JP3785332B2 - Heating / cooling processing apparatus and substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  The present invention provides heating for heating a substrate.coolingThe present invention relates to a processing apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a coating and developing processing apparatus in which a photoresist processing step in the manufacture of a semiconductor device is performed, pre-baking (PREBAKE), which is a heat treatment after coating a resist solution on the surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as “wafer”), Various heat treatments such as post-exposure baking (PEB), which is a heat treatment after pattern exposure, are performed. In performing such a series of processing, a coating and developing processing system has been conventionally used. In this coating and developing processing system, processing devices for performing various types of processing are individually arranged. Wafers are transferred to these processing devices by a main transfer device having tweezers for holding the wafer.
[0003]
These heat treatments are usually performed by a heat treatment apparatus. This heat treatment apparatus includes a disk-shaped hot plate. This heat plate is provided with three support pins, and each support pin can be moved up and down in each hole formed in the heat plate.
[0004]
When heat-treating a wafer, first, the main transfer device moves to the heat-treatment device and enters tweezers holding the wafer. Next, at a predetermined position above the hot plate, the wafer is delivered to the three support pins that are raised and project from the hot plate. Thereafter, the support pins that support the wafer in a horizontal position are lowered, and the wafer is placed at a heating position on the hot plate. The heating plate is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating element (such as a heater) incorporated in the heating plate, whereby the wafer is heated. Thereafter, when the support pins are raised to lift the wafer to a predetermined position above the hot plate, the tweezers that have entered again receive the wafer from the support pins.
[0005]
By the way, when the wafer is lowered, the wafer is lifted from the support pins by air resistance or the like. In this case, the wafer may be shifted laterally during the descent, or may be slid on the hot plate at the moment when it is mounted, and the wafer may be mounted at a position shifted from the heating position on the hot plate. After heating, when such a wafer is raised by the support pins, it is lifted to a position shifted from a predetermined position above the hot plate. Normally, the main transfer device is program-controlled so as to transfer the wafer at a predetermined position above the hot plate. If the wafer is located at a position shifted from the predetermined position above the hot plate, Is difficult to deliver. For example, when the tweezers receives the wafer from the support pins, the wafer may be missed and dropped and damaged.
[0006]
In order to prevent such displacement, an annular wafer guide 201 is provided on the hot plate 200 as shown in FIG. The wafer guide 201 is designed so that the clearance (gap) L with respect to the wafer W is about 0.2 mm. For this reason, the support pins 202 can place the wafer W straight down along the wafer guide 201 to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line W ′ in FIG.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the clearance L of the wafer guide 201 is as severe as about 0.2 mm, when the wafer W is carried in, even if the tweezers slightly sways due to vibration of a motor or the like provided in the main transfer device. , The delivery to the support pins 202 may fail, and the wafer W may run on the wafer guide 201 as indicated by the solid line in FIG. For this reason, the wafer W cannot be mounted on the hot plate 200, resulting in a heating failure. Further, when the wafer W is unloaded, the tweezers of the main transfer device cannot hold the wafer W and cannot unload it when it is on the wafer guide 201.
[0008]
  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a novel heating that can prevent a heating failure and can smoothly carry out a substrate even if a positional deviation occurs.coolingA processing device is provided.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  In order to achieve the object, the invention of claim 1 heats the substrate.,coolingHeating device for processing and placing a loaded substrate on itAnd a heating unit comprising: a heating unit that is movable relative to the heating plate, and that can transfer the substrate to and from the heating plate; A cooling section having a cooling plate for cooling treatment,A position sensor for detecting the position of the substrate before unloading the substrate;In the cooling partHeating characterized by providingcoolingA processing device is provided.
[0010]
  The invention of claim 2 heats the substrate.,coolingAn apparatus for processing, a hot plate that places a loaded substrate and heat-processes itAnd a heating unit comprising: a heating unit that is movable relative to the heating plate, and that can transfer the substrate to and from the heating plate; A cooling section having a cooling plate for cooling treatment, and the cooling plate is moved on the cooling plate during the movement of the cooling plate.Positioning means for aligning the substrateProvided in the cooling sectionCharacterized by heatingcoolingA processing device is provided.
[0013]
  After heat treatment,For exampleThe transfer device heats the substratecoolingUnload from inside the processing equipment. In this case, before unloading the substrate, the position of the substrate is detected by the position sensor, and a detection signal from the position sensor is input to the transfer device to notify the position of the substrate. For this reason, the substrate is heated.coolingEven if the substrate is misaligned at any point in time after being loaded into the processing apparatus and the substrate is lifted to a position deviated from the predetermined position above the hot plate when being unloaded, The feed-out operation and position of the transfer device can be feedback-controlled according to the position, and correction can be made in real time. As a result, the transfer apparatus can smoothly receive the substrate from the support means and carry it out of the apparatus.
[0014]
  According to the present invention, even if the substrate is misaligned, the position of the substrate is aligned by the alignment means, so that the transfer device can smoothly receive the substrate and carry it out of the device.
[0015]
  On the hot plate,There may be provided a displacement prevention member for preventing the displacement of the substrate having a clearance of 1.5 mm or more between at least the substrate when placed at the heating position on the hot plate. According to such a configuration, the prevention member can prevent a situation in which a side slip occurs when the substrate is placed on the hot plate and the substrate is significantly displaced from the heating position. In addition, since at least a clearance of 1.5 mm or more is provided at the gap between the hot plate and the substrate, even if a slight lateral movement occurs in the transfer device when the substrate is transferred to the support means, There is no such thing as a board going up.
[0016]
  Also according to the present invention,A cooling plate for mounting and cooling the substrate heated by the hot plate is provided;BecauseThe substrate heated by the hot plate is placed on the cooling plate and cooled. The cooling plate is provided with support means on the cooling plate side configured to be movable up and down so as to support the substrate in a horizontal position at a predetermined position above the cooling plate and to place the substrate at a cooling position on the cooling plate, You may comprise so that a board | substrate may be carried out from the cooling plate side.
[0017]
  In the present invention, a position sensor is disposed in the cooling unit. That is, after the heat treatment, the substrate is placed on a cooling plate and cooled. Thereafter, the transfer device receives the substrate from the cooling plate side and carries it out of the heating and cooling processing device.In this case, before unloading the substrate, the position of the substrate is detected and confirmed by a position sensor. Furthermore, the detection signal of the position sensor is input to the transfer device to inform the position of the substrate. For this reason, the substrate is heated.coolingEven if the substrate is misaligned at any point in time after being loaded into the processing apparatus and the substrate is lifted to a position deviated from the predetermined position above the cooling plate when being unloaded, The feed-out operation and position of the transfer device can be feedback-controlled according to the position, and correction can be made in real time. As a result, the transfer apparatus can smoothly receive the substrate from the support means on the cooling plate side and carry it out of the apparatus.
[0018]
  Positioning means may be arranged on the cooling plate side.In other words, even if the substrate is misaligned, the position of the substrate is aligned by the aligning means, so that the transfer device can perform the cooling plate at a predetermined position above the cooling plate as usual.From the sideThe substrate can be smoothly received and taken out of the apparatus.
[0020]
  Also bookThe invention is an apparatus for processing a substrate, wherein:1And a transfer device that carries the substrate into and out of the heat and cooling processing device, and the transfer device carries out the substrate based on a detection signal input from the position sensor. Features that are configured to doTo do.
[0021]
  The present inventionAccording to the substrate processing apparatus, the transfer device is heatedcoolingThe substrate can be smoothly carried in and out of the processing apparatus.
[0022]
  AlignmentmeansFor example, a guide pin fixed on the cooling plate and a pressing member that presses the substrate on the cooling plate toward the guide pin, or a plurality of members that press the substrate facing each other across the substrate on the cooling plate A pressing member can be proposed.
[0023]
  Such alignmentmeansBy providing this, even if a positional deviation occurs when transferring the substrate between the hot plate and the cooling plate, this can be corrected for subsequent processing orTheIt can be implemented appropriately.
[0024]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a coating / development processing system 1 (substrate processing apparatus) provided with a heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating / development processing system 1. 3 is a rear view of the coating and developing treatment system 1.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 1, the coating and developing treatment system 1 carries, for example, 25 wafers W in and out of the coating and developing treatment system 1 from the outside in units of cassettes and carries the wafers W in and out of the cassettes C. A cassette station 2, a processing station 3 in which various processing devices that perform predetermined processing in a single-wafer type in the coating and developing processing step are arranged in multiple stages, and an exposure device (adjacent to the processing station 3) And an interface unit 4 for transferring the wafer W to and from the unit (not shown).
[0026]
In the cassette station 2, a plurality of cassettes C can be placed in a line in a X direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) at a predetermined position on the cassette placement table 5 serving as a placement portion. The wafer transfer body 7 that can be transferred in the cassette arrangement direction (X direction) and the wafer arrangement direction (Z direction; vertical direction) of the wafer W accommodated in the cassette C is movable along the transfer path 8. It is provided so that each cassette C can be selectively accessed.
[0027]
The wafer carrier 7 has an alignment function for aligning the wafer W. As will be described later, the wafer carrier 7 is configured to be accessible also to the adhesion device 31 and the extension device 32 belonging to the third processing device group G3 on the processing station 3 side.
[0028]
In the processing station 3, a main transfer device 13 having three upper, middle, and lower tweezers 10, 11, and 12 that hold the wafer W is disposed at the center. Various processing devices are arranged in multiple stages around the main transfer device 13 to form a processing device group. In the coating and developing processing system 1, four processing device groups G1, G2, G3, and G4 are arranged, and the first and second processing device groups G1 and G2 are arranged on the front side of the coating and developing processing system 1. The third processing unit group G3 is disposed adjacent to the cassette station 2, and the fourth processing unit group G4 is disposed adjacent to the interface unit 4. Further, as an option, a fifth processing unit group G5 indicated by a broken line can be separately arranged on the back side.
[0029]
In the first processing unit group G1, as shown in FIG. 2, two types of spinner type liquid coating processing units, for example, a resist coating unit 15 that coats and processes a resist on the wafer W, and a developer on the wafer W are developed. Are provided in two stages in order from the bottom. Similarly, in the case of the second processing unit group G2, the resist coating unit 17 and the development processing unit 18 are stacked in two stages in order from the bottom.
[0030]
In the third processing unit group G3, as shown in FIG. 3, a cooling device 30 for cooling the wafer W, an adhesion device 31 for improving the fixability between the resist solution and the wafer W, and an extension device for waiting the wafer W 32, pre-baking devices 33 and 34 for performing heat treatment after resist coating, post-baking devices 35 and 36 for performing heat treatment after development processing, and the like are stacked in, for example, eight stages from the bottom.
[0031]
In the fourth processing unit group G4, for example, the cooling unit 40, the extension / cooling unit 41 for naturally cooling the mounted wafer W, the extension unit 42, the heating / cooling processing units 43, 44 according to the first embodiment, 45, post-baking devices 46, 47, and the like are stacked in, for example, eight stages in order from the bottom.
[0032]
A wafer carrier 50 is provided at the center of the interface unit 4. The wafer carrier 50 is configured to be accessible to the extension cooling device 41, the extension device 42, the peripheral exposure device 51, and the exposure device (not shown) belonging to the fourth processing device group G4.
[0033]
Here, the configuration of the heating / cooling processing devices 43, 44, 45 will be described by taking the heating / cooling processing device 43 as an example. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the heating / cooling processing device 43 is configured to perform post-exposure baking for performing the heat processing after the exposure processing and the subsequent cooling processing.
[0034]
The heating / cooling processing device 43 includes a heating unit 62 and a cooling unit 63 in a casing 61. A carry-in port 64 for carrying in the wafer W is provided on the side surface of the casing 61 on the heating unit 62 side, and a carry-out port 65 for carrying out the wafer W is provided on the side surface of the casing 61 on the cooling unit 62 side. .
[0035]
The heating unit 62 includes a cover body 66 that can be moved up and down on the upper side, and a hot plate housing part 67 that forms a processing chamber S integrally with the cover body 66 on the lower side.
[0036]
The lid 66 has a substantially conical shape that gradually increases toward the center, and an exhaust pipe 68 is connected to the top, so that the atmosphere in the processing chamber S is uniformly exhausted from the exhaust pipe 68. It has become.
[0037]
The hot plate accommodating portion 67 includes a substantially cylindrical case 69 on the outer periphery, a substantially cylindrical inner case 70 disposed in the case 69, a support ring 71 having a good heat insulating property fixed in the inner case 70, and the support. A disk-shaped hot plate 72 supported by the ring 71 is provided. A blowout port 70 a is provided on the upper surface of the inner case 70, and for example, air or an inert gas can be blown out into the processing chamber S.
[0038]
Inside the hot plate 72, a heater 75 that generates heat by power feeding is incorporated, and three holes 76 are formed. A first support pin 77 is inserted into each hole 76 as support means on the hot plate 72 side that supports the back surface of the wafer W. Between each of the holes 76 and the bottom plate 70a of the inner case 70, cylindrical guides 78 for covering the outer periphery of the first support pins 77 and isolating from the external atmosphere are arranged vertically. These three first support pins 77 are moved up and down by an elevating mechanism 79. Accordingly, the first support pins 77 support the wafer W in a horizontal posture at a loading position P1 that is a predetermined position above the hot plate 72, and place the wafer W on the heating position P2 on the hot plate 72. It is configured.
[0039]
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, suction ports 80 for sucking the wafer W to the first support pins 77 are formed above the first support pins 77. Inside the first support pin 77, a drawing channel 81 connected to the suction port 80 is provided, and this drawing channel 81 communicates with a suction mechanism 82 composed of a vacuum pump, a negative pressure generator or the like. ing. A valve 83 is interposed in the drawing channel 81. The suction mechanism 82, the valve 83 and the lifting mechanism 79 are connected to a controller 84. The controller 84 is configured to control the operation of the elevating mechanism 79 and the suction mechanism 82 and the suction timing when the valve 83 is opened and closed. Note that only the tip portion of the support pin 77 is made of an elastic material such as heat resistant rubber.
[0040]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, when the first support pins 77 are raised by the elevating mechanism 79, the wafer is brought into contact with the tweezers 10-12 of the main transfer device 13 that has entered the heating / cooling processing device 43. W can be exchanged. For example, when the wafer W is received from the tweezers 11 of the main transfer device 13, the first support pins 77 support the wafer W in a horizontal posture at the carry-in position P1. At this time, the wafer W is firmly attracted to the suction port 80 by vacuum suction of the suction mechanism 82. When the wafer W is viewed from the plane, the wafer W is positioned at the heating position P2 on the hot plate 72. In this case, as a suction timing, for example, the suction mechanism 82 may start suction in synchronization with a delivery operation signal output from the main transfer device 13 when delivering the wafer. As the proper use of the tweezers 10 to 12, for example, the tweezers 11 and 12 are transferred to the heating / cooling processing apparatuses 43, 44, 45, the pre-baking apparatuses 33, 34, etc., the wafer W is transferred to the cooling apparatus 40, etc. The tweezers 10 may be used to receive the wafer W from the spinner type liquid application processing apparatus, and the tweezers 10 may be used to receive the wafer W from the cooling apparatus 40 or the like and to deliver the wafer W to the spinner type liquid application processing apparatus.
[0041]
Next, when the first support pins 77 are lowered by the elevating mechanism 79, the wafer W is placed at the heating position P2 on the hot plate 72. At this time, the controller 84 stops the vacuum suction by the suction mechanism 82 in anticipation of the timing of placing the wafer W on the hot plate 72. Therefore, the wafer W is separated from the first support pins 77 at the moment of placement so that the wafer W does not rebound on the hot plate 72, and stable placement is performed. For example, the controller 84 stores the lowering time of the first support pins 77 necessary for mounting the wafer W in advance, and estimates the mounting timing based on the lowering time. Alternatively, a position detection sensor may be provided in the elevating mechanism 79, and the mounting timing may be estimated based on a detection signal output from the position detection sensor.
[0042]
As shown in FIG. 8, an annular deviation preventing member 85 is provided along the circumferential direction at the peripheral edge of the hot plate 72. The deviation preventing member 85 is designed such that when the wafer W is placed at the heating position P2 on the hot plate 72, the clearance (gap) L is at least 1.5 mm from the wafer W.
[0043]
The cooling unit 63 includes a cooling plate 91 serving as a cooling plate connected to a drive mechanism (not shown) that is movable along the moving rail 90 and is movable up and down, and a second support unit serving as a supporting unit on the cooling plate side 91 side. The support pin 92 is provided.
[0044]
The cooling plate 91 has a substantially rectangular flat plate shape as a whole. After the heating, when the cooling plate 91 receives the wafer W, the cooling plate 91 first moves up. On the other hand, on the heating unit 62 side, the first support pins 77 rise to support the wafer W at the carry-in position P1, and the lid 66 rises. Thereafter, the cooling plate 91 moves to the heating unit 62 side and receives the wafer W on the cooling position P3 on the cooling plate 91 by the lowering of the first support pins 77 at the carry-in position P1. At this time, the first support pins 77 and the cooling plate 91 do not come into contact with each other due to the slits 94 and 95 formed in the cooling plate 91. Thereafter, the cooling plate 91 returns to the cooling unit 63 side and descends to the original height, and moves the wafer W to the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63. As described above, the cooling plate 91 is configured to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the hot plate 72 and to exchange the wafer W with the hot plate 72.
[0045]
A circulation path 91a is formed inside the cooling plate 91, and a liquid having a predetermined temperature (for example, 23 ° C.) supplied from a constant temperature water supply source 96 installed outside, such as a constant temperature, is provided in the circulation path 91a. Water is circulated and supplied into the cooling plate 91. Therefore, the cooling plate 91 is configured to perform the cooling process in a state where the wafer W heated by the hot plate 72 is placed at the cooling position P3 on the cooling plate at the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63. .
[0046]
Each second support pin 92 is moved up and down by an elevating mechanism 97. When the wafer W placed on the cooling plate 91 is unloaded, the second support pins 92 are raised by the elevating mechanism 97 and pass through the slits 94 and 95, and at a predetermined position above the cooling plate 91 in the cooling unit 63. The wafer W is supported in a horizontal posture at the unloading position P5.
[0047]
The cooling unit 63 is provided with position sensors 100 and 101 that detect the position of the wafer W before unloading the wafer W. The position sensors 100 and 101 are configured to detect a positional deviation of the wafer W when the wafer W is moved to the cooling unit 63. The cooling unit 63 is provided with a positioning sensor 102. The positioning sensor 102 is configured to detect that the wafer W has moved to the cooling unit 63. The position sensors 100 and 101 and the positioning sensor 102 are all connected to the controller 84. The controller 84 feeds back the unloading operation and position of the main transport device 13 based on detection signals input from the position sensors 100 and 101, and the moving operation of the cooling plate 91 based on detection signals input from the positioning sensor 102, respectively. Control.
[0048]
Here, the case where the wafer W is not displaced at any time after the wafer W is carried into the heating / cooling processing apparatus 41 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. Moves the wafer W received from the hot plate 72 to the cooling unit 63. On the way to the cooling unit 63, the wafer W placed at the cooling position P3 (indicated by a two-dot chain line P3 'in FIG. 9) on the cooling plate 91 (indicated by a two-dot chain line 91' in FIG. 9). However, when it moves to the position indicated by a two-dot chain line W ′ in FIG. 9, the positioning sensor 102 detects the peripheral edge of the wafer W and inputs a detection signal to the controller 84 to notify that the wafer W has arrived. The controller 84 moves the cooling plate 91 by, for example, a predetermined distance or time from the time when the detection signal of the positioning sensor 102 is input. For this reason, when the wafer W is moved to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 9, the Y at the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63 is always in plan view regardless of whether or not the wafer W is displaced. The center line in the direction coincides with the center line in the Y direction on the wafer W. Further, since there is no positional shift and the wafer W is normally moved to the cooling unit 63, the center line in the X direction at the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63 coincides with the center line in the X direction on the wafer W.
[0049]
Further, when the wafer W moves to the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63, the position sensors 100 and 101 simultaneously detect the peripheral portion of the wafer W. The detection signals of any of the position sensors 100 and 101 are equally input to the controller 84, and the controller 84 confirms that the wafer W is not displaced. After cooling, the second support pins 92 rise and lift the wafer W to the unloading position P5. The controller 84 does not perform feedback control of the main transfer device 13 in particular, and the main transfer device 13 smoothly receives the wafer W from the cooling plate 91 side as usual and carries it out from the device.
[0050]
On the other hand, when a position shift occurs in the wafer W, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, only one position sensor 100 detects the wafer W first, and the other position sensor 101 detects it later or the wafer W The position of cannot be detected. As a result, a time difference occurs in the input of the detection signals of the position sensors 100 and 101 to the controller 84. When this time difference and the moving speed (known value) of the cooling plate 91 are substituted into a predetermined relational expression, the deviation amount of the wafer W, that is, the center line in the X direction at the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63, and the X in the wafer W You can see how much the direction center line is. When the wafer W is lifted by the second support pins 92 after cooling, the wafer W is lifted to a position shifted from the unloading position P5. In this case, the controller 84 performs feedback control of the main transport device 13 to change the amount of tweezers 10-12 to be pushed when the tweezers 10-12 are moved into the device, for example. For this reason, the wafer W can be received from the second support pins 92 without being missed even if the position shift occurs.
[0051]
The heating / cooling processing apparatus 43 according to the first embodiment is configured as described above. Next, the operation and the like will be described. First, the wafer W for which the exposure process has been completed in the exposure apparatus is carried into the heating / cooling processing apparatus 43 belonging to the fourth processing apparatus group G4.
[0052]
Here, the process performed in the heating / cooling processing apparatus 43 will be described. First, the main transfer device 13 carries the wafer W into the heating / cooling processing device 43 and transfers it to the raised first support pins 77. The first support pins 77 support the wafer W in a horizontal posture at the carry-in position P1. Next, the wafer W is placed at the heating position P <b> 2 on the hot plate 72 by the lowering of the first support pins 77. In this case, since the wafer W is attracted to the first support pins 77 by the suction port 80, the wafer W does not lift from the first support pins 77 even if it receives air resistance or the like during lowering. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the lateral shift while descending, and it is possible to accurately place the wafer W on the heating position P2 on the hot plate 72.
[0053]
Further, since the deviation prevention member 85 is provided on the hot plate 72, a side slip occurs when the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 72, and the situation where the wafer W is greatly displaced from the heating position P2 is prevented. can do. In addition, since at least the clearance (gap) L between the displacement prevention member 85 and the wafer W has a margin of 1.5 mm or more, when the wafer W is delivered to the first support pins 77, the main transfer device 13. Even when a slight lateral displacement occurs and the wafer W is transferred to the first support pins 77 due to a slight lateral displacement, the displacement prevention member 85 is placed when the wafer W is placed at the heating position P2. There is no such thing as a wafer W riding on top.
[0054]
After the heating, the cooling plate 91 receives the wafer W from the hot plate 72 and places it on the cooling position P3. Thereafter, the wafer W is moved to the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63 to perform the cooling process. Thereafter, the wafer W is lifted by raising the second support pins 92 and supported in a horizontal posture at the unloading position P5. Thereafter, the main transfer device 13 receives the wafer W from the second support pins 92 and carries it in from the heating / cooling processing device 40.
[0055]
According to the heating / cooling processing apparatus 43, since the wafer W can be accurately placed at the heating position P2 on the hot plate 72, a wafer guide for lowering the wafer W straight is provided as in the prior art. There is no need. For this reason, when the wafer W is transferred to the first support pins 77, it is possible to prevent the wafer W from getting on the wafer guide, and to prevent defective heating. As another configuration for preventing the rising of the wafer W being lowered, for example, a means for releasing air in a space where the wafer W is raised and lowered may be provided so as to eliminate the air resistance during the lowering.
[0056]
On the other hand, before unloading the wafer W, the position of the wafer W is detected by the position sensors 100 and 101, and the detection signals of the position sensors 100 and 101 are input to the main transfer device 13 to notify the position of the wafer W. For this reason, at any point in time after the wafer W is carried into the heating / cooling processing apparatus 40, the wafer W should be misaligned and lifted to a position deviated from the unloading position P5 when unloading. Even in such a state, the unloading operation and the position of the tweezers 10 to 12 of the main transfer device 13 can be feedback-controlled in accordance with the position of the wafer W and corrected in real time. As a result, the main transfer device 13 can smoothly receive the wafer W from the second support pins 92 and carry it out of the device.
[0057]
Conventionally, a heating / cooling processing apparatus is provided so that the wafer W can be smoothly exchanged between the first support pins 77 and the second support pins 92 so as not to contact the wafer guide. At the time of installation of 43 (at startup), an operator in the factory, etc., carefully adjusted manually while visually observing the operating positions of the tweezers 10 to 12 of the main transfer device 13 during loading and unloading. However, according to the present embodiment, since the wafer guide can be eliminated and the unloading operation and position of the tweezers 10 to 12 can be feedback-controlled, manual adjustment can be made easier than before, and heating and cooling can be performed. The installation time of the processing device 43 can be shortened.
[0058]
The basic configuration of the heating / cooling processing device 43 can be applied to the pre-baking devices 33 and 34 and the post-baking devices 46 and 47. That is, the pre-baking devices 33 and 34 and the post-baking devices 46 and 47 basically have the same configuration as the heating / cooling processing device 43 except that the cooling unit 63 is not provided therein. If the suction port 80 is formed in the first support pin 77 provided inside, it is not necessary to provide a wafer guide on the hot plate 72. Further, the position sensors 100 and 101 are installed on the hot plate 72 side so that the main transfer device 13 can smoothly carry out even if a position shift occurs.
[0059]
Further, not only the position sensors 100 and 101 detect the shift amount of the wafer W in the X direction but also the shift amount of the wafer W in the Y direction, for example, the heating / cooling processing apparatus 43, the processing position P4 of the cooling unit 63. A position sensor that detects how much the center line in the Y direction in the Y and the center line in the Y direction in the wafer W may be provided to detect the positional deviation of the wafer W more accurately.
[0060]
Further, the upper portion of the first support pin may be appropriately processed to freely form the shape of the suction port. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the suction port 111 of the first support pin 110 has a so-called inverted triangular frustum shape in which the upper end is enlarged and the diameter is reduced as it goes downward. When the suction area of the suction port 111 is increased in this way, the first support pins 110 can suck the wafer W more strongly, and can prevent the lateral shift during the lowering more reliably. Further, since the suction area of the suction port 111 is wide, for example, even if the suction port is provided only in the two first support pins 110 out of the three first support pins 110, the wafer W is effectively sucked. can do.
[0061]
Next, the heating / cooling processing apparatus 120 according to the second embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 12, the cooling unit 63 is provided with a cooling plate 122 stored in the cooling plate storage unit 121. Second support pins 92 are inserted into three holes (not shown) formed in the cooling plate 122, respectively. Further, a unit arm 125 for moving the wafer W between the hot plate 72 and the cooling plate 122 is provided.
[0062]
On one side of the cooling plate 121 (left side in FIG. 12), as shown in FIG. 12, a mechanical alignment plate 126 is provided as alignment means. As shown in FIG. 13, the unit arm 125 moves the wafer W from the hot plate 72 to the cooling plate 122 after heating and transfers the wafer W to the alignment plate 126 before delivering it to the raised second support pins 92. Press. The shape of the alignment plate 126 is such that if the wafer W is misaligned, the misalignment of the wafer W is corrected when the wafer W is pressed against it. For this reason, the wafer W is positioned before being placed on the cooling plate 122.
[0063]
According to such a configuration, even if the wafer W is misaligned, the alignment position of the wafer W is adjusted by the alignment plate 126, so that the main transfer device 13 performs the second support pin at the unloading position P5 as usual. It is possible to smoothly receive the wafer W from 92 and carry it out of the apparatus. Moreover, since it is not necessary to perform feedback control using the position sensors 100, 101, etc., the apparatus can be simplified. Of course, such an alignment plate 126 may be provided in the heating / cooling processing apparatus 43 so that alignment is performed when the cooling plate 91 moves the wafer W to the cooling unit 63.
[0064]
In the heating / cooling processing apparatus, an alignment mechanism for aligning the wafer W on the cooling plate 91 may be provided separately.
[0065]
In the example shown in FIG. 14, guide pins 151 and 151 are provided at predetermined positions outside the slits 94 and 95 on the cooling plate 91. A pressing member 152 is provided outside the bases of the slits 94 and 95 on the cooling plate 91. The pressing member 152 itself can be moved to the hot plate 72 side in parallel with the slits 94 and 95 by a driving mechanism such as a cylinder. The surface on the hot plate 72 side in the operation direction of the pressing member 152 has a concave curved portion 153 on the hot plate 72 side having the same radius of curvature as the outer periphery of the wafer W. Note that the shape of the pressing surface of the pressing member 152 is not limited to such a curved shape, and may of course have a rod shape or an appropriate convex shape. For example, the structure which protrudes a rod-shaped front-end | tip part may be sufficient.
[0066]
According to the pressing member 152, the wafer W can be aligned at a predetermined position by pressing the wafer W on the cooling plate 91 along the slits 94 and 95 toward the guide pins 151 and 151. Therefore, even if the wafer W is misaligned when the cooling plate 91 receives the wafer W from the hot plate 72, it can be corrected and aligned to a predetermined position. Therefore, even when the wafer W is unloaded from the cooling plate 91 by the tweezers 10, the position reproducibility is high and the delivery can be suitably performed.
[0067]
The following examples can be proposed for the alignment timing.
(1) After the cooling plate 91 moves to the hot plate 72 side and receives the wafer W after the heat treatment,
(2) When the wafer W is loaded into the heating / cooling processing apparatus 43 from the tweezers 10 and the cooling plate 91 receives the wafer W, when the wafer W is transferred onto the hot plate 72
In either case (1) or (2), the time required for the special alignment is not required by simultaneously performing the alignment while the cooling plate 91 is moving, thereby reducing the throughput. There is no.
[0068]
In the example shown in FIG. 15, the guide pins 151 are omitted, and the pair of pressing members 152 and 152 are disposed at positions facing each other with the wafer W interposed therebetween, that is, facing the slits 94 and 95 in a direction perpendicular to the slits 94 and 95. . Even with such a configuration, the wafer W on the cooling plate 91 can be aligned at a predetermined position by pressing the wafer W on the cooling plate 91 with the pair of pressing members 152, 152. Even if a positional deviation occurs during transfer of the wafer W, this can be corrected.
In the example of FIG. 15, one of the pressing members 152 may be omitted and the guide pin may be employed.
[0069]
Although an example of the embodiment of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to this example and can take various forms. For example, the substrate is not limited to the wafer W, and the present invention can be applied to a method and apparatus for heat-treating another rectangular substrate, for example, an LCD substrate.
[0070]
【The invention's effect】
  The present inventionHeatingcoolingTo processing equipmentAccording toEven if a position shift occurs on one board, feedback control is performed on the carry-out operation and position of the transfer device according to the position of the board.OrSince the substrate is aligned, the substrate can be carried out smoothly. As a result, for example, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the substrate is dropped and damaged when being carried out. HeatingcoolingThe installation time of the processing apparatus can be shortened.
[0071]
  Also according to the present invention, The substrate can be smoothly carried out from the cooling plate side.
[0072]
  The present inventionAccording to the substrate processing apparatus, the transfer device is heatedcoolingThe substrate can be smoothly carried in and out of the processing apparatus.Furthermore, according to the present invention,Even if a misalignment occurs during transfer of the substrate between the hot plate and the cooling plate, this can be corrected.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a coating and developing treatment system provided with a heating / cooling treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating and developing treatment system of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the coating and developing treatment system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a longitudinal section of the heating / cooling processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view of the heating / cooling processing apparatus of FIG. 4;
6 is an explanatory view showing an enlarged main part of the heating / cooling processing apparatus of FIG. 4; FIG.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged suction port.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing an enlarged displacement prevention member.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state when a wafer is normally moved to a cooling unit from a plane.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state when a wafer having a misalignment is moved to a cooling unit from a plan view.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a modified example of the suction port.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory plan view of a heating / cooling processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory plan view showing a state when the wafer is pressed against the alignment plate.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory plan view showing a state in which a pressing member for alignment is provided on the cooling plate of the heating / cooling processing apparatus.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory plan view showing another example in which a positioning pressing member is provided on the cooling plate of the heating / cooling processing apparatus;
FIG. 16 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a wafer is mounted on a wafer guide in a conventional heat treatment apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Coating and developing treatment system
13 Main transfer device
43, 44, 45 Heating / cooling treatment equipment
72 Hot plate
77 First support pin
80 Suction port
85 slip prevention member
91 Cooling plate
92 Second support pin
100, 101 Position sensor
P1 loading position
P2 heating position
P3 Cooling position
P5 unloading position
W wafer

Claims (10)

An apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate,
A heating unit equipped with a hot plate for placing and heating the loaded substrate ; and
A cooling plate configured to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the hot plate and to be able to exchange the substrate with the hot plate, and further to mount and cool the substrate heated by the hot plate. A cooling part,
A heating / cooling processing apparatus, wherein a position sensor for detecting the position of the substrate before unloading the substrate is provided in the cooling unit. An apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate,
A heating unit equipped with a hot plate for placing and heating the loaded substrate ; and
A cooling plate configured to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the hot plate and to be able to exchange the substrate with the hot plate, and further to mount and cool the substrate heated by the hot plate. A cooling part,
A heating / cooling processing apparatus, wherein an alignment means for aligning a substrate on the cooling plate during the movement of the cooling plate is provided in the cooling unit. When placed on the hot plate at a heating position on the hot plate, there is a gap of at least 1 . The heating / cooling processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a displacement prevention member that prevents displacement of the substrate and is 5 mm or more . An apparatus for processing a substrate,
A cooling processing apparatus according to claim 1 and a transport device for transporting a substrate into and out of the cooling processing device, wherein the transport device carries in a substrate based on a detection signal input from the position sensor. A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is configured to carry out. The heating / cooling processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the alignment means is provided on the cooling plate . 6. The heating according to claim 2, wherein the alignment means includes a guide pin fixed on the cooling plate and a pressing member that presses the substrate on the cooling plate toward the guide pin. Cooling processing device. The heating / cooling processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the alignment unit includes a plurality of pressing members that oppose each other across the substrate on the cooling plate and press the substrate. An apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate,
A heating unit equipped with a hot plate for placing and heating the loaded substrate; and
A cooling plate configured to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the hot plate and to be able to exchange the substrate with the hot plate, and further to mount and cool the substrate heated by the hot plate. A cooling part,
Characterized in that the alignment means for aligning the substrate on the cooling plate during the movement of the cooling plate provided in the cooling plate, the heating and cooling apparatus. The heating and cooling process according to claim 8, wherein the positioning means includes a guide pin fixed on the cooling plate and a pressing member that presses the substrate on the cooling plate toward the guide pin. apparatus. The heating / cooling processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the positioning means includes a plurality of pressing members that oppose each other with the substrate on the cooling plate interposed therebetween.

Images