JP5882600B2 - Substrate processing apparatus and semiconductor device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing such as oxidation processing, diffusion processing, and thin film generation on a substrate such as a wafer.

  As one of the processing steps of a semiconductor device, there is a substrate processing step for performing processing such as oxidation processing, diffusion processing, and thin film generation on a substrate such as a silicon wafer, and there is a substrate processing device as an apparatus for executing the substrate processing step. Further, there is a vertical substrate processing apparatus as a batch type substrate processing apparatus that includes a vertical processing furnace and processes a predetermined number of substrates at a time.

  In recent years, the number of pods that are substrate transfer containers that can be stored in a substrate processing apparatus has been reduced due to the reduction in substrate processing time and substrate transfer time, and the accumulation of substrate transfer containers (retention) that occurs during the operation of customer production lines. There is a need for an increase.

  In response to the above request, a pod that holds an unprocessed or processed substrate or an empty pod that is being processed is transferred to a rotatable pod storage shelf provided in the substrate processing apparatus to store the pod. Processing equipment is manufactured.

  However, when the substrate processing apparatus is loaded into the container and transported, the height of the load on the container is limited, so in the conventional substrate processing apparatus, the top shelf of the pod storage rack is removed and loaded into the container. After that, it was necessary to transport the removed top shelf separately. For this reason, work such as removal and packing of the uppermost shelf before transportation and reattachment of the uppermost shelf after transportation is necessary, which increases the cost in terms of transportation cost, work time, and work cost. there were.

  Also, removing and reattaching the top shelf of the pod storage shelf is a work at a high place, and because it is heavy, it requires two or more workers, to lift the top shelf There were problems such as the need for a lifter.

  There are two I / O stages at the top and bottom for loading and unloading pods. One I / O stage loads and unloads process pods, and the other I / O stage loads dummy and monitor pods. As a substrate processing apparatus that improves throughput by separately operating process pods, dummy pods, or monitor pods so as to carry in and out, a substrate processing apparatus shown in Patent Document 1 increases the number of pods stored. is there.

JP 2000-91398 A

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus that does not require disassembly of a substrate transport container storage shelf during transportation, does not require reassembly, can reduce transportation costs, and improves workability. It is.

  The present invention stores a substrate transport container that stores a plurality of substrates, a substrate transport container transport device that transports the substrate transport container, and a plurality of substrate transport containers transported by the substrate transport container transport device. The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate transport container storage shelf and capable of extending and contracting the substrate transport container storage shelf in a height direction.

  According to the present invention, the substrate transport container storage shelf includes a support column and a plurality of shelf plates rotatably provided around the support column, and the support column is fixed to the lower surface of the upper shelf plate. And a lower tube extending upward from the lower shelf, and the upper shaft relates to a substrate processing apparatus slidably fitted to the lower shaft.

  According to the present invention, a substrate transport container that stores a plurality of substrates, a substrate transport container transport device that transports the substrate transport container, and a plurality of substrate transport containers transported by the substrate transport container transport device are stored. Substrate transport container storage shelf, and the substrate transport container storage shelf can be expanded and contracted in the height direction, so that it can be stored in a container without disassembling the substrate transport container storage shelf during transportation. Thus, it is not necessary to separately pack and transport the substrate transport container storage shelf, thereby reducing the cost and not requiring reassembly of the substrate transport container storage shelf, thereby reducing work labor and working time.

  Further, according to the present invention, the substrate transport container storage shelf is composed of a support column and a plurality of shelf plates rotatably provided around the support column, and the support column is fixed to the lower surface of the upper shelf plate. It has a double-pipe structure consisting of an upper shaft and a lower shaft extending upward from the lower shelf, and the upper shaft is slidably fitted to the lower shaft. Even when a plurality of substrate transfer containers are placed and rotated, sufficient bending rigidity and torsional rigidity can be obtained, and an excellent effect that bending and breakage of the support column can be prevented.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional side view of this substrate processing apparatus. It is a perspective view of the rotary pod shelf concerning the 1st example of the present invention, (A) shows the expansion state, and (B) shows the contraction state. It is a principal part enlarged front view of the rotary pod shelf which concerns on 1st Example of this invention, (A) shows the expansion-contraction part in an expansion | extension state, (B) is an AA arrow view of (A). The figure is shown. It is a principal part enlarged front view of the rotary pod shelf which concerns on 1st Example of this invention, (A) shows the expansion-contraction part in a contracted state, (B) is a BB arrow view of (A). The figure is shown. It is a principal part expansion disassembled perspective view of the rotary pod shelf which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. It is a rotary pod shelf which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention, (A) shows the perspective view of this rotary pod shelf, (B) has shown CC arrow directional view of (A). .

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The substrate processing apparatus performs a substrate processing process which is one of the manufacturing processes of a semiconductor device (IC). In the following description, a vertical substrate processing apparatus will be described which includes a vertical furnace as an example of a substrate processing apparatus and performs oxidation processing, CVD film formation processing, diffusion processing, annealing processing, and the like on the substrate.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 2. A front maintenance port 4 serving as an opening provided for maintenance is opened at the front front portion of the front wall 3 of the housing 2, and the front maintenance port 4 is opened and closed by a front maintenance door 5.

  A pod loading / unloading port 6 is opened on the front wall 3 of the housing 2 so as to communicate between the inside and outside of the housing 2. The pod loading / unloading port 6 is opened by a front shutter (loading / unloading opening / closing mechanism) 7. Opened and closed. A load port (substrate transfer container delivery table) 8 is installed on the front front side of the pod loading / unloading port 6, and the load port 8 is configured to align the placed pod 9.

  The pod 9 is a hermetically sealed substrate transfer container, and is loaded into the load port 8 by an in-process transfer device (not shown) and unloaded from the load port 8.

  A rotary pod shelf (substrate transfer container storage shelf) 11 that can be expanded and contracted in the vertical direction is installed at an upper portion of the housing 2 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction. A plurality of pods 9 are configured to be stored.

  The rotary pod shelf 11 includes a support column 12 which is erected vertically and rotated intermittently, and a plurality of shelf plates (substrate transfer container mountings) which are radially supported by the support column 12 at the upper, middle and lower positions. The shelf board 13 is configured to store a plurality of pods 9 mounted thereon.

  A pod opener (substrate transfer container lid opening / closing machine opening) 14 is provided below the rotary pod shelf 11. The pod opener 14 is configured to place the pod 9 and to open and close the lid of the pod 9. have.

  A pod transfer device (substrate transfer container transfer device) 15 is installed between the load port 8, the rotary pod shelf 11, and the pod opener 14, and the pod transfer device 15 includes a pod elevator 16 and a pod transfer mechanism. 17. By the interlocking operation of the pod elevator 16 and the pod transport mechanism 17, the pod transport device 15 can move up and down while holding the pod 9 and can advance and retreat in the horizontal direction. The pod 9 is transported between the pod shelf 11 and the pod opener 14.

  A sub-housing 18 is provided over the rear end of the lower portion of the housing 2 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction. A pair of wafer loading / unloading ports (substrate loading / unloading ports) 22 for loading / unloading wafers 21 into / from the sub-casing 18 are arranged on the front wall 19 of the sub-casing 18 in two vertical stages. The pod openers 14 are provided for the upper and lower wafer loading / unloading ports 22, 22, respectively.

  The pod opener 14 includes a mounting table 23 on which the pod 9 is mounted and an opening / closing mechanism 24 that opens and closes the lid of the pod 9. The pod opener 14 opens and closes the wafer inlet / outlet of the pod 9 by opening and closing the lid of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 23 by the opening / closing mechanism 24.

  The sub-housing 18 constitutes an airtight transfer chamber 25 from a space (pod transport space) in which the pod transport device 15 and the rotary pod shelf 11 are disposed. A wafer transfer mechanism (substrate transfer mechanism) 26 is installed in the front region of the transfer chamber 25, and the wafer transfer mechanism 26 has a required number of sheets (five in the drawing) on which the wafers 21 are mounted. A wafer mounting plate 27 is provided, and the wafer mounting plate 27 can be moved linearly in the horizontal direction, can be rotated in the horizontal direction, and can be moved up and down. The wafer transfer mechanism 26 is configured to load and unload the wafer 21 with respect to the boat 28.

  In the rear region of the transfer chamber 25, a standby unit 29 that accommodates and waits for the boat 28 is configured, and a vertical processing furnace 31 is provided above the standby unit 29. A lower end portion of the processing furnace 31 is a furnace port portion, and the furnace port portion is opened and closed by a furnace port shutter (furnace port opening / closing mechanism) 32.

  Between the right end of the casing 2 and the right end of the standby section 29 of the sub casing 18, a boat elevator (substrate holder lifting mechanism) 33 for raising and lowering the boat 28 is installed. ing. A furnace port lid 35 as a lid is horizontally attached to the arm 34 connected to the elevator platform of the boat elevator 33, and the furnace port lid 35 supports the boat 28 vertically, The lower end can be closed airtight.

  The boat 28 includes a plurality of support columns, and is configured to hold a plurality of (for example, about 50 to 125) wafers 21 in a horizontal posture in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

  A clean unit 36 is disposed at a position opposite to the boat elevator 33 side, and the clean unit 36 includes a supply fan and a dustproof filter so as to supply a clean atmosphere or clean air 37 which is an inert gas. ing. Between the wafer transfer mechanism 26 and the clean unit 36, a notch alignment device (not shown) is installed as a substrate alignment device for aligning the circumferential position of the wafer 21.

  The clean air 37 blown out from the clean unit 36 to the transfer chamber 25 is circulated through a notch aligner (not shown), the wafer transfer mechanism 26, and the boat 28, and then sucked in by a duct (not shown). The air is exhausted to the outside of the housing 2 or is circulated to the primary side (supply side) which is the suction side of the clean unit 36, and is blown into the transfer chamber 25 again by the clean unit 36. It is configured to be.

  Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described.

  When the pod 9 is supplied to the load port 8, the pod loading / unloading port 6 is opened by the front shutter 7. The pod 9 on the load port 8 is carried into the inside of the casing 2 through the pod loading / unloading port 6 by the pod conveying device 15 and placed on the designated shelf plate 13 of the rotary pod shelf 11. Is done. Whether the pod 9 is temporarily stored in the rotary pod shelf 11, then transferred from the shelf 13 to one of the pod openers 14 by the pod transfer device 15 and transferred to the mounting table 23. Alternatively, it is transferred directly from the load port 8 to the mounting table 23.

  At this time, the wafer loading / unloading port 22 is closed by the opening / closing mechanism 24, and clean air 37 is circulated and filled in the transfer chamber 25. For example, when the transfer chamber 25 is filled with nitrogen gas as clean air 37, the oxygen concentration is set to 20 ppm or less, much lower than the oxygen concentration inside the housing 2 (atmosphere). ing.

  The opening side end surface of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 23 is pressed against the opening edge of the wafer loading / unloading port 22 in the front wall 19 of the sub casing 18 and the lid is opened and closed. It is removed by the mechanism 24 and the wafer entrance is opened.

  When the pod 9 is opened by the pod opener 14, the wafer 21 is taken out of the pod 9 by the wafer transfer mechanism 26, aligned with the wafer 21 by a notch alignment device (not shown), and then transferred to the wafer. The mechanism 26 carries the wafer 21 into the standby unit 29 behind the transfer chamber 25 and charges (charges) the boat 28.

  The wafer transfer mechanism 26 that has delivered the wafer 21 to the boat 28 returns to the pod 9 and loads the next wafer 21 into the boat 28.

  During the operation of loading the wafer 21 into the boat 28 by the wafer transfer mechanism 26 in one (upper or lower) pod opener 14, the other (lower or upper) pod opener 14 has the rotary type. Another pod 9 is transferred from the pod shelf 11 by the pod transfer device 15 and transferred, and the opening operation of the pod 9 by the other pod opener 14 is simultaneously performed.

  When a predetermined number of wafers 21 are loaded into the boat 28, the furnace port portion of the processing furnace 31 that has been closed by the furnace port shutter 32 is opened by the furnace port shutter 32. Subsequently, the boat 28 is raised by the boat elevator 33 and is loaded into the processing furnace 31.

  After loading, the furnace port portion is hermetically closed by the furnace port lid 35, and a predetermined process is performed on the wafer 21 in the processing furnace 31.

  After the processing, the wafer 21 and the pod 9 are discharged to the outside of the housing 2 by a procedure reverse to the above except for the alignment step of the wafer 21 by a notch alignment device (not shown).

  Next, the details of the rotary pod shelf 11 in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The rotary pod shelf 11 is composed of the support column 12 and a predetermined number of, for example, four shelf plates 13a to 13d provided so as to be integrally rotatable with the support column 12 as a rotation axis. 13a-13d is being fixed to the said support | pillar 12 at predetermined intervals in the up-down direction.

  The shelf plate 13 is a substantially cross-shaped plate material, and is formed with four pod placement portions 38 that protrude in four directions from the center portion. Further, on the upper surface of the pod mounting portion 38, engaging projections 39 are formed protruding upward at predetermined locations, for example, three locations. When the pod 9 is mounted on the pod mounting portion 38, The engaging protrusion 39 engages with an engaging recess (not shown) formed on the back surface of the pod 9 so that the horizontal displacement of the pod 9 is prevented.

  Further, the support column 12 is configured such that the uppermost stretchable portion 41 and the short column 12a are connected, and the stretchable portion 41 has a double tube structure. The expansion / contraction part 41 has a cylindrical lower shaft 42 extending upward from the second shelf 13b from above, and is slidably fitted to the lower shaft 42 so that the uppermost shelf 13a The lower shaft 42 and the upper shaft 43 are fixed by a fixing tool 44 such as a bolt. The cylindrical upper shaft 43 is fixed to the lower surface. The lower shaft 42 is connected to the short column 12a by a fixing tool 40 such as a bolt with the shelf plate 13b in the second stage from above.

  On the circumferential surface of the upper shaft 43, a substantially L-shaped sliding groove 45 is formed at a plurality of locations, for example, three locations at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, and the sliding groove 45 is an axis of the upper shaft 43. A long vertical portion 45a parallel to the center and a horizontal portion 45b extending from the lower end of the long vertical portion 45a in the counterclockwise direction on the peripheral surface of the upper shaft 43 are provided. The horizontal portion 45 b has a short vertical portion 45 c that extends upward from the end and is parallel to the axis of the upper shaft 43.

  In addition, a fitting portion 46 having a slightly smaller diameter is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the upper shaft 43, and the fixing tool 44 is placed in the radial direction at the portion where the fitting portion 46 is formed. A plurality of insertion holes 47 that can be inserted are formed at predetermined intervals.

  A fitting portion 48 having a slightly larger diameter is formed at the upper end portion of the lower shaft 42, and the fitting portion 48 and the fitting portion 46 can be fitted with no backlash. At the upper end portion of the lower shaft 42, that is, the portion where the fitting portion 48 is formed, a plurality of screw holes 49 at the time of extension capable of screwing the fixing tool 44 are formed corresponding to the insertion holes 47. In addition, the same number of sliding pins 51 as the sliding grooves 45 project radially from the outer peripheral surface. The diameter of the sliding pin 51 is slightly smaller than the width of the sliding groove 45, and the sliding pin 51 is slidably inserted into the sliding groove 45.

  The upper shaft 43 slides in the vertical direction with respect to the lower shaft 42 as the sliding pin 51 is guided and slid by the sliding groove 45, and the long vertical portion 45 a or the short vertical portion. Guided to the horizontal part 45b at the lower end of 45c and rotatable in the horizontal direction, the sliding pins 51 abut on the upper end of the long vertical part 45a or the upper end of the short vertical part 45c, respectively. Thus, the position when the upper shaft 43 is extended or contracted is determined.

  Further, a screw hole 52 at the time of contraction into which the fixing tool 44 can be screwed is formed at the lower end portion of the lower shaft 42, and the position at which the screw hole 52 at the time of contraction is formed is located at the slide pin 51. Is a position displaced in the circumferential direction from the screw hole 49 at the time of extension by an amount of movement that slides on the horizontal portion 45b.

  Next, the expansion and contraction of the rotary pod shelf 11 will be described.

  When the rotary pod shelf 11 is in the extended state, as shown in FIG. 4A, the slide pin 51 is in contact with the upper end of the short vertical portion 45c. At this time, the positions of the insertion hole 47 and the extension screw hole 49 coincide with each other, and the fixing tool 44 is screwed into the extension screw hole 49 through the insertion hole 47, whereby the upper shaft 43. Is fixed in the extended state, and the height of the rotary pod shelf 11 is extended.

  When the rotary pod shelf 11 is in the contracted state, as shown in FIG. 5A, the slide pin 51 is in contact with the upper end of the long vertical portion 45a. At this time, the positions of the insertion hole 47 and the screw hole 52 at the time of contraction coincide with each other, and the fixing shaft 44 is screwed into the screw hole 52 at the time of contraction through the insertion hole 47 so that the upper shaft 43 is It is fixed in the contracted state, and the height of the rotary pod shelf 11 is contracted.

  When the rotary pod shelf 11 is changed from the extended state to the contracted state, the fixing tool 44 is removed from the screw hole 49 at the time of extension, and then the upper shaft 43 is raised, and the sliding pin 51 is It slides relatively downward along the short vertical portion 45c.

  After the sliding pin 51 reaches the lower end of the short vertical portion 45c, the upper shaft 43 is rotated counterclockwise, and the sliding pin 51 is moved in the clockwise direction relatively along the horizontal portion 45b. Slide. When the upper shaft 43 is lowered by a predetermined amount, the fitting portion 46 and the fitting portion 48 are detached, and a gap is formed between the lower shaft 42 and the upper shaft 43, so that the upper shaft 43 can be easily moved. Can be lowered.

  Next, the upper shaft 43 is lowered, and the sliding pin 51 is slid relatively upward along the long vertical portion 45a. The sliding pin 51 abuts on the upper end of the long vertical portion 45a, whereby the position in the height direction when the upper shaft 43 contracts is determined, and the position in the height direction is determined by the weight of the upper shaft 43. Is determined. Further, since the width of the long vertical portion 45a is only slightly larger than the diameter of the sliding pin 51, the rotation of the upper shaft 43 is restrained and the position of the upper shaft 43 in the rotational direction is also determined. .

  At this time, the sliding pin 51 comes into contact with the upper end of the long vertical portion 45a, so that the positions of the insertion hole 47 and the screw hole 52 at the time of contraction are matched, and the weight of the upper shaft 43 is the sliding amount. Since it is supported by the pin 51, the operator does not need to support the weight of the upper shaft 43, and the fixing tool 44 can be easily screwed into the screw hole 52 at the time of contraction. Further, the upper shaft 43 can be fixed to the lower shaft 42 by the fixing tool 44.

  Further, when the rotary pod shelf 11 is changed from the contracted state to the extended state, the fixing tool 44 is removed from the screw hole 52 at the time of contraction, and then the upper shaft 43 is raised to move the sliding pin 51. Is slid relatively downward along the long vertical portion 45a.

  After the sliding pin 51 reaches the lower end of the long vertical portion 45a, the upper shaft 43 is rotated clockwise, and the sliding pin 51 is moved relatively counterclockwise along the horizontal portion 45b. Slide. Next, the upper shaft 43 is lowered, and the sliding pin 51 is slid relatively upward along the short vertical portion 45c.

  The sliding pin 51 abuts on the upper end of the short vertical portion 45c, whereby the position in the height direction when the upper shaft 43 is extended is determined, and the position in the height direction is determined by the weight of the upper shaft 43. Is determined. Further, since the width of the short vertical portion 45c is only slightly larger than the diameter of the sliding pin 51, the rotation of the upper shaft 43 is restricted, and the position of the upper shaft 43 in the rotational direction is also determined. .

  Further, when the rotary pod shelf 11 is in the extended state, the fitting portion 46 and the fitting portion 48 are fitted as shown in FIG. The shaft 43 and the lower shaft 42 are automatically aligned.

  At this time, the sliding pin 51 contacts the upper end of the short vertical portion 45c, so that the positions of the insertion hole 47 and the screw hole 49 at the time of extension coincide with each other, and the weight of the upper shaft 43 is Since it is supported by the sliding pin 51, the operator does not need to support the weight of the upper shaft 43, and the fixing tool 44 can be easily screwed into the screw hole 49 at the time of extension. Further, the upper shaft 43 can be fixed to the lower shaft 42 by the fixing tool 44.

  Further, when changing from the contracted state to the extended state, or when changing from the extended state to the contracted state, the outer peripheral surface of the lower shaft 42 and the upper shaft 43 are changed as shown in FIG. A gap is formed between the upper shaft 43 and the upper shaft 43 can be easily expanded and contracted.

  Further, in both the contracted state and the extended state, the sliding pins 51 provided at three locations are respectively brought into contact with the upper ends of the long vertical portion 45a or the short vertical portion 45c. The level of the uppermost shelf 13a fixed to the upper end of the upper shaft 43 can be easily obtained.

  In the first embodiment, when the diameter of the upper shaft 43 is larger than the diameter of the lower shaft 42, a plurality of pods 9 are placed on the uppermost shelf 13 a and rotated. In this case, sufficient bending rigidity and torsional rigidity can be obtained, and bending and breakage of the support column 12 can be prevented.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the portion of the support column 12 between the uppermost shelf 13a and the second shelf 13b from the top is the double-pipe expansion / contraction part 41. Since the structure can be extended and contracted, the height of the rotary pod shelf 11 can be reduced without removing the uppermost shelf 13a and can be loaded into a container for transportation.

  Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the uppermost shelf 13a at the time of transportation, packing the removed uppermost shelf 13a, or reattaching the uppermost shelf 13a at the delivery destination. The number of man-hours required for mounting and dismounting can be reduced, the working time and labor can be reduced, and it is possible to eliminate the extra transportation costs and packing material costs due to the removed uppermost shelf 13a. In addition, costs for work, packing, transportation, etc. can be reduced.

  Furthermore, since the rotary pod shelf 11 can be extended and contracted by a simple operation, one operator can safely perform the operation, and no lifter or jig is required, so that the operation cost can be reduced.

  In the first embodiment, the structure is such that only the space between the uppermost shelf 13a of the support column 12 and the second shelf from the top 13b can be expanded and contracted. A structure in which one or both of the shelf board 13b and the third shelf board 13c from the top, and one or both of the third shelf board 13c and the bottom shelf board 13d from the top can be extended and contracted is also possible. Good.

  In the first embodiment, the sliding groove 45 and the sliding pin 51 are provided at three places. However, the sliding groove 45 and the sliding pin 51 may be provided at four places or more. Needless to say.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the rotary pod shelf 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. 7A and 7B, the same components as those in FIGS. 3A and 3B are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the portion of the support column 12 between the uppermost shelf 13a and the second shelf 13b from above is a cylindrical portion 12a, and the second shelf 13b from above and from above. The portion between the third shelf 13c is a cylindrical portion 12b. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 12a is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 12b, and the cylindrical portion 12a is slidably fitted into the cylindrical portion 12b.

  Above the lower end of the cylindrical portion 12a, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped locking piece 53 protruding in the radial direction from the circumferential surface is provided at predetermined intervals, for example, three locations in the circumferential direction, and the cylindrical portion 12a. The length from the axial center to the tip of the locking piece 53 is longer than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 12b.

  Further, insertion grooves 54 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 12b at the same number and the same interval as the locking pieces 53. The insertion groove 54 is engraved over the entire length in parallel to the axis in the height direction of the cylindrical portion 12b, and the insertion groove 54 has a size that allows the locking piece 53 to slide freely. .

  When the rotary pod shelf 11 is in the extended state, the cylindrical portion is fixed by a fixing tool (not shown) such as a bolt with the lower surface of the locking piece 53 in contact with the upper end surface of the cylindrical portion 12b. 12a and the cylindrical portion 12b are fixed.

  When the rotary pod shelf 11 is changed from the extended state to the contracted state, the fixing tool is removed from the columnar portion 12a and the cylindrical portion 12b, and the positions of the locking piece 53 and the insertion groove 54 match. The cylindrical portion 12a is rotated so as to do this. Thereafter, the locking piece 53 is lowered through the insertion groove 54 by lowering until the lower surface of the uppermost shelf 13a comes into contact with the upper surface of the second shelf 13b. All the cylindrical portions 12a are accommodated in the cylindrical portion 12b. Finally, the rotary pod shelf 11 is fixed in a contracted state by fixing the cylindrical portion 12a and the cylindrical portion 12b with the fixing tool.

  When the rotary pod shelf 11 is changed from the contracted state to the extended state, work is performed in the reverse order. At this time, since the insertion groove 54 is engraved on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 12b over the entire length in the height direction, it plays the role of a guide groove with respect to the cylindrical portion 12a, and from the contracted state to the extended state. Can be easily changed.

  Further, in the rotary pod shelf 11 of the second embodiment, since the column portion 12a of the support column 12 can be stored in the cylindrical portion 12b, the height of the rotary pod shelf 11 is increased. Can be further reduced.

  In the second embodiment, the insertion groove 54 is engraved over the entire length of the cylindrical portion 12b, but a small diameter portion is formed only at the upper end portion of the cylindrical portion 12b. A notch through which the locking piece 53 can be inserted may be provided. Further, a stepped process may be applied to the cylindrical portion 12a so that the height of the rotary pod shelf 11 can be expanded and contracted stepwise.

(Appendix)
The present invention includes the following embodiments.

  (Supplementary Note 1) A substrate transport container for storing a plurality of substrates, a substrate transport container transport device for transporting the substrate transport container, and a plurality of substrate transport containers transported by the substrate transport container transport device are stored. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transport container storage shelf, wherein the substrate transport container storage shelf is extendable in a height direction.

  (Additional remark 2) The said board | substrate conveyance container storage shelf is comprised by the support | pillar and the some shelf provided rotatably about this support | pillar, and the said support | pillar is fixed to the lower surface of the upper shelf board, The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has a double tube structure including a lower shaft extending upward from a lower shelf plate, and the upper shaft is slidably fitted to the lower shaft.

  (Supplementary note 3) A predetermined number of sliding pins project from the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the lower shaft at a predetermined interval, and the upper shaft has a substantially L-shaped sliding groove at the same number and the same interval as the sliding pin. The sliding pin slides in the sliding groove, and the sliding pin extends at the upper end and the horizontal end of the sliding groove when the substrate transfer container storage shelf is extended and contracted, respectively. The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 2, which is positioned at

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing apparatus 9 Pod 11 Rotating pod shelf 12 Support | pillar 13 Shelf board 15 Pod transfer device 21 Wafer 28 Boat 31 Processing furnace 41 Expansion / contraction part 42 Lower shaft 43 Upper shaft 45 Sliding groove 46 Fitting part 48 Fitting part 51 Sliding Moving pin 53 Locking piece 54 Insertion groove

Claims (5)

Comprising a substrate transport container transfer device for transferring the substrate transport container in which a plurality of substrates are accommodated, and a substrate transport container storage shelves in which a plurality of substrate transport containers transported by the substrate transport container transport apparatus is stored ,
The substrate transport container storage shelf includes a support column and a shelf plate rotatably provided around the support column, the support column being fixed to the lower surface of the upper shelf plate, and the lower shelf plate. A substrate processing apparatus having a double tube structure including a lower shaft extending upward from the upper shaft, wherein the upper shaft is slidably fitted to the lower shaft .   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper shaft is provided with a sliding groove in a circumferential direction.   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lower shaft is provided with a sliding pin that is slidably inserted into the sliding groove.   The sliding groove has a long vertical portion parallel to the axis of the upper shaft, and a horizontal portion extending from the lower end of the long vertical portion in the counterclockwise direction on the peripheral surface of the upper shaft. The substrate processing apparatus of Claim 2 or Claim 3. Stores a substrate transfer container that stores a plurality of substrates, and has a double tube structure including an upper shaft fixed to the lower surface of the upper shelf plate and a lower shaft extending upward from the lower shelf plate. And the upper shaft removes the substrate transport container from a substrate transport container storage shelf composed of a support column slidably fitted to the lower shaft and a shelf plate rotatably provided around the support shaft. A conveying step;
Removing the substrate from the transported substrate transport container and loading it onto a substrate holder;
Carrying the substrate holder into a processing furnace and performing substrate processing;
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

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