219 (2015) pp3-10.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning dryer is capable of removing residual gas components on a wafer generated in a main processing unit, and is miniaturized so that it can be installed in an EFEM unit or at a load port connection part of an EFEM unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a unit, a substrate processing apparatus having the same, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

The substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment is a substrate processing apparatus that includes a substrate processing box, a cleaning unit, and a load port. The cleaning unit includes a substrate holding mechanism capable of holding a substrate to be processed, a cleaning liquid supply mechanism capable of supplying a cleaning liquid onto the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, and a holding mechanism for holding the substrate to be processed. and a gas supply mechanism capable of supplying gas onto the substrate to be processed held by the mechanism. The processed substrate transport box includes a processed substrate transport mechanism capable of transporting the processed substrate between the load port and the cleaning unit, and the cleaning unit connects the processed substrate transport box to the load port. are connected side by side.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the overall structure of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the washing/drying unit of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning/drying unit in which a plurality of wafer holding mechanisms and cleaning/drying mechanisms are installed in the vertical direction. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating wafer storage positions in a load port unit and a cleaning/drying unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating wafer storage positions in a load port unit and a cleaning/drying unit. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the installation adjustment mechanism of the washing/drying unit. A schematic diagram of a wafer holding mechanism and a cleaning/drying mechanism. Schematic diagram of a wafer holding table. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wafer holding table. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a wafer is transported above a wafer holding table. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a series of steps from wafer transfer to a cleaning/drying unit to cleaning. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a small module having three functions: supplying cleaning liquid, supplying drying gas, and suctioning liquid and gas. The figure explaining an example of arrangement of the washing drying mechanism in a modification. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the flow of water and drying gas during wafer cleaning in a modified example. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the overall structure of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating an example of the arrangement of the washing/drying unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sensor for measuring physical properties of a processing liquid and the configuration of its surroundings in a third embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between cleaning time and conductivity of a processing liquid. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a wafer holding mechanism with a heater in a cleaning drying unit in a fourth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wafer holding mechanism with a heater in a fourth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of cleaning in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of a semiconductor device manufacturing system in a fifth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a first example of a main processing unit included in the manufacturing apparatus of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a second example of a main processing unit included in the manufacturing apparatus of the fifth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus including a main processing unit, a washing/drying unit, etc. will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The main processing unit is, for example, a dry etching unit, but is not limited thereto. For example, processing units related to other processes, such as CVD (Chemical Etching Deposition) units, sputtering units, wet etching units, annealing units, CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) units, and ion implantation units. may be used as the main processing unit.
(First embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the overall structure of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. The semiconductor device manufacturing equipment includes a dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 as a main processing unit, a vacuum transfer robot chamber 2, and an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) Unit 3, Load Lock chamber 4 that transfers the wafer 7 between the vacuum transfer robot chamber 2 and the EFEM unit 3, Load Port unit 5 that places the FOUP 13 and makes it ready to transfer the wafer 7 into the EFEM unit 3, Cleaning It is composed of a drying unit (cleaning unit) 6.

The vacuum transfer robot room 2 has a transfer robot 8. A transfer arm 9 is attached to the transfer robot 8 . The transfer robot 8 and the transfer arm 9 function as a processing target substrate transfer mechanism. Further, the EFEM unit 3 is provided with a transfer robot 10. The transfer robot 10 is movable on the rails 11. A transfer arm 12 is attached to the transfer robot 10. The transfer robot 10 and the transfer arm 12 function as a processing target substrate transfer mechanism.

Further, in this embodiment, the washing/drying unit 6 and the load port unit 5 are provided on the same side of the EFEM unit 3. That is, in this embodiment, a plurality of Load Port units 5 and one washing/drying unit 6 are regularly arranged on one side of the EFEM unit 3. In other words, the substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment can be understood as a configuration in which a plurality of Load Port units 5 are provided in the EFEM unit 3, and one of the Load Port units 5 is replaced by a cleaning drying unit 6. I can do it. Alternatively, the EFEM unit 3 has a plurality of Load Port unit connection parts 5A each configured to be able to connect the Load Port unit 5, and the Load Port unit 5 is connected to at least one of the plurality of Load Port unit connection parts 5A. , it can also be understood that the washing/drying unit 6 is connected to at least another one of the plurality of Load Port unit connection parts 5A.

In this embodiment, a plurality of (two) Load Port units 5 are regularly arranged on one side of the EFEM unit 3. Here, the washing/drying unit 6 is placed in place of the location where the Load Port unit 5 is installed adjacent to the EFEM unit 3. In the following description, the first direction is the longitudinal direction of the EFEM unit 3 and the direction in which the rails 11, which will be described later, extend in a direction horizontal to the floor surface on which the substrate processing apparatus is installed. Further, in a direction horizontal to the floor surface on which the substrate processing apparatus is installed, a direction perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a second direction. Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to the floor surface on which the substrate processing apparatus is installed is defined as a third direction.

Here, an example will be described in which an EFEM unit 3 designed to be equipped with three load port units 5 is used in a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus including a dry etching unit for processing wafers with a diameter of 300 mm. The EFEM unit 3 as a processing target substrate transport box has three load port unit connection parts 5A to which the load port units 5 can be installed. The Load Port unit 5 is attached to two of the three Load Port unit connection parts 5A, and the remaining one Load Port unit connection part 5A is used for cleaning instead of the Load Port unit 5. A drying unit 6 is installed. The washing/drying unit 6 (washing unit) is designed to be interchangeable with the Load Port unit 5 and the EFEM unit 3. The width of the washing/drying unit 6 is set to be less than or equal to the width of the load port unit 5 (for example, about 50 cm), and is designed so as not to interfere with the adjacent load port unit 5 in the first direction in FIG. In addition, in the second direction, the position where the transfer robot 10 in the EFEM unit 3 places the wafer 7 on the wafer support in the FOUP and the support base of the cleaning/drying unit 6 are the Load Port access reference plane of the EFEM unit 3. It is designed so that the relative position from FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the entire substrate processing apparatus in this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the washing/drying unit of the first embodiment. A washing and drying unit 6 is installed adjacent to the EFEM unit 3 and in parallel with the load port unit 5. Furthermore, in the third direction, the height of the cleaning/drying chamber 14 is the same as that of the FOUP 13 on the Load Port unit 5, so that the wafer 7 can be loaded and unloaded using the transfer robot 10 of the EFEM unit 3 as is. There is.

If the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment includes a dry etching unit and the dry etching process time is not long, the processing time in the cleaning/drying unit 6 will affect the throughput of the entire semiconductor device manufacturing equipment. (For example, it may become a bottleneck). In this case, a plurality of wafer holding mechanisms 16 serving as processing target substrate holding mechanisms can be provided in the vertical direction (third direction). A cleaning/drying mechanism 15 is installed above each wafer holding mechanism 16 . Therefore, the wafers 7 placed on the respective wafer holding mechanisms 16 can be cleaned and dried at the same time. That is, by processing a plurality of wafers 7 one by one at the same time, it is possible to reduce the influence on the throughput of the entire semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the cleaning/drying unit 6 in which a plurality of wafer holding mechanisms 16 and cleaning/drying mechanisms 15 are installed in the vertical direction. Here, three wafer holding mechanisms 16a, 16b, and 16c are shown. In this embodiment, the wafer holding mechanism 16 does not move up and down inside the cleaning/drying chamber 14. Therefore, no complicated operating mechanism is required. Further, by simply installing a plurality of wafer holding mechanisms 16, it is possible to avoid the processing time in the cleaning/drying unit 6 from affecting the processing capacity of the entire semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. Although FIG. 3 shows an example in which three wafer holding mechanisms 16a, 16b, and 16c are installed, more wafer holding mechanisms 16 may be installed as long as it falls within a predetermined range. The predetermined range may be, for example, a range corresponding to the length from the bottom shelf (Slot1) to the top shelf (Slot25) in the FOUP. By simplifying the wafer holding mechanisms 16 using a method described later, more wafer holding mechanisms 16, for example six, may be installed. Furthermore, in order to accommodate a configuration in which more stages of wafer holding mechanisms 16 are installed, the stroke of the transfer arm 12 of the transfer robot 10 in the EFEM unit 3 in the third direction may be extended.

Semiconductor devices are manufactured using wafers made of semiconductor materials. The wafer has a diameter of 300 mm, for example. A plurality of 300 mm wafers are stored in a FOUP 13, and the FOUP 13 is automatically transported between a plurality of main processing devices. A 300 mm wafer is automatically transported by a FOUP 13, and the wafer position within the FOUP and the wafer position on the Load Port unit 5 conform to SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) standards. Thereby, the FOUP 13, Load Port unit 5, and EFEM unit 3 can be combined with compatibility even if they are from different manufacturers. The wafer position herein refers to the lateral direction (first direction), depth (second direction), and height (third direction). In this embodiment, the washing/drying unit 6 is arranged in the EFEM unit 3 in a form compatible with the Load Port unit 5. As a result, the washing/drying unit 6 of this embodiment can be used in a compatible manner with the FOUP 13, Load Port unit 5, and EFEM unit 3 that comply with SEMI standards. Figures 4 and 5 show the Load Port unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the upper FOUP and the wafer storage position in the cleaning/drying unit. In FIG. 4, (a) shows the wafer position in the FOUP 13 on the load port unit 5, and (b) shows the wafer position in the cleaning drying chamber 14 of the cleaning drying unit 6. FIG. 4 shows a comparison between the two when viewed from above. The FOUP 13 has a pair of guides 17a that define the lateral position of the wafer, and a guide 17b that defines the depth of the wafer. The lateral position of the wafer within the cleaning/drying chamber 14 corresponds to the lateral position of the wafer within the FOUP 13. Further, the depth position of the wafer inside the cleaning/drying chamber 14 also corresponds to the depth position of the wafer inside the FOUP 13. In other words, if the FOUP end reference plane 18 is a virtual plane that passes through the boundary when the Load Port unit 5 is attached to the EFEM unit 3, then in the second direction from the FOUP end reference plane 18 to the center 19 of the wafer in the FOUP 13 The distance is approximately equal to the distance in the second direction from the FOUP end reference plane 18 to the wafer center position 20 in the cleaning/drying chamber 14 . In other words, the wafer center 20 in the cleaning/drying chamber 14 is geometrically approximately at the same position as the wafer center 19 in the FOUP 13 when viewed from the third direction. Also, the amount of extension in the second direction of the transfer arm 12 (transfer fork 304) of the transfer robot 10 when storing a wafer in the FOUP 13, and the amount of extension in the second direction of the transfer arm 12 (transfer fork 304) when storing a wafer in the cleaning/drying chamber 14 of the cleaning/drying unit 6. The amount of extension of the transport arm 12 (transport fork 304) of the transport robot 10 in the second direction is approximately the same length. Note that the movement of the transfer robot may be adjusted in response to individual differences in Load Ports (differences between manufacturers, etc.). Similarly, regarding the cleaning/drying unit 6, the operation of the transport robot may be adjusted in response to individual differences. In this specification, "geometrically approximately the same position when viewed from the third direction" is a concept that includes an adjustment range to accommodate individual differences in the load ports or washing/drying units.

The lateral direction of the wafer position in the cleaning drying chamber 14 is the same as the wafer position in the FOUP 13 and is symmetrical, and the distance from the FOUP end reference plane 18 when the Load Port unit 5 is normally installed is the same in terms of depth. There is. In other words, the wafer center position 20 in the cleaning/drying chamber 14 is aligned with the wafer center 19 in the FOUP 13. The reason why the same position is used here is that, just as the range of adjustment by the transfer robot caused by individual differences in load ports and manufacturer differences is necessary, it is also necessary for the washing/drying unit of this embodiment.

Next, in FIG. 5, (a) shows the wafer position in the FOUP 13 on the load port unit 5, and (b) shows the wafer position in the cleaning drying chamber 14 of the cleaning drying unit 6. FIG. 5 shows a comparison between the two when viewed from the front. Further, in FIG. 5, "S" represents Slot. For example, "S5" indicates Slot5.

As shown in FIG. 5(a), the FOUP 13 is provided with a plurality of pairs of left and right guides 17a. In this embodiment, 25 pairs of guides 17a are provided, which form slots 1 to 25 for storing the wafers 7. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the cleaning/drying chamber 14 has a plurality of wafer holding mechanisms 16. In this embodiment, three wafer holding mechanisms 16 are provided, and the upper surfaces of the wafer holding mechanisms 16 correspond to the positions of Slots 8, 13, and 21, respectively. Here, the distance from the FOUP bottom reference plane 22 is made equal to the FOUP 13 to facilitate conveyance adjustment. As for the slot position, any one of Slots 1 to 25 may be used as long as there is no interference with the cleaning/drying mechanism 15 (cleaning liquid supply mechanism and gas supply mechanism), and the conveyance robot height can be determined individually. The slot position or an intermediate position can be freely selected.

By matching the width, depth, and height to the wafer position in the FOUP, transport from the EFEM unit 3 to the cleaning/drying unit 6 requires no special functions, and can only be performed at the slot position in the same way as transport to other Load Port units 5. It is possible to transfer and pull back the wafer simply by specifying the .

The Load Port unit 5 is provided so that its relative position with respect to the EFEM unit 3 can be adjusted. Further, the washing/drying unit 6 is also provided so that its relative position with respect to the EFEM unit 3 can be adjusted. More specifically, the washing/drying unit 6 in this embodiment has the same installation adjustment mechanism as the Load Port unit 5 so that it can be installed in the EFEM unit 3 instead of the Load Port unit 5. Since it is necessary to send the Load Port unit 5 to all slots using one transfer robot 10, it is necessary to match the distance and inclination from the transfer robot 10. In this embodiment, the washing/drying unit 6 also has an installation adjustment mechanism that can adjust the distance and inclination when installing it on the EFEM unit 3. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the installation adjustment mechanism of the washing/drying unit. The washing/drying unit 6 of this embodiment has a depth adjustment mechanism 23 and a tilt adjustment mechanism 24 as installation adjustment mechanisms. Specifically, when attaching the washing/drying unit 6 to the EFEM unit 3, it is secured with four screws on the top, bottom, left and right, but the tightness can be adjusted. Also, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 4, since the cleaning and drying chamber 14 needs to be larger than the 300mm wafer, the cleaning and drying unit 6 is not placed just next to the load port unit 5, but rather in the cleaning and drying chamber 14. Some of them are designed to fit inside EFEM Unit 3. The wafer end face is designed to correspond to the FOUP end reference plane 18. Furthermore, by extending the stroke of the transfer robot 10 in the EFEM unit 3 in the Y direction (second direction), the wafer center position can be moved from the EFEM unit 3 to a position beyond the end of the Load Port unit 5. can. However, if it is located too far away, the amount of expansion and contraction of the transfer arm 12 of the transfer robot 10 will need to be increased, and the size of the EFEM unit 3 itself will need to be increased, which is not preferable. It is best to position it so that it just touches the surface. Note that the installation adjustment mechanism may be provided in the EFEM unit 3, or may be provided in the washing/drying unit 6 and the EFEM unit 3.

Next, the processing sequence in this dry etching unit 1 will be explained using FIGS. 1 and 2. A storage container (FOUP) 13 containing wafers is placed on the Load Port unit 5, docked to the EFEM unit 3, and the door is opened. The wafer 7 in the FOUP 13 is taken out by the transfer robot 10 in the EFEM unit 3, transferred to the load lock chamber 4, and transferred to the vacuum transfer robot chamber 2. Then, it is transported to the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 by the transport robot 8. The transfer robot 10 can move in the horizontal direction (first direction) on the rails 11, and moves the wafer 7 to the load port unit 5, washing/drying unit 6, and load lock chamber 4 by rotating around the third direction as the central axis. can be done. The transfer robot 10 is equipped with a transfer arm 12 that can move up and down, so the wafer 7 can be placed in a predetermined position by expanding and contracting with the wafer 7 placed on it, lowering it, and placing it on the wafer holding mechanism 16. .

In the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1, for example, a halogen gas such as CF4, CH2Cl2, or HBr is flowed, decomposed by plasma, and active ions are irradiated onto the wafer 7, thereby etching and removing Si and the like. After processing, unreacted gas and decomposed halogen molecules are adsorbed onto the wafer 7.

Here, as a comparative example, in order to remove residual gas components, it is conceivable to perform an ashing process in which O2 gas is decomposed with plasma and removed by oxidation in the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1. However, in this case, unintended oxidation of Si, SiN, W, etc. may occur in the wafer 7, which may result in an increase in contact resistance. Furthermore, because the desired dimensions may not be obtained due to chemical cleaning such as HF performed to remove the oxides, there is a possibility that the ashing required to sufficiently remove residual halogen may not be performed sufficiently. In such a case, the wafer 7 to which residual halogen is attached after being processed by the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 returns to the EFEM unit 3 via the vacuum transfer robot chamber 2 as it is. Further, the wafer 7 with the residual halogen attached returns to the original FOUP 13 on the Load Port unit 5. As a result, for example, the residual halogen component volatilizes from the processed wafer 7 and fills the FOUP 13, and when the wafer 7 is transferred to another manufacturing device by the FOUP 13, the volatilized residual halogen component is transferred to the EFEM unit. There is a possibility that it will spread within 3 days. The diffused residual halogen component reacts with the moisture contained in the atmosphere inside the EFEM unit 3 and becomes a corrosive gas such as hydrochloric acid, which may cause the metal inner walls of the EFEM and transport robot parts to rust.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the processed wafer 7 is processed in the cleaning and drying unit 6 before being returned from the EFEM unit 3 to the FOUP 13 on the Load Port unit 5. As a result, the halogen remaining on the wafer 7 by the process performed by the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 is completely removed. Since residual halogen and ammonia are easily dissolved in water, they can be sufficiently removed using water or hot water as a cleaning solution.

Next, a method for transporting the wafer to the cleaning/drying unit 6 will be explained using FIG. 3. Using the transfer robot 10 in the EFEM unit 3, the wafer 7 is placed on the wafer holding mechanism 16 of the cleaning/drying chamber 14. At this time, the wafer 7 is carried out from the wafer holding mechanism 16 by the transfer robot 10 and the transfer arm 12 in the EFEM unit 3, and the wafer holding mechanism 16 itself is fixed without moving. As will be described later, although the wafer lift table and the cleaning/drying mechanism 15 need to be moved up and down, a large drive mechanism for moving them up and down is not required.

The details of the washing and drying method will be explained using FIG. 7. The cleaning/drying unit 6 has at least one wafer holding mechanism 16 and a cleaning/drying mechanism 15. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the wafer holding mechanism 16 and the cleaning/drying mechanism 15. The wafer holding mechanism 16 includes a wafer holding table 31 . The cleaning/drying mechanism 15 includes a facing member 33 . A facing member 33 is installed above the wafer holding table 31 . The opposing member 33 is, for example, formed in a disc shape. The bottom surface of the opposing member 33 faces the top surface of the wafer 32 so as to be parallel to the top surface. In this case, the bottom surface of the facing member 33 functions as the first surface. Note that when the wafer holding stand 31 is configured to fix the wafer 32 downward and the opposing member 33 is installed below the wafer holding stand 31, the upper surface of the opposing member 33 functions as the first surface. . The wafer 32 is inserted between the wafer holder 31 and the opposing member 33 by the transfer robot 10 of the EFEM unit 3, and then lowered and placed on the wafer holder 31. Therefore, the wafer 32 can be placed on the wafer holder 31 without moving the wafer holder 31.

Water as a cleaning liquid is supplied to the center of the upper surface of the wafer 32 from a cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34 provided at the center of the bottom surface of the opposing member 33 . The water 35 supplied onto the wafer 32 spreads through the gap 38a between the top surface of the wafer 32 and the bottom surface of the opposing member 33, and is pushed out to the outer periphery. Water 35 coming out from the outermost periphery of the wafer 32 is drained downward through the gap 38b between the guide 37 and the wafer 32 and the gap between the wafer holder 31 and the guide 37. Thereafter, N2 gas is supplied to the center of the top surface of the wafer 32 from the gas supply nozzle 36 provided at the center of the bottom surface of the opposing member 33. As a result, the water 35 remaining on the upper surface of the wafer 32 is expelled toward the outer circumference and is discharged from the gap 38b between the guide 37 and the wafer 32 and the gap between the wafer holding table 31 and the guide 37. In this way, by flowing N2 gas, the remaining moisture on the wafer 32 is evaporated and dried.

As the water 35, warm water can also be used. When hot water is used, the solubility of residual halogen increases and the removability of residual halogen improves. For example, if hot water is supplied in the manufacturing factory, the hot water may be directly supplied to the cleaning/drying unit 6 and the hot water may be supplied to the upper surface of the wafer 32 from the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34 . Further, if hot water is not supplied in the manufacturing factory, a water supply tank or piping for supplying water to the washing/drying unit 6 may be heated. Specifically, for example, the water supplied to the washing and drying unit 6 may be heated by wrapping a heater around the pipe for supplying water to the washing and drying unit 6.

Furthermore, high temperature N2 gas may be used as the N2 gas. When using high temperature N2 gas, the time for evaporative drying can be shortened. For example, if high-temperature N2 gas is supplied in the manufacturing factory, the high-temperature N2 gas may be supplied directly to the cleaning/drying unit 6, and the high-temperature N2 gas may be supplied to the upper surface of the wafer 32 from the gas supply nozzle 36. . Furthermore, if high-temperature N2 gas is not supplied at the manufacturing factory, the N2 supply tank or piping for supplying N2 to the cleaning/drying unit 6 may be heated. Specifically, for example, the N2 gas supplied to the cleaning and drying unit 6 may be heated by wrapping a heater around the pipe for supplying the N2 gas to the cleaning and drying unit 6. The water 35 pushed out from the outermost periphery of the wafer 32 and drained from the gap 38b between the guide 37 and the wafer 32 and the gap between the wafer holding table 31 and the guide 37 is collected in a waste liquid tank provided at the bottom of the cleaning drying chamber 14. 25 (see Figure 6). The processing liquid stored in the waste liquid tank 25 is discarded at an appropriate timing (see FIG. 6). At this time, the halogen gas component adhering to the surface of the wafer 32 is dissolved in water and discarded. The N2 gas supplied from the gas supply nozzle 36 also flows through the same path as the water 35 and is exhausted. Thereby, the remaining moisture on the wafer 32 can be evaporated and dried. In FIG. 7 and the above description, the nozzle 35 and the nozzle 36 are configured as double pipes, and the water 35 flows from the outside and the N2 gas flows from the inside, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the water 35 and the N2 gas may be supplied from the same nozzle by making the nozzle 35 and the nozzle 36 common and providing a switching mechanism in the middle of the piping.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the wafer holding table 31. A schematic view of the wafer holding table 31 viewed from above the opposing member 33 is shown. The opposing member 33 is provided with a hole corresponding to a cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34 , and a cleaning liquid supply pipe 341 is connected to the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34 . One end of the cleaning liquid supply pipe 341 is connected to the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34. The other end of the cleaning liquid supply pipe 341 is connected to the water supply tank 26 provided at the bottom of the cleaning/drying chamber 14 (see FIG. 6). Further, the facing member 33 is also provided with a hole corresponding to the gas supply nozzle 36, and a gas supply pipe 361 is connected to the gas supply nozzle 36. One end of the gas supply pipe 361 is connected to the gas supply nozzle 36. The other end of the gas supply pipe 361 is connected to a drying N2 gas line 27 provided at the lower part of the cleaning/drying chamber 14 (see FIG. 6).

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the wafer holding table 31. As shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the wafer 32 is transported above the wafer holding table 31. As shown in FIG. FIG. 9(a) shows an example of the wafer holding table 31 viewed from above. In the center is a wafer lift table 301 that is received by the transfer robot 10 from the EFEM unit 3. By moving this up and down, it becomes a mechanism to place and receive the wafer 32 from the transfer fork 304 attached to the tip of the transfer robot arm 12 shown in FIG. A lip seal 306 is provided between the opposing member 33 and the guide 37 to prevent water 35 flowing through the gap 38a between the wafer 32 and the opposing member 33 from going around to the back side of the guide 37. Furthermore, a plurality of ring-shaped lip seals 302 with different radii are attached to the upper surface of the wafer holding table 31 in a concentric manner with the wafer lift table 301 at the center. 35 is prevented from going around to the back surface of the wafer 32. Each lip seal 302 is provided with a wafer tilt adjustment mechanism 39, so that the tilt and position (height) of the wafer 32 with respect to the facing member 33 can be adjusted. The outermost lip seal 302 also has the function of preventing water from entering. Further, the lip seal 302 on the inner side also has the function of preventing the wafer 32 from being bent. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9(b), only the outer lip seal 302 may be provided with a position (height) adjustment function. In this embodiment, the pressure of the water 35 discharged from the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34 provided at the center of the lower surface of the opposing member 33 is used to seal between the opposing member 33 and the wafer holding table 31. However, in order to further improve the sealing performance, a mechanism for chucking the wafer 32 by vacuum suction may be provided on the wafer holding table 31.

A series of steps from wafer transfer to cleaning in the cleaning/drying chamber 14 will be explained using FIGS. 10 and 11. The wafer 32 rests on a transfer fork 304 attached to the tip of the transfer arm 12 shown in FIG. Here, in order to prevent the wafer 32 from falling off the transport fork 304, the wafer 32 is held down from the side by a wafer fixing jig 305 attached to the transport fork 304. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a series of steps from transporting the wafer to the cleaning/drying unit 6 to cleaning. First, as shown in FIG. 11(a), the transport fork 304 holding the wafer 32 is placed in the cleaning/drying chamber 14. At this time, the opposing member 33 is located above so that there is space for the conveyance fork 304 to enter. Next, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the transfer fork 304 is lowered and the wafer 32 is placed on the wafer lift table 301. Next, as shown in FIG. 11(c), after the transfer fork 304 separated from the wafer 32 is pulled back to the EFEM unit 3, the wafer lift table 301 is lowered by the wafer lift table lifting mechanism 307 and placed on the wafer holding table 31. The wafer 32 is placed on top of the lip seal 302. Finally, as shown in FIG. 11(d), the opposing member 33 is lowered to narrow the distance between it and the wafer 32, and water is flowed from the central nozzle. The water flows from the center of the wafer 32 toward the outer periphery as shown by the arrow, and the water that comes out flows below the wafer 32 and is drained from the cleaning/drying chamber 14 through the drain pipe 303. As described above, the cleaning/drying chamber 14 is composed of multi-stage wafer holding tables 31, and each wafer holding table 31 has a mechanism for adjusting the height of the wafer lift table 301 and draining water. Although it is easier to move it up and down, it is also possible to raise the height of the wafer holding table 31 and adjust the distance between it and the wafer 32.

When drying with N2 gas, if water droplets remain on the bottom surface of the opposing member 33 in the cleaning/drying chamber 14, they may fall onto the wafer 32. Therefore, the bottom surface of the opposing member 33 is made of a hydrophobic material such as fluororesin. There is.

Furthermore, by using heated N2 during drying, drying time can be shortened. Further, in order to clean the wafer 32, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) may be poured after the water 35 is supplied to the upper surface of the wafer 32. This makes it possible to further shorten the time required for drying using N2 gas.

In this embodiment, the washing/drying mechanism 15 does not rotate. In other words, in this embodiment, when cleaning the wafer 32, the relative position between the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 34 and the wafer 32 is fixed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when drying the wafer 32, the relative position between the gas supply nozzle 36 and the wafer 32 is fixed. Therefore, in this embodiment, there is no need to move the wafer or the nozzle for the purpose of efficiently cleaning and drying the entire surface of a wafer having a large diameter of 300 mm. Note that, for example, a teaching mechanism may be provided to finely adjust the facing distance and facing angle between the wafer 32 and the facing member 33 of the cleaning/drying mechanism 15.

In this embodiment, the gap 38a between the facing member 33 and the wafer 32 is set so that the facing distance between the facing member 33 and the wafer 32 is constant within the plane. More specifically, the height and inclination of the wafer 32 are adjusted using a wafer inclination adjustment mechanism 39 attached to the wafer holding table 31. As shown in FIG. 9, the height and inclination of the wafer 32 can be adjusted by supporting the wafer 32 at three points by wafer inclination adjustment mechanisms 39 installed at approximately equal intervals on the lip seal 302 near the outer periphery of the wafer 32. The gap (interval) with the opposing member 33 can be made uniform within the plane. In this description, the height of the wafer 32 is directly adjusted, but a method of adjusting the wafer position by adjusting the height of the holding table and a portion thereof may also be used as long as the function of adjusting the gap is provided.

Next, a comparative example of this embodiment will be described. In the comparative example, cleaning with O2 gas plasma is performed after dry etching. In the comparative example, for example, if cleaning with O2 gas plasma is performed at a high temperature of 300° C. or higher, it can be expected that the corrosive gas adsorbed on the substrate will be removed by sputtering. However, high-temperature processing can cause unintentional oxidation of Si and metal materials within the wafer, potentially affecting device shape variations and electrical characteristics. Therefore, there are cases where such cleaning is not applicable. In addition, when the oxide film is removed in a subsequent process, the trapped corrosive gas may come out and cause quality defects, or the gas may seep into the polymer that is the material of the FOUP and transfer it to the wafer when used in another process. there's a possibility that. That is, it is difficult to completely remove deposits on the substrate by cleaning with O2 gas plasma.

As another comparative example, in semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, it is conceivable to provide a cleaning processing unit (cleaning processing chamber) in addition to the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 in the vacuum transfer robot chamber 2 (so-called clustering). ) However, compared to a configuration in which only the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 is provided, the clustering apparatus has a lower wafer throughput or a significantly larger apparatus size.

As another comparative example, it is also possible to provide a rotary water cleaning unit next to the EFEM unit 3. The rotary cleaning unit rotates the wafer at high speed, for example, in order to improve dust removal performance when supplying water or a chemical solution, and for shaking drying. However, in order to rotate the wafer at high speed, a large and rigid rotating shaft is required to prevent the rotational axis from wobbling. In addition, a wafer suction and protection mechanism is also required to prevent the wafer from flying and being damaged due to high-speed rotation. In addition, when rotating at high speed, there is a possibility that water or chemical liquid splashed outside the wafer may bounce off the inner wall of the cleaning processing unit (cleaning chamber) and re-adhere to the wafer. To prevent this, the wafer and the cleaning processing unit ( It is necessary to increase the distance from the inner wall of the washing chamber or install a splash prevention plate.

As another comparative example, a configuration may be considered in which uniform cleaning is performed by moving the cleaning nozzle instead of rotating the wafer. However, in this case as well, the structure becomes larger. That is, in any of the comparative examples described above, the size of the cleaning processing unit (cleaning chamber) is not reduced, so it is difficult to install such a cleaning unit as is near the EFEM unit 3.

For example, when two or more dry etching units (dry etching chambers) are installed in semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, there is a possibility that one cleaning/drying unit 6 may not have sufficient capacity and the wafer processing time may be extended. be. In view of this, as a comparative example, it may be possible to clean a plurality of horizontally placed substrates by stacking them in the vertical direction. However, in this case, since the cleaning chamber has a function of rotating the wafer holding member at high speed while supplying the chemical solution, the size of the cleaning chamber becomes large.

In the embodiment described above, by limiting the capacity of the cleaning/drying unit 6 to the minimum capacity necessary for removing residual gas components rather than removing dust on the wafer, the wafer rotation mechanism and the holding member are removed from the cleaning/drying unit 6. Elevation and nozzle rotation functions are omitted. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to downsize the washing/drying unit 6. Therefore, it has enough cleaning ability to remove the residual gas components on the wafer generated in the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 as the main processing unit, and also has a cleaning ability that can remove residual gas components on the wafer that are generated in the dry etching unit (dry etching chamber) 1 as the main processing unit. It is possible to realize a washing/drying unit 6 that is miniaturized to the extent that it can be installed in 5A.

Next, a configuration example of a washing/drying unit according to a modification of the first embodiment will be shown. As shown in FIG. 12, the modified washing/drying unit is configured by combining a plurality of small modules each having a function of supplying a cleaning liquid, a function of supplying a drying gas, and a function of suctioning liquid and gas. As shown in FIG. 12, the cleaning/drying unit of the modified example includes a fixed wafer holding table 41 and a plurality of fixed small-sized cleaning/drying modules (small modules) 43. A supply pipe 441 for water and dry gas (N2 gas) and a drain pipe 461 for exhausting waste water are connected to each small module 43 on its upper surface.

The plurality of small modules 43 are arranged directly above and close to the wafer holding table 41 and the wafer 42, and function as a cleaning/drying mechanism (cleaning liquid supply mechanism and gas supply mechanism). The plurality of small modules 43 do not rotate. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the plurality of small modules 43 are arranged in a grid pattern so as to cover the entire surface of the wafer 42. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of the washing/drying mechanism in a modified example. FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of the wafer holding table 41 viewed from above the small module 43.

The flow of water will be explained using FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the flow of water and drying gas during wafer cleaning in a modified example. The small module 43 has a central nozzle 44 and a suction nozzle 46 . The central nozzle 44 extending in the third direction has an opening at one end facing the wafer 42 and is arranged at the center of the surface of the small module 43 facing the wafer 42 . The other end of the central nozzle 44 is connected to a supply pipe 441. The suction nozzle 46 extending in the third direction has an opening at one end facing the wafer 42 and is arranged so as to surround the center nozzle 44 on the surface of the small module 43 facing the wafer 42 . The other end of the suction nozzle 46 is connected to a drain pipe 461. Water flows from the central nozzle 44 connected to the supply pipe 441, and water 45 on the wafer 42 is drained from the suction nozzle 46 connected to the drain pipe 461. Next, N2 gas is caused to flow through the central nozzle 44 and exhausted through the suction nozzle 46.

Note that a supply switching section (not shown) is connected to one end of the supply pipe 441 that is not connected to the center nozzle 44, and the supply switching section is connected to a water supply pipe (not shown) through which washing water is supplied. (not shown) is connected to a gas supply pipe (not shown) through which drying gas is supplied. When flowing water from the central nozzle 44, the supply pipe 441 and the water supply pipe are connected, and when flowing N2 gas from the central nozzle 44, the supply pipe 441 and the gas supply pipe are connected. The connection of the pipes is switched in the supply switching section. The drain pipe 461 has a similar structure, and the connection destination of the drain pipe 461 can be switched depending on whether water is being drained or N2 gas is being exhausted. Each small module 43 individually cleans and dries the wafer 42 only at the gap between it and the wafer 42, that is, the surface facing the wafer 42. It is also possible to individually adjust the water washing flow rate for each small module 43 or for each block consisting of a plurality of small modules 43.
(Second embodiment)
The second embodiment will be described below. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the overall structure of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the washing/drying unit 6' is installed inside the EFEM unit 3 instead of at the Load Port unit connection part 5A in the EFEM unit 3. The other configurations and processing sequences are the same as in the first embodiment. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 17 is a side view illustrating an example of the arrangement of the washing/drying unit 6'. In the second embodiment, a washing/drying unit 6' is installed within the EFEM unit 3.

In FIG. 17, the washing/drying unit 6' is installed near the center of the EFEM unit 3 in the paper direction (second direction), but at the left end (Load Port unit 5 side) of the EFEM unit 3 in the paper direction, or It may be installed at the right end of the EFEM unit 3 in the paper direction (on the vacuum transfer robot room 2 side). If the size of the washing/drying unit 6' is, for example, 50 cm in width and 80 cm in depth, it is suitable because it can be incorporated into a commercially available EFEM unit without any special modification and can be used without any design.

When installing the washing/drying unit 6' in the EFEM unit 3 as in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the number of Load Port units 5 connected to the EFEM unit 3 is not reduced. A manufacturing apparatus for semiconductor devices can be configured. Therefore, it becomes possible to manufacture semiconductor devices even more efficiently.
(Third embodiment)
The third embodiment will be described below. The cleaning/drying unit of the third embodiment includes a sensor (for example, a conductivity meter, PH meters, etc.) are provided. Detecting the end point of the wafer cleaning process based on the measured physical properties by measuring the physical properties of the processing liquid with a sensor and determining the processing status (for example, the progress status of the wafer cleaning process) based on the measured physical properties. I can do it. As for the configuration of the cleaning/drying unit other than the sensor, either the first embodiment or the second embodiment can be applied.

The measurement sequence will be described below with reference to FIG. 18, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment and the second embodiment. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sensor for measuring physical properties of a processing liquid and the configuration of its surroundings in the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 18, in the cleaning drying unit of the third embodiment, the cleaning liquid after flowing over the top surface of the wafer from the cleaning drying unit 51 flows through a drain pipe 52 and flows into a sensor (conductivity meter) 53. .

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the cleaning time and the conductivity of the processing liquid. When water is used as the cleaning liquid, as shown in FIG. 19, immediately after the cleaning process starts, the conductivity measured by the sensor 53 is high because a large amount of halogen (Cl, F, Br) is dissolved; As the halogen remaining on the wafer decreases as the process progresses, the conductivity measured by the sensor 53 approaches the conductivity of pure water. When the conductivity measured by the sensor 53 becomes equal to or less than the determination threshold value, a control signal is transmitted via the control signal line 54 to terminate the cleaning process. In this way, according to the cleaning/drying unit of the third embodiment, by measuring the physical properties of the processing liquid, the cleaning process can be automatically terminated depending on the progress state. As a result, for example, the period of the cleaning process for wafers with a large amount of residual halogen can be lengthened, and the period of the cleaning process for wafers with relatively little residual halogen can be shortened, without compromising the cleaning effect. The amount of cleaning liquid used and the time required for cleaning can be reduced.
(Fourth embodiment)
The fourth embodiment will be described below.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a wafer holding mechanism with a heater in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wafer holding mechanism with a heater. FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of cleaning when a wafer holding mechanism with a heater is used.

As shown in FIG. 20, in the wafer holding mechanism of the fourth embodiment, a plurality of heaters 311 are installed on the upper surface of a wafer holding table 31. As shown in FIG. 21, the plurality of heaters 311 are installed, for example, at positions where they do not interfere with the lip seal 302.

As shown in FIG. 22, water 35 is supplied to the top surface of the wafer 32 in order to clean the wafer 32. Thereafter, N2 gas is supplied to the top surface of the wafer 32 in order to dry the remaining moisture on the wafer 32. In the fourth embodiment, when supplying N2 gas to the upper surface of the wafer 32, the heater 311 is used to heat the wafer 32. Thereby, the time required for drying can be shortened.

Note that in the fourth embodiment as well, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) may be poured after water 35 is supplied to the upper surface of the wafer 32 in order to clean the wafer 32. This makes it possible to further shorten the time required for drying using N2 gas.
(Fifth embodiment)
FIG. 23 is a plan view showing the configuration of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to the fifth embodiment.

The manufacturing system of this embodiment includes a track (ceiling track) 601, a transport vehicle (overhead traveling transport vehicle) 602 that can move along the track 601, and a plurality of manufacturing devices 603 arranged close to the track 601. including.

The track 601 is installed, for example, on the ceiling of a manufacturing factory. In this case, the transport vehicle 602 functions as an overhead traveling transport vehicle. However, the installation position of the track 601 is not limited to the ceiling. For example, the track 601 may be installed on the floor (ground) of a manufacturing factory, or may be installed on the wall of a manufacturing factory. Furthermore, the transport vehicle 602 does not need to have wheels. In this case, the transport vehicle 602 may be driven by a linear motor, for example.

Each manufacturing apparatus 603 has, for example, the same configuration as the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus described in the first embodiment. However, the configuration of each manufacturing apparatus 603 is not limited to this, and for example, the same configuration as the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and/or the cleaning/drying unit described in other embodiments may be applied.

For example, one manufacturing apparatus 603A includes a dry etching unit that can perform dry etching as the first process as the main processing unit 1, and the other manufacturing apparatus 603B includes a dry etching unit that can perform dry etching as the first process as the main processing unit 1. It includes a film-forming unit (sputtering unit or CVD unit) that can perform film-forming as described above. Examples of combinations of the first process and the second process are not limited to these. Each of the first process and the second process may be, for example, wet etching, annealing, CMP, or ion implantation. Further, for example, the first process and the second process may be the same type of process. For example, the first process may be film formation using the first material, and the second process may be film formation using the second material.

FIG. 24 shows a dry etching unit as a first example of the main processing unit 1. As shown in FIG. The dry etching unit includes, for example, a chamber 81, a wafer holder 82, and an ion source 83. The wafer holder 82 holds the wafer 7 housed in the chamber 81 . The ion source 83 performs dry etching of the wafer 7 by irradiating the wafer 7 with ions.

FIG. 25 shows a film forming unit (sputtering unit) as a second example of the main processing unit 1. The film forming unit (sputtering unit) includes a chamber 91, a wafer holder 92, and a target holder 93. The chamber 91 includes an air supply port 91a that supplies film-forming gas and an exhaust port 91b that discharges unnecessary gas. Wafer holder 92 holds wafer 7 housed within chamber 91 . The target holder 93 holds a target 78 for film formation.

The FOUP 13 is loaded onto the transport vehicle 602 with the wafer 7 stored therein. The FOUP 13 mounted on the transport vehicle 602 is transported along the track 601, and is transferred from the transport vehicle 602 to the load port unit 5 of each manufacturing device 603 (for example, the manufacturing device 603A including a dry etching unit as the main processing unit 1). It will be placed. For example, as described in the first embodiment, the transfer robot 10 takes out the wafer 7 from the FOUP 13 placed on the load port unit 5, and transfers it to the vacuum transfer robot room 2 via the load lock chamber 4. Ru. The wafer 7 transferred to the vacuum transfer robot chamber 2 is transferred to the main processing unit 1 by the transfer robot 8, and is subjected to processing (for example, dry etching) by the main processing unit 1. The wafer 7 processed by the main processing unit 1 is transported to the cleaning and drying unit 6 by the transfer robot 8 and the transfer robot 10, and is cleaned and dried by the cleaning and drying unit 6. The wafer 7 that has been cleaned and dried by the cleaning and drying unit 6 is stored in the FOUP 13 placed on the load port unit 5 by the transfer robot 10.

The FOUP 13 is loaded onto a transport vehicle 602 with the wafer 7 cleaned and dried by the cleaning and drying unit 6 stored therein, and is transported along a track 601 to another manufacturing device 603 (for example, a film forming unit as the main processing unit 1). It is placed on the Load Port unit 5 of the manufacturing apparatus 603B) including the unit. The wafer 7 from the FOUP 13 placed on the Load Port unit 5 is transported to the main processing unit 1 by the transport robot 10 and the transport robot 8, and is subjected to processing (for example, sputtering) by the main processing unit 1. The wafer 7 processed by the main processing unit 1 is transported to the cleaning and drying unit 6 by the transfer robot 8 and the transfer robot 10, and is cleaned and dried by the cleaning and drying unit 6. The wafer 7 that has been cleaned and dried by the cleaning and drying unit 6 is stored in the FOUP 13 placed on the load port unit 5 by the transfer robot 10.

The FOUP 13 is loaded onto a transport vehicle 602 with the wafer 7 cleaned and dried by the cleaning and drying unit 6 stored therein, is conveyed along a track 601, and is placed, for example, on the Load Port unit 5 of yet another manufacturing device 603. be done.

According to this embodiment, in each manufacturing apparatus 603, after the wafer 7 is processed using the main processing unit 1, and before the wafer 7 is stored in the FOUP 13, the cleaning drying unit 6 performs simple processing. It is possible to carry out thorough cleaning and drying. This makes it possible to maintain the FOUP 13 and other manufacturing equipment 6 in a clean state.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are shown by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and gist of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

1...Dry etching unit (dry etching chamber, main processing unit)
3...EFEM unit 5...Load Port unit
5A...Load Port unit connection part 6, 6'...Washing drying unit
7...Wafer 10...Transfer robot 11...Rail 12...Transfer arm 13...FOUP
14...Cleaning/drying chambers 15, 15a, 15b, 15c...Cleaning/drying mechanism 16...Wafer holding mechanism 23...Depth adjustment mechanism 24...Tilt adjustment mechanism 31...Wafer holding table 32...Wafer 33...Opposing member 34...Cleaning liquid (water) supply Nozzle 36...Gas (N2 gas) supply nozzle

Claims (24)

A processing substrate transport box,
cleaning unit,
In the substrate processing equipment including the load port,
The cleaning unit is
a processing substrate holding mechanism capable of holding a processing substrate;
a cleaning liquid supply mechanism capable of supplying a cleaning liquid onto the processing target substrate held by the processing target substrate holding mechanism;
a gas supply mechanism capable of supplying gas onto the substrate to be processed held by the substrate to be processed holding mechanism;
The processing target substrate transport box is
a processing target substrate transport mechanism capable of transporting the processing target substrate between the load port and the cleaning unit;
The substrate processing apparatus is characterized in that the cleaning unit is connected to the substrate transport box in parallel with the load port. The processing substrate transport box is
further comprising a rail extending in the first direction;
The processing target substrate transport mechanism includes:
a base movable on the rail;
an extendable arm rotatably attached to the base and capable of adjusting the amount of protrusion from the base in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a holding portion provided on the tip side of the telescoping arm and capable of holding the substrate to be processed;
At least one of the load ports is connected to the substrate transport box,
When the storage position of the processed substrate in a state where the processed substrate container is attached to the load port is defined as a first storage position, and the storage position of the processed substrate in a state where cleaning is performed in the cleaning unit is defined as a second storage position. , wherein a distance from the rail in the second direction to the first storage position is equal to a distance from the rail to the second storage position in the second direction. substrate processing equipment. The substrate transport box to be processed has a plurality of load port connections,
The load port is connected to at least one of the plurality of load port connections,
The cleaning unit is connected to at least one other of the plurality of load port connections,
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the substrate to be processed transport mechanism is capable of transporting the substrate from the load port to the substrate to be processed holding mechanism. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit is provided so that its relative position with respect to the substrate transport box to be processed can be adjusted. the amount of expansion of the holding section in the second direction when storing the substrate to be processed in the substrate to be processed container; and the amount of extension of the holding section in the second direction when storing the substrate to be processed in the cleaning unit. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the amount of elongation is the same. In a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, there are a plurality of first storage positions, and the second storage position is located at one of the plurality of first storage positions. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the position in the third direction is equal to one of the positions in the third direction. The cleaning unit is
a second substrate holding mechanism provided at a position apart from the substrate holding mechanism in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
a second cleaning liquid supply mechanism capable of supplying the cleaning liquid onto the second substrate held by the second substrate holding mechanism;
further comprising a second gas supply mechanism capable of supplying the gas onto the second substrate held by the second substrate holding mechanism,
The to-be-processed substrate held by the to-be-processed substrate holding mechanism can be simultaneously cleaned,
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second substrate to be processed held by the second substrate to be processed can be cleaned while cleaning the substrate to be processed. . The cleaning liquid supply mechanism is capable of supplying the cleaning liquid to the upper surface of the substrate to be processed for a first predetermined period while the relative position with respect to the substrate to be processed is fixed,
The gas supply mechanism is capable of supplying the gas to the upper surface of the substrate to be processed for a second predetermined period while the relative position with respect to the substrate to be processed is fixed. 1. The substrate processing apparatus according to 1. The cleaning unit further includes functional parts,
The functional parts are
the cleaning liquid supply mechanism; the gas supply mechanism; and a suction mechanism capable of suctioning the cleaning liquid and the gas;
9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of the functional components are arranged so as to face the upper surface of the substrate to be processed at least during the first predetermined period or the second predetermined period. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid supply mechanism is capable of further supplying isopropyl alcohol after supplying the cleaning liquid onto the substrate to be processed. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas includes nitrogen gas. The cleaning unit further includes a facing member having a first surface that faces an upper surface of the substrate to be processed when the substrate to be processed is stored in the cleaning unit,
The cleaning liquid supply mechanism and the gas supply mechanism are capable of supplying the cleaning liquid and the gas, respectively, between the first surface of the opposing member and the upper surface of the substrate to be processed,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the opposing member is made of a hydrophobic material. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit further includes an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the inclination of the substrate to be processed when the substrate to be processed is stored in the cleaning unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor capable of measuring physical properties of the cleaning liquid after being supplied onto the substrate to be processed by the cleaning liquid supply mechanism. a processing target substrate transport box; a cleaning unit provided in the processing target substrate transport box;
A substrate processing apparatus including a load port connected to the substrate transport box,
The cleaning unit is
a processing substrate holding mechanism capable of holding a processing substrate;
a cleaning liquid supply mechanism capable of supplying a cleaning liquid onto the processing target substrate held by the processing target substrate holding mechanism;
a gas supply mechanism capable of supplying gas onto the substrate to be processed held by the substrate to be processed holding mechanism;
The processing target substrate transport box is
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate processing mechanism capable of transporting the substrate to be processed between the load port and the cleaning unit. The processing substrate transport box further includes a rail extending in the first direction,
The processing target substrate transport mechanism includes:
a base movable on the rail;
an extendable arm rotatably attached to the base and capable of adjusting the amount of protrusion from the base in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a holding portion provided on the tip side of the telescoping arm and capable of holding the substrate to be processed;
The cleaning unit is
a second substrate holding mechanism provided at a position apart from the substrate holding mechanism in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
a second cleaning liquid supply mechanism capable of supplying the cleaning liquid onto the second substrate held by the second substrate holding mechanism;
further comprising a second gas supply mechanism capable of supplying the gas onto the second substrate held by the second substrate holding mechanism,
The to-be-processed substrate held by the to-be-processed substrate holding mechanism can be cleaned,
16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second substrate to be processed held by the second substrate to be processed can be cleaned while cleaning the substrate to be processed. . The cleaning liquid supply mechanism is capable of supplying the cleaning liquid to the upper surface of the substrate to be processed for a first predetermined period while the relative position with respect to the substrate to be processed is fixed,
The gas supply mechanism is capable of supplying the gas to the upper surface of the substrate to be processed for a second predetermined period while the relative position with respect to the substrate to be processed is fixed. 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to 15. The cleaning unit further includes functional parts,
The functional parts are
the cleaning liquid supply mechanism; the gas supply mechanism; and a suction mechanism capable of suctioning the cleaning liquid and the gas;
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a plurality of the functional components are arranged so as to face the upper surface of the substrate to be processed at least during the first predetermined period or the second predetermined period. 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the cleaning liquid supply mechanism is capable of further supplying isopropyl alcohol after supplying the cleaning liquid onto the substrate to be processed. 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the gas includes nitrogen gas. The cleaning unit further includes a facing member having a first surface that faces an upper surface of the substrate to be processed when the substrate to be processed is stored in the cleaning unit,
The cleaning liquid supply mechanism and the gas supply mechanism are capable of supplying the cleaning liquid and the gas, respectively, between the first surface of the opposing member and the upper surface of the substrate to be processed,
16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first surface of the opposing member is made of a hydrophobic material. 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the cleaning unit further includes an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the inclination of the substrate to be processed when the substrate is stored in the cleaning unit. 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a sensor capable of measuring physical properties of the cleaning liquid after being supplied onto the substrate to be processed by the cleaning liquid supply mechanism. a first unit capable of executing a first process;
a first processing target substrate transport box;
a first device including a first load port attached to the first substrate transfer box; and a cleaning unit attached to the first substrate transfer box;
a second unit capable of executing a second process;
a second substrate transport box;
a second device including a second load port attached to the second substrate transport box;
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using an overhead traveling carrier,
The cleaning unit is
a processing substrate holding mechanism capable of holding a processing substrate;
a cleaning liquid supply mechanism capable of supplying a cleaning liquid onto the processing target substrate held by the processing target substrate holding mechanism;
A cleaning process can be performed using a gas supply mechanism capable of supplying gas onto the substrate to be processed held by the substrate to be processed holding mechanism,
performing the first process on the substrate to be processed using the first unit;
Using the first processing target substrate transport box, transporting the processing target substrate on which the first process has been performed from the first unit to the cleaning unit,
using the cleaning unit to perform the cleaning process on the substrate to be processed on which the first process has been performed;
using the first substrate transport box to transport the substrate on which the cleaning process has been performed from the cleaning unit to the first load port;
Using the overhead traveling carrier, transporting the substrate to be processed, which has undergone the cleaning process, from the first load port to the second load port,
Using the second processing target substrate transport box, transporting the processing target substrate on which the cleaning process has been performed from the second load port to the second unit,
using the second unit to perform the second process on the substrate to be processed on which the cleaning process has been performed;
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

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