JP3325834B2 - Heat treatment apparatus and heat treatment method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to, for example heat treatment apparatus 及 such as heating devices or cooling devices to be incorporated into the semiconductor manufacturing system for manufacturing a semiconductor device by using the photolithographic technique.
And heat treatment methods .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor manufacturing system using photoengraving technology, various processing units such as a resist coating unit, a drying unit, and a heating unit are incorporated in one system, and the various processing units are sequentially moved. A series of processing is performed while performing this.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a typical heat treatment unit 200, and FIG.
4 is a timing chart showing the operating state of the vehicle.

In this heat treatment unit 200, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as “wafer”) W is placed on heat treatment board 20.
1, the wafer W is placed on the heat treatment board 201
Heat treatment by the heat released from the This heat treatment board 2
In FIG. 1, a heater (not shown) is incorporated, and the heat treatment board 201 is heated by heat supplied from the heater. Since the wafer W is easily affected by fluctuations in the heat treatment temperature during the heat treatment, the temperature of the heat treatment board 201 must be accurately controlled. Therefore, the heat treatment board 20
1 is provided with a sensor (not shown) for detecting a temperature, and a control device switches on / off of the heater via this sensor to thereby control the heat treatment board 20.
1 is controlled.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional heat treatment unit, on / off control of the heater of the heat treatment plate is performed based on the temperature of the heat treatment plate. The power supply of the heater is turned on or off, or the power supply amount is increased or decreased, depending on whether or not the temperature has reached a predetermined temperature.

However, in the conventional heat treatment unit, heating is performed irrespective of the presence or absence of the wafer W on the heat treatment board. The heat capacity of the heat treatment board on which the wafer W is mounted and the heat treatment board on which the wafer W is not mounted are different when observed thermally. Therefore, the temperature rise rate of the heat treatment board in a state where the wafer W is mounted is considerably slower than the temperature rise rate when the wafer W is not placed, so that the temperature is raised to an appropriate heat treatment temperature after placing the wafer W on the heat treatment board. However, there is a problem that it takes time and a time delay occurs. In addition, if it takes time from the mounting of the wafer W to an appropriate heat treatment temperature, the net time during which the heat treatment is actually performed among the time when the wafer W is mounted on the heat treatment board varies. There is a problem that it becomes easy and product characteristics vary.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the wafer W is placed on the heat treatment board 201 at time t ₄ , the amount of heat is taken away from the heat treatment board 201 immediately after the placement, and the temperature drops rapidly, so t of the lower limit of the heat treatment temperature is in the ₅ temperature T ₂
(° C). While heater power supply at time t ₅ is heat processing 201 is turned starts heating, since to reach to the target temperature T ₁ through T ₂ required (° C) to heat treatment takes a predetermined time, the heat treatment The time during which the heat treatment is actually performed is shorter than the time during which the wafer W is placed on the board 201. In addition, since it is difficult to control the time during which the heat treatment is actually performed, there is a problem that the heat treatment time varies.

For this reason, there has been proposed a method of changing the control method, such as increasing the amount of electric power supplied to the heater before the wafer W is placed, but the structure of the control system of the apparatus becomes complicated. There is.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem.

That is, the present invention provides a heat treatment apparatus and a heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling the amount of heat acting on a wafer W with high accuracy.
The aim is to provide a method .

It is another object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus and a heat treatment method capable of controlling the amount of heat acting on a wafer W with high accuracy without complicating the control of the apparatus itself.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treatment apparatus on which a substrate to be processed is mounted, and a heater disposed on the heat treatment panel.
And a temperature sensor disposed on the heat treatment board, and the temperature
Turns on the heater based on the temperature detected by the sensor.
And interrupter to off, and means for sequentially conveying the processed substrate to the heat treatment surface plate, means for forcibly cooling the front Stories heat processing, the heater, the interrupter, said conveying means, said cooling
Control means for comprehensively controlling the means.
A predetermined temperature under the control of the control means.
The point where a predetermined heat treatment is performed on the heat treatment plate maintained
After unloading the substrate to be processed, the subsequent substrate
Before being placed, the heat treatment board is forced by the cooling means.
Cooling to a temperature lower than the predetermined temperature,
In order to restore the temperature of the base to the predetermined temperature again,
Turn on the heater, and thereafter, the subsequent substrate to be processed is
The heat treatment apparatus is placed on a heat treatment board and maintained at the predetermined temperature.
A predetermined heat treatment is applied to the subsequent substrate to be processed on the platen.
It is, characterized in that.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the heat treatment apparatus according to the first aspect, the means for forcibly cooling is a means for sending gas to the surface of the heat treatment board. And

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the heat treatment apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the means for forcibly cooling is a thermoelectric cooler disposed on the surface of the heat treatment board. It is characterized by the following.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the heat treatment apparatus of the first aspect, the means for forcibly cooling is a device for circulating cooling water over the surface of the heat treatment board. It is characterized by.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the heat treatment apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the means for forcibly cooling the temperature of the heat treatment board with respect to the sensor.
It is a device for sending a dummy signal as if it had dropped .

The heat treatment method of the present invention described in claim 6, the
Place the processing substrate on a heat treatment board maintained at a predetermined temperature,
A step of performing a predetermined heat treatment, and after this step,
A step of unloading the substrate to be processed, and after this step,
The substrate to be processed subsequent to the substrate to be processed is
Before the heat treatment board is carried into the heat treatment board
The heat treatment panel is cooled below the predetermined temperature.
And, after this step, the temperature of the heat treatment
Heating the heat-treating board to recover to the predetermined temperature
And after this step, the subsequent substrate to be processed is
Placed on the heat treatment board by the transfer means, and brought to the predetermined temperature
Performing a predetermined heat treatment on the maintained heat treatment plate;
And characterized in that:

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

[0024]

In the heat treatment apparatus and the heat treatment method of the present invention ,
A means for forcibly cooling the heat treatment board is provided. Using this means, until after a subsequent substrate to be processed target substrate is removed preceding the said heat treatment surface plate is mounted, so forcibly cooling the heat processing, the upper Symbol control The means determines that the temperature of the heat treatment board has decreased, and increases the rate of supplying heat to the heat treatment board. Therefore, the temperature of the heat treatment board is considerably increased at the stage before the subsequent substrate to be mounted, and the temperature decrease is small even when the substrate to be processed is mounted,
Heat treatment at an appropriate temperature becomes possible.

Further, since a conventional temperature control means can be used as it is, the control system is not complicated.

[0027] In the heat treatment apparatus according to the second aspect, the first aspect.
The means for sending gas to the surface of the heat treatment board is used as the means for forcibly cooling.

Therefore, since the air supply device provided in the conventional device can be used as it is, a great improvement effect can be obtained with a slight modification.

[0029] In the heat treatment apparatus according to the third aspect, the first aspect is as follows.
In the heat treatment apparatus described in (1), a thermoelectric cooler disposed on the surface of the heat treatment board is used as the means for forcibly cooling. Therefore, it is only necessary to add a thermoelectric cooler to the conventional apparatus, and a great improvement effect can be obtained with a slight modification.

In the heat treatment apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the first aspect is as follows.
In the heat treatment apparatus described in (1), an apparatus for circulating cooling water around the surface of the heat treatment board is used as the means for forcibly cooling. Therefore, a great improvement effect can be obtained only by adding a device for circulating cooling water to the conventional device.

[0031] In the heat treatment apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the first aspect is as follows.
In the heat treatment apparatus described in (1), an apparatus for sending a dummy signal to the temperature control means is used as the means for forcibly cooling. Therefore, only a device for transmitting a dummy signal needs to be added to the conventional device, and a great improvement effect can be obtained with a slight modification.

[0032]

[0033]

[0034]

[0035]

[0036]

[0037]

[0038]

[0039]

[0040]

[0041]

[0042]

[0043]

[0044]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as “COT”) provided with a resist coating unit (COT) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire coating and developing processing system 1 of “wafer”).

In this coating and developing processing system 1, a plurality of wafers W as objects to be processed are loaded into and unloaded from the system in units of, for example, 25 wafer cassettes CR, or the wafers W are loaded into the wafer cassette CR. A cassette station 10 for loading and unloading, a processing station 11 in which various single-wafer processing units for performing predetermined processing on the wafers W one by one in a coating and developing process are arranged at predetermined positions in multiple stages, and An interface unit 12 for transferring a wafer W to and from an exposure apparatus (not shown) provided adjacent to the processing station 11 is integrally connected. In this cassette station 10,
At the position of the positioning projection 20a on the cassette mounting table 20,
A plurality of, for example, up to four wafer cassettes CR are placed in a line in the X direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) with their respective wafer entrances facing the processing station 11 side. The wafer carrier 21 that can move in the wafer arrangement direction (Z direction; vertical direction) of the wafers W stored in the wafer CR selectively accesses each wafer cassette CR.

The wafer transfer body 21 is rotatable in the θ direction, and is moved to the third side of the processing station 11 as described later.
Access to the processing unit group G ₃ of the multi-stage unit section disposed in the alignment unit (ALIM) and an extension unit (EXT).

The processing station 11 is provided with a vertical transfer type main wafer transfer mechanism 22 having a wafer transfer device, around which all processing units are arranged in one or more sets in multiple stages. ing.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating and developing system 1.

In the first processing unit group G ₁ , the cup C
Two spinner type processing units, for example, a resist coating unit (COT) and a developing unit (DEV), which perform a predetermined process by placing the wafer W on the spin chuck in the P, are stacked in two stages from the bottom. In the second processing unit group G _2, two spinner-type processing units, for example, the resist coating unit (COT) and a developing unit (D
EV) are stacked in two stages in order from the bottom. These resist coating units (COT) are preferably arranged in the lower stage as described above because drainage of the resist solution is troublesome both mechanically and in terms of maintenance. However, it is of course possible to appropriately arrange the upper stage as needed.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the coating and developing system 1.

In the main wafer transfer mechanism 22, the cylindrical support 4
9, the wafer transfer device 46 is moved vertically (in the Z direction).
It can be moved up and down freely. The cylindrical support 49 is connected to a rotation shaft of a motor (not shown), and is rotated integrally with the wafer transfer device 46 about the rotation shaft by the rotation driving force of the motor, whereby the wafer transfer is performed. The device 46 is rotatable in the θ direction. Note that the cylindrical support 49 may be configured to be connected to another rotating shaft (not shown) rotated by the motor. The wafer transfer device 46 is provided with a plurality of holding members 48 movable in the front-rear direction of the transfer base 47, and these holding members 48 enable the transfer of the wafer W between the processing units. ing.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in this coating and developing processing system 1, five processing unit groups G ₁ , G ₂ , G
₃ , G ₄ , G ₅ can be arranged, and the multi-stage units of the first and second processing unit groups G ₁ , G ₂ are arranged on the system front (front side in FIG. 1) side, and the third processing unit multistage unit group G ₃ are cassette station 10
, And the multi-stage unit of the _fourth processing unit group G ₄ is disposed adjacent to the interface unit 12,
Multistage unit of the fifth processing unit group G ₅ is capable of being disposed on the rear side.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the third processing unit group G ₃ , an oven-type processing unit for performing a predetermined process by placing the wafer W on a holding table (not shown), for example, a cooling system for performing a cooling process Unit (COL), adhesion unit (AD) for performing so-called hydrophobic treatment for improving the fixability of resist, alignment unit (ALIM) for positioning, extension unit (EXT), heat treatment before exposure processing Prebaking unit (PREBAKE) for performing the heating process and post baking unit (Post Exposure) for performing the heating process after the exposure process
Bake, hereinafter referred to as “PEB”).
It is piled up on the steps. Even the fourth processing unit group G _4,
Oven-type processing units such as a cooling unit (COL), an extension cooling unit (EXTCOL), and an extension unit (EX
T), a cooling unit (COL), a pre-baking unit (PREBAKE), and a post-baking unit (PEB) are stacked, for example, in eight stages from the bottom.

As described above, the cooling unit (COL) and the extension cooling unit (EXTCOL) each having a low processing temperature are arranged at the lower stage, and the prebaking unit (PREBAKE), the post-baking unit (PEB), and the heating unit each having a high processing temperature. By arranging the John units (AD) in the upper stage, thermal mutual interference between the units can be reduced. Of course, a random multi-stage arrangement may be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the interface unit 12
In the depth direction (X direction), the processing station 11
But has a smaller size in the width direction (Y direction). A portable pickup cassette CR and a stationary buffer cassette BR are arranged in two stages at the front of the interface unit 12, while a peripheral exposure device 23 is arranged at the rear, and a central exposure unit is further arranged at the center. Is provided with a wafer carrier 24. This wafer carrier 24
Moves in the X and Z directions to access both cassettes CR and BR and the peripheral exposure device 23.

The wafer transfer body 24 is also rotatable in the θ direction, and includes an extension unit (EXT) provided in the multi-stage unit of the fourth processing unit group G ₄ on the processing station 11 side and an adjacent exposure unit. The wafer delivery table (not shown) on the apparatus side can also be accessed.

In the coating and developing system 1, the multi-stage unit of the _fifth processing unit group G5 shown by the broken line in FIG. 1 can be arranged on the back side of the main wafer transfer mechanism 22 as described above. The multi-stage unit of the _fifth processing unit group G ₅ is movable in the Y direction along the guide rail 25.
Therefore, even when provided as a multi-stage unit of the fifth processing unit group G ₅ shown, by moving along the guide rail 25, the space portion can be secured, to the main wafer transfer mechanism 22 Maintenance work can be easily performed from behind.

Next, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the baking unit (PREBA) included in the multistage unit of the third and fourth sets G ₃ and G _{4 at} the processing station 11 will be described.
KE), (PEB), cooling unit (COL),
The configuration and operation of a heat treatment unit such as (EXTCOL) will be described.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are a plan view and a sectional view showing the structure of the heat treatment unit according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 5, the horizontal shielding plate 55 is omitted for illustration.

The processing chamber 50 of this heat treatment unit is formed by both side walls 53 and a horizontal shielding plate 55, and the front side (main wafer transfer mechanism 24 side) and the rear side of the processing chamber 50 are openings 50A and 50B, respectively. ing. A circular opening 56 is formed at the center of the shielding plate 55, and a disk-shaped heat treatment plate 58 is provided in the opening 56 as a mounting table.

The heat treatment board 58 is provided with, for example, three holes 60, and a support pin 62 is inserted in each hole 60 in a loosely fitted state, and each of the indication pins 62 is loaded when the semiconductor wafer W is loaded or unloaded. The wafer W is projected or raised above the surface of the heat treatment board 58 to transfer the wafer W to and from the holding member 48 of the main wafer transfer mechanism 22.

On the outer periphery of the heat treatment board 58, there is provided a shutter 66 composed of a ring-shaped strip having a large number of ventilation holes 64 formed at intervals of 2 ° in the circumferential direction. The shutter 66 is normally retracted to a position below the heat treatment plate 58, but rises to a position higher than the upper surface of the heat treatment plate 58 during the heat treatment as shown in FIG.
A ring-shaped side wall is formed between the gas supply system and the cover body 68 so that an inert gas such as a downflow air or a nitrogen gas sent from a gas supply system (not shown) is caused to uniformly flow in the circumferential direction from the ventilation hole 64. Has become.

An exhaust port 6 for exhausting gas generated from the surface of the wafer W during the heating process is provided at the center of the cover body 68.
8a is provided, and an exhaust pipe 70 is connected to the exhaust port 68a. The exhaust pipe 70 communicates with a duct 53 (or 54) on the front side of the apparatus (on the main wafer transfer mechanism 22 side) or a duct (not shown).

Under the shielding plate 55, a machine room 74 is formed by the shielding plate 55, both side walls 53 and the bottom plate 72, and a heat treatment board support plate 76, a shutter arm 7
8, a support pin arm 80, a shutter arm vertical drive cylinder 82, and a support pin arm vertical drive cylinder 84 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of, for example, four wafer W guide support projections 86 are provided on the surface of the heat treatment board 58 on which the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W is to be mounted.

A cavity is provided in the heat platen 58, and the heat medium vapor generated by heating the heat medium in the cavity is circulated in the cavity to maintain the heat platen 58 at a predetermined temperature. It is supposed to.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view schematically showing the structure of the heat platen 58 according to the present embodiment and its periphery. As shown in FIG. 6, a conical concave portion 68b is formed on the lower surface side of the cover body 68, and an exhaust port 68a is provided at a portion corresponding to the apex of the cone, and an exhaust pipe is provided in the exhaust port 68a. The lower end of 70 is connected. The other end of the exhaust pipe 70 is connected to an exhaust system (not shown), and the heated gas heated by the heat platen 58 and rising is collected in the conical recess 68b, and the exhaust port 68a and the exhaust pipe 70 are separated. It is supposed to be exhausted through.

As shown in FIG. 6, the inside of the heat platen 58 is a closed cavity 58a, and the bottom of the heat platen 58 has a heat medium reservoir 5 formed with a V-shaped cross section.
8b are provided. A heater 91 such as a nichrome wire is disposed in the heat medium reservoir 58b in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 6, and power is supplied to the heater 91 from a power supply device 95 controlled by a control device. It is supposed to be.

When power is supplied from the power supply device 95 to the heater 91, the heater 91 starts to generate heat, and the heat medium condensed by the heater 91 and stored in the heat medium reservoir 58b is heated. The heated heat medium is vaporized and evaporated to form a cavity 58.
Circulate in a. When the heat medium vapor comes into contact with the cooled portion in the cavity 58a, the heat medium vapor condenses and liquefies while applying heat to the cooled portion. At this time, the amount of heat given from the heat medium to the heat platen 58 is the heat of vaporization of the heat medium and is a value determined by the type of the heat medium. Therefore, if a series of cycles from the evaporation of the heat medium to the condensation thereof stably reaches a steady state, the temperature of the heat platen can be maintained at a substantially constant temperature.

The gas duct 101, adjacent to the heat platen 58,
101 is provided. These gas ducts 101 and 10
Reference numeral 1 denotes a gas for flowing a gas, for example, air or an inert gas, from the lateral direction of the heat platen 58. A gas supply system (not shown) is provided at the end of the gas duct, and supplies gas to the gas ducts 101 and 101. The gas sent from the gas ducts 101 moves from the side surface of the heat platen 58 to the upper surface while supplying the heat of the heat platen 58 to the wafer W mounted thereon.

In the middle of the gas ducts 101, 101, gas valves 100, 100 for increasing and decreasing the width of the flow path of the gas ducts 101, 101 are provided.
The flow rate of the gas flowing through the inside 101 is adjusted. The gas valves 100, 100 are connected to a control device to be described later, and control the flow rate of the gas passing therethrough by a control signal from the control device.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control system of the heat treatment unit according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in this heat treatment unit, a heater 91 in the heat platen 58 is provided.
A power supply device 95 for supplying power to the power supply, a main arm drive mechanism 110 for transferring the wafer W onto the heat platen 58, and a gas valve 100 are connected to the control device 120.
The control unit 120 controls the entire system.

Next, a method of controlling the heat treatment unit according to this embodiment will be described.

In the heat treatment unit according to the present embodiment, when the wafers W are sequentially placed on the heat platen 58 and heat-treated,
After the preceding wafer W is separated from the thermal platen 58 and before the subsequent wafer W is mounted, the gas duct 101,
The amount of gas flowing out from 101 toward the heat platen 58, that is, the purge amount is increased. When the purge amount is increased, the amount of heat taken by the gas from the heat platen 58 increases, so that the surface temperature of the heat platen 58 decreases. Then, a temperature sensor (not shown) detects the temperature drop and sends a signal to the control device 120 to notify that the temperature of the heat platen 58 has dropped.
The controller 120 that recognizes the temperature decrease sends a signal to the power supply device 95 to increase the amount of heat supplied to the heat platen 58, and increases the amount of power supplied to the heater 91 in the heat platen 58. Accordingly, the amount of heat generated by the heater 91 increases.
At this time, the wafer W is not mounted on the heat platen 58, and the heat capacity of the heat platen 58 is relatively small without the wafer W. However, as the purge amount increases, the heat platen increases. 58
Since the amount of heat taken from the surface of the surface is large, the state is apparently the same as when the heat capacity is increased.

Therefore, the amount of heat generated by the heater increases in order to maintain the temperature of the heat platen 58 having the increased heat capacity at a predetermined temperature, and the potential temperature raising capability of the heat platen 58 increases.

In this state, when the gas purge amount is reduced and the upper part is placed on the heat platen 58, the temperature raising capability is increased. The temperature is raised to a desired heat treatment temperature.

Next, the operation when this heat treatment unit is used as a baking unit (PREBAKE) will be described below.

First, wafer W is taken out of wafer cassette CR set on mounting table 20 by wafer carrier 21, and then wafer W is delivered from wafer carrier 21 to main wafer carrier 22. The main wafer transfer mechanism 22 transfers the received wafer W to a resist coating unit (C
The wafer W is transferred and set in the OT), and the resist is applied to the wafer W here. Next, the main wafer transfer mechanism 22 takes out the wafer W from the inside of the resist coating unit (COT), transfers the wafer W to the inside of the heat treatment unit, and sets the wafer W on the thermal platen 58.

On the other hand, at the same time when the power supply to the heat treatment unit is turned on, the power supply device 95 for supplying power to the heater 93 in the heat platen 58 supplies the power, and after a predetermined time, the heat platen 58 has a predetermined first target. The temperature is maintained at T _{1 to} T ₂ (° C.).

As a method of maintaining the first target temperature T _{1 to} T ₂ (° C.), the temperature of the heat platen 58 is set to T ₂ (° C.).
Keep the heater power on when
When the temperature exceeds T ₁ (° C.), the heater power is turned off. Then, the temperature of the heat platen 58 becomes T ₁ (° C.) and T
_If it is between ₂ (° C), the heater power is turned on and off intermittently. The first target temperatures T _{1 to} T _1
While the temperature of the heat platen 58 changes in the vicinity of ₂ (° C), the temperature change is gradual, so that the heater power supply has a low output,
For example, it is supplied at 50 W / h.

Next, the time t ₄ approaches for placing the wafer W on Netsujoban 58 becomes time t _3, the control device 120
Increases the opening amount of the gas valves 100, 100 to increase the flow rate (purge amount) of the gas hitting the side surface of the heat platen 58. When the amount of purge increases, the amount of heat taken from the surface of the heat platen 58 per unit time increases, so that the heat platen 5
The temperature of 8 drops sharply (time t ₃ ). The sudden decrease in temperature is controlled by a control device 120 via a temperature sensor (not shown).
Conveyed to. The control device 120 that recognizes this rapid temperature drop recovers the temperature of the heat platen 58 in a short time,
The amount of electric power supplied to the heater is increased. For example, time t ₀
Assuming that the low output (Low) state from to t ₃ is 50 W / h,
High output (High) up to 100 W / h at time t ₃
State. By setting this high output state, the temperature of the heat platen 58 rapidly rises. Then, at the time t ₄ when the wafer W is placed on the thermal platen 58, the temperature T ₁ (° C.)
Adjust the timing so that

When the wafer W is placed on the heat platen 58 at the time t ₄ , heat is taken from the surface of the heat platen 58 due to the contact with the wafer W, but the high output state from the time t ₃ Is accumulated, and the heat amount and the heat taken away by the wafer W cancel each other, so that a rapid temperature change of the heat platen 58 does not occur, and the temperature T ₁ (°) is obtained from time t _{5 to} t ₆ .
The temperature gradually changes from the temperature slightly higher than C) to the temperature T ₂ (° C). Similarly thereafter, the time t ₇ ~t _8, t ₁₁ purge amount ~t ₁₂ is increased in a high output state, ideal temperature T ₁ (° C) to become time t _9, t ₁₃ in the wafer W Is mounted, and at time t ₁₀ and t ₁₄ when the temperature becomes T ₂ (° C.), the wafer W
Are separated from each other to complete the heat treatment.

As described above, the temperature changes around the first target temperature T _{1 to} T ₂ (° C.) both when the wafer W is mounted and when it is not mounted. In particular, rapid temperature drop immediately after placing the wafer W on Netsujoban 58 does not occur, or to recover very short time as occurred, the heat treatment of the wafer W is temperature T ₁ ~T ₂ (°
C).

As described above, according to the heat treatment unit of the present invention, the gas valve is opened before the wafer W is placed on the heat platen 58 to increase the purge amount of gas hitting the heat platen 58. When the surface temperature of the heat platen 58 suddenly decreases due to the increase in the purge amount, the control device 120 detects a sudden decrease in the surface temperature of the heat platen 58 via a temperature sensor, and sets the heat constant to recover the sudden decrease. The amount of power supply to the heater in the panel 58 is increased.

Therefore, a sufficient amount of heat is already stored in the heat platen 58 just before the wafer W is placed on the heat platen 58. As a result, the amount of heat stored immediately before the mounting of the wafer W and the amount of heat taken by the wafer W immediately after the mounting of the wafer W cancel each other, so that a rapid drop in the temperature of the heat platen 58 is avoided.

Thus, while the wafer W is placed on the thermal platen 58, the surface temperature of the thermal platen 58 is set to the target temperature T _{1 to} T.
₂ (° C.), the wafer W is heat-treated in an ideal temperature environment.

Further, in the heat treatment unit according to the present embodiment, since the conventional temperature control mechanism is used as it is, the control system is not complicated, the structure of the apparatus is not complicated, and the manufacturing cost can be increased. Absent.

The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above embodiment.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the apparatus for heating the wafer W using the heat platen which is uniformly heated by circulating the heat medium vapor inside has been described. A hot plate that controls the temperature with a temperature sensor or the like may be used.

In this embodiment, the gas valve 100 and the gas duct 101 are used to increase the flow rate of the gas that comes into contact with the heat platen 58, thereby temporarily lowering the temperature of the heat platen 58 so that the heater is heated. However, other methods may be used to temporarily increase the calorific value of the heater. For example, a thermoelectric cooler may be provided on the heat platen 58 to lower the temperature of the heat platen 58, or cooling water may be passed through a pipe through the heat platen 58 to flow through the heat platen 5,
8 and the like. It is also possible to send a dummy signal to the temperature sensor as if the temperature of the heat platen 58 has dropped, by using a device for sending a dummy signal electrically connected to the temperature sensor.

Further, in the above embodiment, the coating and developing processing system 1 for the wafer W has been described as an example, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other processing apparatuses, for example, processing apparatuses for LCD substrates. No.

(Second Embodiment) Hereinafter, a heat treatment unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the heat treatment unit according to the present embodiment, the first
The description of the portions overlapping with the heat treatment unit according to the embodiment is omitted.

As shown in FIG . 9, in the heat treatment unit according to the present embodiment, a gas nozzle 130 is provided near a temperature sensor S for detecting the temperature of the heat platen 58. The gas nozzle 130 jets a room temperature or cooled gas toward a portion where the temperature sensor S is attached.

In the heat treatment unit of this embodiment, instead of adjusting the flow rate of the gas flowing out toward the heat platen 58 in the first embodiment, the temperature of the heat platen 58 near the mounting portion of the temperature sensor S is changed. Just lower. By doing so, the control device 120 is made to recognize via the temperature sensor S as if the entire temperature of the heat platen 58 has dropped, and the power supply to the heater is temporarily increased.

According to the heat treatment unit of the present embodiment, the control device 12 can be used without lowering the temperature of the entire heat platen 58.
Since the zero is operated, the temperature sensor S can recognize the true temperature of the heat platen 58 by stopping the ejection of the gas from the gas nozzle 130. For this reason, it is possible to avoid the adverse effect of sending a false signal (cooling by gas ejection) to the temperature sensor, for example, the adverse effect that the temperature of the heat platen 58 is actually too low and it takes time to recover the temperature. it can.

In addition, since the temperature of the entire heat platen 58 is not actually lowered but only in the vicinity of the temperature sensor S, the temperature in the vicinity of the temperature sensor S is quickly recovered, and the gas is ejected from the gas nozzle. A high response can be achieved between the on / off operation of the device and the thermal response.

In the present embodiment, the calibration is performed in which gas is partially ejected toward the mounting portion of the temperature sensor S. However, other methods, such as a thermoelectric cooler using a thermocouple, a cooling water, or the like, are used. It is also possible to dispose a pipe through which the temperature sensor S is attached at the portion where the temperature sensor S is attached, so as to temporarily lower the temperature of this portion.

[0099]

As described in detail above, the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention
According to the placement and heat treatment method , there is provided means for forcibly cooling the heat treatment board. Using this means, until after a subsequent substrate to be processed target substrate is removed preceding the said heat treatment surface plate is mounted, so forcibly cooling the heat processing, the upper Symbol control The means determines that the temperature of the heat treatment board has decreased, and increases the rate of supplying heat to the heat treatment board.
Therefore, the temperature of the heat-treating board has risen considerably before the subsequent substrate is placed, and the temperature drop is small even when the substrate is placed, and it is possible to perform heat treatment at an appropriate temperature. Become.

Further, since a conventional temperature control means can be used as it is, the control system is not complicated.

According to the present invention described in claim 2, claim 1 is provided.
The means for sending gas to the surface of the heat treatment board is used as the means for forcibly cooling.

Therefore, since the air supply device provided in the conventional device can be used as it is, a great improvement effect can be obtained with a slight modification.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a first aspect is provided.
In the heat treatment apparatus described in (1), a thermoelectric cooler disposed on the surface of the heat treatment board is used as the means for forcibly cooling. Therefore, it is only necessary to add a thermoelectric cooler to the conventional apparatus, and a great improvement effect can be obtained with a slight modification.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a first aspect is provided.
In the heat treatment apparatus described in (1), an apparatus for circulating cooling water around the surface of the heat treatment board is used as the means for forcibly cooling. Therefore, a great improvement effect can be obtained only by adding a device for circulating cooling water to the conventional device.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a first aspect is provided.
In the heat treatment apparatus described in (1), an apparatus for sending a dummy signal to the temperature control means is used as the means for forcibly cooling. Therefore, only a device for transmitting a dummy signal needs to be added to the conventional device, and a great improvement effect can be obtained with a slight modification.

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[0115]

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[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a coating and developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the coating / developing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the coating / developing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a heat treatment unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the heat treatment unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the heat treatment unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a heat treatment unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing an operation state of the heat treatment unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a heat treatment unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional heat treatment unit.

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing an operation state of a conventional heat treatment unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 W wafer 58 heat platen S temperature sensor 120 controller 93 heater 100 gas valve 101 gas duct 130 gas nozzle

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A heat treatment board on which a substrate to be processed is mounted, a heater arranged on the heat treatment board, a temperature sensor arranged on the heat treatment board, and a temperature detected by the temperature sensor. , The heater
And interrupter for turning on and off, and means for sequentially conveying the processed substrate to the heat treatment surface plate, means for forcibly cooling the front Stories heat processing, the heater, the interrupter, said conveying means, said cooling means
Control means for controlling the overall control of the heat treatment apparatus, wherein the control means controls the heat treatment apparatus before the predetermined temperature is maintained.
Pre-processed object subjected to predetermined heat treatment on the heat treatment board
After unloading the substrate and before loading the subsequent substrate
Then, the heat treatment board is forcibly cooled by the cooling means.
The temperature of the heat treatment board
To restore the temperature to the predetermined temperature again.
After this, the subsequent substrate to be processed is placed on the heat treatment plate.
Placed on the heat treatment board maintained at the predetermined temperature.
A heat treatment apparatus , wherein a predetermined heat treatment is performed on the subsequent substrate . 2. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for forcibly cooling is means for sending gas to the surface of the heat treatment board. 3. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for forcibly cooling is a thermoelectric cooler disposed on a surface of the heat treatment board. 4. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for forcibly cooling is a device for circulating cooling water over the surface of the heat treatment board. 5. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for forcibly cooling the sensor is provided with respect to the sensor.
A heat treatment apparatus for sending a dummy signal as if the temperature of the heat treatment board had dropped . 6. A step of placing a substrate to be processed on a heat treatment board maintained at a predetermined temperature and performing a predetermined heat treatment; and, after this step, a step of carrying out the substrate to be processed by transport means. After the process, before the substrate to be processed subsequent to the substrate to be processed is carried into the heat treatment panel by the transfer means, the heat treatment panel is forcibly cooled and the temperature of the heat treatment panel is lowered below the predetermined temperature. And after this step, heating the heat-treating board to restore the temperature of the heat-treating board to the predetermined temperature again. After this step, heat-treating the subsequent substrate to be processed by the transfer means Performing a predetermined heat treatment on the heat treatment plate that is placed on a plate and maintained at the predetermined temperature.