JP3159284B2 - Wafer processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the uniformity of resist coating film thickness and development by directly connecting a semiconductor wafer temperature control function section and a processing section such as a coating / development processing function section by a dedicated transfer means. The present invention relates to a wafer processing apparatus capable of improving line width uniformity and the like at the time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional wafer processing apparatus. This apparatus is similar to that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-290946, in which an unprocessed wafer is taken out of the wafer carrier 10 and a wafer that has been subjected to resist coating, development processing, etc. is inserted into the wafer carrier 10. Removal / insertion mechanism 11, removal / insertion mechanism 1
A centering mechanism 12 for receiving and centering an unprocessed wafer from 1 and for centering a processed wafer and transferring it to an unloading / inserting mechanism 11; a coating / developing process processing unit for applying a resist to the wafer and performing a developing process 14. an oven for heating the wafer, and a temperature control unit for cooling the wafer heated by the oven and adjusting the temperature to a predetermined temperature near room temperature, and a vertically stacked portion 15,
A portion 16 in which two ovens for heating the wafer are overlapped, a centering mechanism 12, a coating / developing process function section 14, and a main transfer mechanism 13 for transferring and transferring the wafer between the portions 15, 16 are provided.

In this configuration, unprocessed wafers are taken out.
When the wafer is taken out of the wafer carrier 10 by the insertion mechanism 11 and delivered to the removal / insertion mechanism 11, it is centered there, and further transported / transferred between the coating / developing process function unit 14 and the parts 15 and 16 by the main transport mechanism 13. Is performed, and a predetermined process is performed. At this time, processing such as removing the solvent present in the applied resist by heating in an oven, or cooling the heated wafer to a predetermined temperature by cooling it in a temperature control function unit is also performed.

[0004]

However, in this conventional apparatus, the main transport mechanism 13 is commonly used for all the units of the coating / developing process processing function unit 14, the parts 15, and 16. For example, in the case of performing a wafer processing process such as an indexer → an oven → wafer temperature control → coating / developing process processing function section → oven → indexer, the main transfer mechanism 13 holds the heated wafer, and then moves to around room temperature. A sequential operation must be performed in which the temperature-controlled wafer is again held by the main transfer mechanism 13 and transferred to the next coating / developing process processing function section. And, as described above, the main transport mechanism 1
3 is required to hold a wafer whose temperature is sometimes raised and sometimes to hold a wafer whose temperature is precisely controlled to a predetermined temperature around room temperature, so that when the wafer whose temperature is raised is held, the heat of the wafer is transferred to the main transfer mechanism 13. And the transitional heat component is
When the wafer whose temperature is precisely controlled near the room temperature is held, there is a disadvantage that the wafer is moved to the wafer in a reverse direction from a contact portion between the main transfer mechanism 13 and the wafer.

[0005] This drawback is that, in the recent application and development of highly integrated semiconductors, the uniformity of the film thickness, the film thickness profile, and the line width uniformity at the time of development have been reduced.
It works in the direction that has a bad influence.

[0006] Further, there is a mechanism in which a mechanism for holding a heated wafer and a mechanism for holding a wafer whose temperature is precisely controlled around room temperature are separated by one main transfer mechanism.
In a device with a heat source such as an oven such as a coating and developing device, the temperature of the atmosphere in the device may rise due to the heat of the heat source, or the temperature in the clean room may fluctuate within a certain standard temperature. Therefore, in the case of a structure in which air is sucked into the apparatus, the main transport mechanism is always affected by the temperature fluctuation. For this reason, even if a dedicated holding mechanism is provided in the main transfer mechanism as described above, it is possible to prevent the heat transferred from the contact portion between the wafer and the mechanism from adversely affecting the wafer precisely temperature-controlled around room temperature. Can not do it.

[0007] It should be noted that there is a device which has a function of controlling the temperature of the atmosphere in the coating / developing process processing section at around room temperature, but the temperature is controlled by the main transfer mechanism in the apparatus having the main transfer mechanism as described above. It does not cancel the effect of the heat received through the contact portion with the mechanism, but has only the effect of always keeping the evaporation rate of the chemical solution constant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to process a wafer in a wafer processing apparatus at a constant temperature state without changing the temperature of the wafer precisely temperature-controlled around room temperature. Is to be able to do it.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, a wafer processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a temperature adjusting means for cooling a wafer to adjust the temperature to a predetermined temperature, and a temperature adjusting means for controlling the temperature by the temperature adjusting means. Processing means for performing a predetermined process on the processed wafer, dedicated transfer means used for transferring and transferring the wafer between the temperature control means and the processing means, the temperature control means and the processing A cover for isolating the means and the transporting means from a surrounding atmosphere; and an atmosphere adjusting means for adjusting the atmosphere in the cover.

Here, it is preferable that the atmosphere adjusting means adjusts an atmosphere temperature in the cover. Further, the processing means can apply and develop a resist on the wafer, for example. In addition, for example, the cover has a partition wall provided between the temperature control unit and the processing unit, and the atmosphere adjustment unit is an air flow to the temperature control unit side and the processing unit side partitioned by the partition wall. May be provided.

[0011]

In this configuration, the wafer heated in the previous processing is cooled by the temperature control means, and the temperature is adjusted to an optimum predetermined temperature in the processing means. The transfer means is exclusively used only between the temperature control means and the processing means. Do not touch different wafers. For this reason, the temperature of the conveying means is almost constant,
The transfer of heat between the wafer and the wafer hardly occurs, the temperature of the temperature-adjusted wafer is maintained, and the processing is performed in that state. In other words, the process can be performed without disturbing the temperature distribution of the wafer precisely controlled at a predetermined temperature around room temperature that is optimal for the process. Further, by providing the cover, the influence of the atmosphere outside the cover on the dedicated transfer means is eliminated, and the adjusted temperature state of the wafer is more favorably maintained. In the wafer processed in this way, the uniformity of the resist coating film thickness, the line width uniformity at the time of development, and the like are improved.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of a wafer processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. This shows a case where the atmosphere control which has become essential in recent years in the coating / developing process processing section is performed. The main transfer mechanism other than the parts shown in the figure, the oven, the mechanism for taking out and inserting the wafer into and out of the wafer carrier, the centering mechanism for the wafer, and the like have the same configurations as those in the conventional example of FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the wafer processing apparatus cools a wafer and adjusts the temperature to a predetermined temperature, and performs a resist coating and developing process on the wafer whose temperature is adjusted by the wafer temperature adjusting function unit 30. Coating / developing process processing function unit 40 to be applied;
Further, a dedicated transfer mechanism 5 for transferring and transferring a wafer only between the wafer temperature control function unit 30 and the coating / developing process processing function unit 40 is provided. The wafer temperature control function unit 30 includes the wafer temperature control unit 3 configured by an electronic cooler or the like, and the coating / developing process processing function unit 40 performs a coating / developing process of applying and developing a resist on the wafer. It has a mechanism 7.

The wafer temperature control function unit 30, the coating / developing process processing function unit 40, and the dedicated transfer mechanism 5 are covered and isolated from the surrounding atmosphere, and the atmosphere in the cover is controlled by an atmosphere temperature / humidity control blower 5.
With 0, the temperature and humidity are adjusted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an opening provided in a cover for carrying a wafer transferred by a main transfer system such as the main transfer mechanism 13 in FIG. Is a shutter for opening and closing the shutter, 4 is a mechanism for receiving the loaded wafer and placing it on the wafer temperature controller 3, and 6 is between the wafer temperature control function unit 30 and the coating / developing process processing function unit 40. A shutter for opening and closing an opening of a partition wall provided in the air conditioner; an air temperature / humidity control blower;
And 9 is a duct for connecting the ambient temperature / humidity control blower 50 and the cover.

In this configuration, the wafer transferred from the main transfer system is inserted into the wafer temperature control section 30 through the opening 1 and transferred to the mounting mechanism 4. Thereafter, the shutter 2 is closed and the mounting mechanism 4 is lowered, so that the wafer is mounted on the cooling temperature controller 3. Then, the wafer is cooled by the cooling temperature controller 3 to a predetermined temperature around room temperature which is set in advance, and the temperature is adjusted. When the temperature of the wafer falls within the set value, the wafer is raised to the transfer line, the shutter 6 is opened, and is transferred by the dedicated transfer mechanism 5 into the coating / developing process function unit 40, where it is placed at the processing position. Then, the dedicated transport mechanism 5
Returns to the original position shown, the shutter 6 is closed, and the coating / developing process mechanism 7 performs a predetermined process on the wafer. When this process is completed, the shutter 6 is opened again, the wafer is taken out by the dedicated transfer mechanism 5, and is placed on the raised placing mechanism 4, and the shutter 2 is opened.
Is opened and transported by the main transport system for the next processing.

In the case where the dedicated transfer mechanism 5 has a structure in which the wafer holding portion is of a two-stage upper and lower type and is capable of simultaneously transferring and receiving wafers, Throughput can be improved.

[0017]

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a wafer processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above.
In the above-described embodiment, only one opening 1 allows the wafer to enter and leave the main transfer system provided on the cover.
In the device, the inlet 20 and the outlet 27 are separately provided,
An entrance shutter 21 and an exit shutter 26 are provided for each.

FIG. 4 shows a wafer processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. This device is arranged vertically if the arrangement of FIG. 3 is arranged horizontally. In this case, the wafer is loaded / unloaded to / from the processing apparatus by the main transport mechanism 13 through the entrance 29 provided with the shutter 28.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the temperature of a wafer precisely temperature-adjusted to a predetermined temperature near room temperature suitable for processing is maintained without changing the temperature or temperature distribution of the wafer. Can be processed. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the resist coating film thickness, the line width uniformity at the time of development, and the like, and it is possible to respond to stricter performance requirements in the future.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of a wafer processing apparatus with an atmosphere temperature control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional wafer processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a wafer processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a wafer processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the side.

[Description of Signs] 1: Opening, 2: Shutter, 3: Wafer temperature controller, 4: Mounting mechanism, 5: Special transfer mechanism, 6: Shutter, 7: Coating
Development process mechanism, 8: air volume adjustment damper, 9: duct,
20: entrance, 21: entrance shutter, 26: exit shutter, 27: exit, 28: shutter, 29: entrance / exit, 3
0: wafer temperature control function unit, 40: coating / developing process processing function unit, 50: atmosphere temperature / humidity control blower.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-209737 (JP, A) JP-A-5-178416 (JP, A) JP-A-7-142355 (JP, A) JP-A-7-147311 (JP) , A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/68

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] And 1. A temperature control means for the wafer is cooled to a temperature adjusted to a predetermined temperature, processing means for performing predetermined processing on the wafer whose temperature is adjusted by the temperature control means,
Only and conveying means used for row Nau passing and conveying the wafer between the processing means and the temperature control means,
The temperature control means, the processing means, and the transfer means are surrounded by a surrounding atmosphere.
A cover that is isolated from the atmosphere and an atmosphere inside the cover
A wafer processing apparatus, comprising: an atmosphere adjusting means for adjusting the atmosphere . 2. The atmosphere adjusting means according to claim 1, wherein
2. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ambient temperature is adjusted . 3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the processing means, characterized in that Nau line coating and developing Regis <br/> bets to said wafer
Or the wafer processing apparatus according to 2. 4. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein said cover is provided with said temperature control means and said processing means.
A partition wall provided between the steps;
A step is provided between the temperature control means and the processing section which are separated by the partition wall.
Wafer processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the having the air flow rate adjusting damper for adjusting the distribution of the air volume to the management unit side.