JP6685445B2 - Substrate aligning apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, substrate aligning method, substrate processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a substrate alignment apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate alignment method, and a substrate processing method used when processing a plurality of substrates in a state of being aligned with a space therebetween.

  When manufacturing semiconductor components and the like, a substrate processing apparatus is used to perform various processes such as etching and cleaning on substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates.

  In the substrate processing apparatus, transportation and liquid processing are performed in a state where a plurality of substrates are aligned at intervals.

  For example, in the substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a substrate is housed in a carrier and conveyed. A plurality of (for example, 25) substrates are accommodated horizontally in the carrier with an interval vertically provided. In the substrate processing apparatus, a plurality of substrates housed in a carrier are received by a transfer device in two batches and are transferred to a mounting table. As a result, on the mounting table, a lot for batch processing is formed by a plurality of substrates (for example, 50 substrates) received in two batches. Further, in the substrate processing apparatus, a plurality of substrates forming a lot are transferred to the liquid processing apparatus using the transfer device. The substrates collectively processed by the liquid processing apparatus are stored in the carrier from the liquid processing apparatus via the mounting table using the transfer device.

  In the transfer device of the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate supports for supporting the substrates one by one are arranged at intervals like the plurality of substrates. In the transfer device, each substrate support is inserted between a plurality of substrates arranged at intervals, and the plurality of substrates are simultaneously transferred (received and delivered) by the plurality of substrate supports.

JP, 2005-56631, A

  However, the substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus may be deformed from a flat state to a state where the substrate is partially warped or warped down in the course of various treatments.

  If the substrate in such a warped state is arranged, the substrate and the substrate support may come into contact with each other when the substrate is received by the substrate support, and the substrate may not be properly received.

Therefore, in the present invention, there is provided a substrate aligning apparatus or a substrate aligning method for aligning a plurality of substrates, wherein the substrates are rotated to align a reference position, and the outer circumference of the substrate is determined based on a deformation state of the substrate measured in advance. The plurality of substrates are aligned by aligning the reference positions so that the substrate receiving device can receive the substrate at a position different from the position where the substrate is partially warped and the position where the substrate is warped downward. ..

Further, in the present invention, the reference position is the position of the notch of the substrate.

In the present invention, a plurality of substrates arranged by the substrate arranging device or the substrate arranging method are collectively processed.

  According to the present invention, even if the substrate is warped, the substrate can be favorably received by the substrate support, and the substrate can be favorably processed.

Plane explanatory drawing which shows a substrate processing system. Explanatory drawing which shows a board | substrate process. The plane explanatory view (a) showing the receipt of a substrate, and the side explanatory view (b). Explanatory drawing which shows the warp state of a board | substrate. Explanatory drawing which shows the measurement result of the curvature state of a board | substrate. The plane explanatory view showing receipt of a substrate.

  Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the substrate processing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing system 1 includes a carrier loading / unloading unit 2, a lot forming unit 3, a lot placing unit 4, a lot transporting unit 5, a lot processing unit 6, and a control unit 7.

  The carrier loading / unloading unit 2 loads and unloads a carrier 9 in which a plurality of (for example, 25) substrates (silicon wafers) 8 are vertically arranged in a horizontal posture.

  In the carrier loading / unloading section 2, a carrier stage 10 on which a plurality of carriers 9 are placed, a carrier carrying mechanism 11 for carrying the carriers 9, carrier stocks 12, 13 for temporarily storing the carriers 9, A carrier mounting table 14 on which the carrier 9 is mounted is provided. Here, the carrier stock 12 is temporarily stored before the substrate 8 to be a product is processed by the lot processing unit 6. In addition, the carrier stock 13 is temporarily stored after the substrate 8 to be a product is processed by the lot processing unit 6.

  Then, the carrier loading / unloading unit 2 carries the carrier 9 carried into the carrier stage 10 from the outside to the carrier stock 12 or the carrier mounting table 14 by using the carrier carrying mechanism 11. Further, the carrier loading / unloading section 2 carries the carrier 9 placed on the carrier placing table 14 to the carrier stock 13 or the carrier stage 10 by using the carrier carrying mechanism 11. The carrier 9 carried to the carrier stage 10 is carried out to the outside.

  The lot forming unit 3 combines the substrates 8 accommodated in one or a plurality of carriers 9 to form a lot composed of a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates 8 to be simultaneously processed. When forming a lot, the lot may be formed so that the surfaces of the substrate 8 on which the pattern is formed face each other, and the surface of the substrate 8 on which the pattern is formed may be The lots may be formed so that they all face one side.

  The lot forming unit 3 is provided with a substrate transfer mechanism 15 that transfers a plurality of substrates 8 and a wafer aligner 16 that rotates the substrates 8 to align and align reference positions (for example, notch positions). Has been. The substrate transport mechanism 15 can change the posture of the substrate 8 from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture and from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture during the transportation of the substrate 8.

  Then, the lot forming unit 3 conveys the substrate 8 from the carrier 9 placed on the carrier placing table 14 to the lot placing unit 4 by using the substrate carrying mechanism 15, and the lot placing unit 4 collectively processes the substrate 8. Form a lot. Further, the lot forming section 3 uses the substrate transfer mechanism 15 to transfer the substrate 8 forming the lot placed on the lot placing section 4 to the carrier 9 placed on the carrier placing table 14. In the lot forming unit 3, the substrates 8 are aligned by using the wafer aligner 16 during the transportation of the substrates 8 from the carrier mounting table 14 to the lot mounting unit 4 as needed. The substrate transfer mechanism 15 may be, for example, a pre-process substrate support unit that supports the pre-process substrate 8 (before being transferred by the lot transfer unit 5) as a substrate support unit that supports a plurality of substrates 8. There are two types of post-processing substrate support portions that support the substrate 8 after processing (after being transported by the lot transport portion 5). This prevents particles and the like attached to the unprocessed substrate 8 and the like from transferring to the processed substrate 8 and the like. Further, the substrate transport mechanism 15 is not limited to this, and one type of substrate supporting unit may support the unprocessed substrate 8 and the processed substrate 8.

  The lot placement unit 4 temporarily places (standby) the lot transported by the lot transport unit 5 between the lot formation unit 3 and the lot processing unit 6.

  Into the lot placing section 4, there are a loading side lot placing table 17 on which a lot before processing (before being conveyed by the lot conveying section 5) and a post-processing (after being conveyed by the lot conveying section 5). An unloading side lot placing table 18 on which lots are placed is provided. On the loading-side lot loading table 17 and the unloading-side lot loading table 18, a plurality of substrates 8 for one lot are placed side by side in a vertical posture. On the loading-side lot placing table 17 and the unloading-side lot placing table 18, a plurality of substrates 8 forming a lot are placed at a half interval of the state of being accommodated in the carrier 9.

  Then, in the lot placement unit 4, the lot formed by the lot formation unit 3 is placed on the loading-side lot placement table 17, and the lot is loaded into the lot processing unit 6 via the lot transport unit 5. Further, in the lot placing section 4, the lot carried out from the lot processing section 6 via the lot carrying section 5 is placed on the carry-out side lot placing table 18, and the lot is carried to the lot forming section 3.

  The lot transfer unit 5 transfers a lot between the lot placement unit 4 and the lot processing unit 6 or between the lot processing units 6.

  The lot transfer unit 5 is provided with a lot transfer mechanism 19 that transfers a lot. The lot transfer mechanism 19 is composed of a rail 20 arranged along the lot placing section 4 and the lot processing section 6, and a moving body 21 that moves along the rail 20 while holding a plurality of substrates 8. The movable body 21 is provided with a substrate holder 22 that holds a plurality of substrates 8 lined up in front and behind in a vertical posture so as to be movable back and forth.

  Then, the lot transport unit 5 receives the lot placed on the loading-side lot placement table 17 by the substrate holder 22 of the lot transport mechanism 19, and delivers the lot to the lot processing unit 6. In addition, the lot transfer unit 5 receives the lot processed by the lot processing unit 6 by the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19 and transfers the lot to the unload-side lot mounting table 18. Further, the lot transfer unit 5 uses the lot transfer mechanism 19 to transfer the lot inside the lot processing unit 6.

  The lot processing unit 6 treats a plurality of substrates 8 lined up and down in a vertical posture as one lot for etching, cleaning, and drying.

  The lot processing unit 6 includes a drying processing device 23 that performs a drying process of the substrate 8, a substrate holding body cleaning processing device 24 that performs a cleaning process of the substrate holding body 22, and a cleaning processing device 25 that performs a cleaning process of the substrate 8. And two etching processing devices 26 for etching the substrate 8 are provided side by side.

  In the drying processing apparatus 23, a substrate elevating mechanism 28 is provided in a processing tank 27 so as to be vertically movable. A processing gas for drying (IPA (isopropyl alcohol) or the like) is supplied to the processing tank 27. The substrate elevating mechanism 28 holds a plurality of substrates 8 for one lot side by side in a vertical posture. The drying processing device 23 receives the lot from the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19 by the substrate elevating mechanism 28, and elevates and lowers the lot by the substrate elevating mechanism 28, thereby using the processing gas for drying supplied to the processing tank 27. The substrate 8 is dried. Further, the drying processing device 23 transfers the lot from the substrate elevating mechanism 28 to the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19.

  The substrate holder cleaning processing apparatus 24 is configured to be capable of supplying a processing liquid for cleaning and a drying gas to the processing tank 29, and after supplying the processing liquid for cleaning to the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19, The substrate holder 22 is cleaned by supplying a dry gas.

  The cleaning processing apparatus 25 has a cleaning processing tank 30 and a rinsing processing tank 31, and substrate lifting mechanisms 32 and 33 are provided in the processing tanks 30 and 31 so as to be vertically movable. In the cleaning treatment tank 30, a cleaning treatment liquid (SC-1 etc.) is stored. The rinse treatment bath 31 stores a rinse treatment liquid (pure water or the like).

  The etching processing apparatus 26 has a processing tank 34 for etching and a processing tank 35 for rinsing, and substrate elevating mechanisms 36, 37 are provided in the respective processing tanks 34, 35 so as to be vertically movable. A processing liquid for etching (phosphoric acid aqueous solution) is stored in the processing bath for etching 34. A rinsing treatment bath (pure water or the like) is stored in the rinsing treatment tank 35.

  The cleaning processing device 25 and the etching processing device 26 have the same configuration. Explaining the etching processing apparatus 26, a plurality of substrates 8 for one lot are held side by side in a vertical posture side by side in the substrate elevating mechanisms 36, 37. The etching processing apparatus 26 receives the lot from the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19 by the substrate elevating mechanism 36, and moves the lot up and down by the substrate elevating mechanism 36 so that the lot is immersed in the processing solution for etching in the processing tank 34. Then, the substrate 8 is etched. After that, the etching processing apparatus 26 transfers the lot from the substrate elevating mechanism 36 to the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19. In addition, the etching processing apparatus 26 receives the lot from the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19 by the substrate elevating mechanism 37, and elevates the lot by the substrate elevating mechanism 37 to move the lot to the treatment liquid for rinsing the treatment tank 35. And the substrate 8 is rinsed. After that, the etching processing device 26 transfers the lot from the substrate elevating mechanism 37 to the substrate holder 22 of the lot transfer mechanism 19.

  The control unit 7 controls the operation of each unit of the substrate processing system 1 (the carrier loading / unloading unit 2, the lot forming unit 3, the lot placing unit 4, the lot transporting unit 5, the lot processing unit 6, and the like).

  The control unit 7 is, for example, a computer, and includes a computer-readable storage medium 38. The storage medium 38 stores programs that control various processes executed in the substrate processing system 1. The control unit 7 controls the operation of the substrate processing system 1 by reading and executing the program stored in the storage medium 38. The program may be stored in the computer-readable storage medium 38, and may be installed in the storage medium 38 of the control unit 7 from another storage medium. Examples of the computer-readable storage medium 38 include a hard disk (HD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magnet optical disk (MO), and a memory card.

  The substrate processing system 1 is configured as described above, and is controlled by the control unit 7 to process the substrate 8 as described below.

  First, the substrate processing system 1 forms a lot for batch liquid processing and the like (lot forming step).

  In this lot forming process, the substrate processing system 1 uses the carrier transfer mechanism 11 in the carrier loading / unloading unit 2 to load the carrier 9 containing a plurality of (for example, 25) substrates 8 into the carrier stage 10 or the carrier stock 12. The carrier is loaded into the carrier mounting table 14 (carrier loading step S1).

  Then, the substrate processing system 1 uses the substrate transfer mechanism 15 in the lot forming section 3 to receive the plurality of substrates 8 accommodated in the carrier 9 and transfer them to the wafer aligner 16 (substrate receiving step S2).

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 aligns the plurality of substrates 8 using the wafer aligner 16 (substrate aligning step S3).

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 receives the plurality of substrates 8 from the wafer aligner 16 by using the substrate transfer mechanism 15 and transfers them to the loading-side lot mounting table 17 (substrate transfer step S4).

  The substrate processing system 1 has the same carrier loading step S5, substrate receiving step S6, substrate aligning step S7, and substrate passing step with respect to a plurality of (eg, 25) substrates 8 housed in different carriers 9 as described above. Do S8. The plurality of substrates 8 delivered in the second substrate delivery step S8 are inserted between the plurality of substrates 8 delivered in the first substrate delivery step S4. As a result, a lot to be collectively processed is formed on the loading-side lot mounting table 17 of the lot mounting unit 4 by a plurality of (e.g., 50) substrates 8 conveyed in two batches. On the loading-side lot placement table 17, a plurality of substrates 8 forming a lot are placed at half the intervals of the state of being accommodated in the carrier 9. It should be noted that a lot may be formed with the substrates 8 accommodated in one carrier 9 without performing the second carrier loading step S5 to substrate delivery step S8, and the carrier loading step S5 to substrate delivery step S8 may be performed a plurality of times. The lot may be formed by the substrates 8 accommodated in the plurality of carriers 9 by repeating the process. Alternatively, the substrate 8 may be directly transferred from the carrier mounting table 14 to the loading-side lot mounting table 17 by the substrate transfer mechanism 15 without performing the substrate alignment steps S3 and S7. The substrate 8 is placed on the loading-side lot placement table 17 with its posture changed from the horizontal posture housed in the carrier 9 to the vertical posture.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 uses the lot transfer mechanism 5 in the lot transfer unit 5 to form a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates 8 from the loading-side lot mounting table 17 of the lot mounting unit 4 into lots. It is carried into the etching processing apparatus 26 of the processing unit 6 (lot carrying-in step S9). The lot is carried into the substrate elevating mechanism 36 of the etching processing apparatus 26.

  Next, the substrate processing system 1 collectively processes a plurality of substrates 8 forming a lot (lot processing step).

  In this lot processing step, the substrate processing system 1 performs etching processing on the substrates 8 forming a lot (etching processing step S10). In this etching processing step S10, the substrate elevating mechanism 36 of the etching processing device 26 is lowered and raised after a lapse of a predetermined time, and the lot is immersed in the etching processing liquid stored in the processing bath 34.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 transfers the lot between the processing tanks 34 and 35 of the etching processing apparatus 26 (inter-tank transfer step S11). In the inter-bath transfer step S11, the lot held by the substrate elevating mechanism 36 of the etching processing tank 34 is transferred to the substrate elevating mechanism 37 of the rinse processing tank 35 by using the lot transfer mechanism 19.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 performs the rinse process on the substrates 8 forming the lot (rinse process step S12). In this rinse processing step S12, the substrate elevating mechanism 37 of the etching processing apparatus 26 is lowered and raised after a lapse of a predetermined time, and the lot is immersed in the rinse treatment liquid stored in the treatment bath 35.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 transfers the lot between the etching processing apparatus 26 and the cleaning processing apparatus 25 (inter-apparatus transfer step S13). In this inter-apparatus transfer step S13, the lot held by the substrate lift mechanism 37 of the etching processing apparatus 26 is transferred to the substrate lift mechanism 32 of the cleaning processing apparatus 25 using the lot transfer mechanism 19.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 performs a cleaning process on the substrates 8 forming the lot (cleaning process step S14). In this cleaning processing step S14, the substrate elevating mechanism 32 of the cleaning processing device 25 is lowered and raised after a lapse of a predetermined time, and the lot is immersed in the cleaning processing liquid stored in the processing tank 30.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 transfers the lot between the processing tanks 30 and 31 of the cleaning processing apparatus 25 (inter-tank transfer step S15). In the inter-tank transfer step S15, the lot held by the substrate elevating mechanism 32 of the cleaning processing tank 30 is transferred to the substrate elevating mechanism 33 of the rinse processing tank 31 using the lot transfer mechanism 19.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 rinses the substrates 8 forming the lot (rinsing process S16). In this rinse processing step S16, the substrate elevating mechanism 33 of the cleaning processing apparatus 25 is lowered and raised after a lapse of a predetermined time, and the lot is immersed in the rinse treatment liquid stored in the treatment bath 31.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 transfers the lot between the cleaning processing device 25 and the drying processing device 23 (inter-device transfer step S17). In this inter-apparatus transfer step S17, the lot held by the substrate elevating mechanism 33 of the cleaning processing apparatus 25 is conveyed to the substrate elevating mechanism 28 of the drying processing apparatus 23 by using the lot conveying mechanism 19.

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 performs a drying process on the substrates 8 forming the lot (drying process S18). In the drying processing step S18, the substrate elevating mechanism 28 of the drying processing device 23 is lowered and raised after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the processing gas for drying is supplied to the lot in the processing tank 27.

  Thus, in the substrate processing system 1, a plurality of substrates 8 forming a lot are collectively subjected to the etching process to the drying process at the same time.

  Next, the substrate processing system 1 stores the substrate 8 forming the lot in the carrier 9 (carrier storing step).

  In this carrier accommodating step, the substrate processing system 1 uses the lot transfer mechanism 19 in the lot transfer section 5 to carry out the substrate 8 forming a lot from the drying processing device 23 to the carry-out side lot mounting table 18 (lot carry-out step S19). ).

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 receives a plurality of (for example, 25) substrates 8 from the carry-out side lot mounting table 18 using the substrate transfer mechanism 15 (substrate receiving step S20).

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 uses the substrate transfer mechanism 15 to transfer the plurality of substrates 8 to the carrier 9 mounted on the carrier mounting table 14 (substrate transfer step S21).

  After that, the substrate processing system 1 carries out the carrier 9 from the carrier mounting table 14 to the carrier stage 10 or the carrier stock 13 by using the carrier carrying mechanism 11 in the carrier carrying-in / out unit 2 (carrier carrying-out step S22).

  The substrate processing system 1 performs the substrate receiving step S23, the substrate delivering step S24, and the carrier unloading step S25 similar to the above on the remaining plurality (for example, 25) of substrates 8. Thereby, a plurality of (for example, 50) substrates 8 forming a lot are separately stored in two carriers 9 (for example, 25). The substrates 8 may be accommodated in one carrier 9 without performing the second substrate receiving step S23 to the carrier unloading step S25. By repeating the substrate receiving step S23 to the carrier unloading step S25 multiple times. The substrate 8 may be separately housed in a plurality of carriers 9. The substrate 8 is accommodated in the carrier 9 with its posture changed from the vertical posture placed on the unloading side lot placing table 18 to the horizontal posture.

  As described above, in the substrate processing system 1, the plurality of substrates 8 are aligned, the plurality of substrates 8 are simultaneously conveyed (received, delivered), and the plurality of substrates are simultaneously processed.

  As schematically shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of substrates 8 are aligned in parallel at a predetermined interval (T), and are accommodated in the carrier 9 in a horizontal posture with vertical intervals, and the loading side lot. The placing table 17 and the unloading side lot placing table 18 are placed in a vertical posture with a front-rear interval. On the other hand, the substrate transport mechanism 15 that transports the substrate 8 between the carrier 9 and the loading-side lot loading table 17 or the unloading-side lot loading table 18 is arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval (t (t = T)). A plurality of (for example, 25) substrate supports 39 arranged are provided. Then, the substrate transfer mechanism 15 linearly moves the plurality of substrate supports 39 along the substrate 8 (generally parallel to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate 8) from the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the central portion of the substrate 8. The respective substrate supports 39 are inserted from the gaps between the substrates 8 toward the central portion of the substrates 8 by moving the substrate supports 39 by moving the substrates. The board 8 is supported by the board support 39 by moving the board support 39 after insertion toward the board 8 (in a direction orthogonal to the front surface or the back surface of the board 8).

  In the substrate 8 arranged in this way, when the substrate 8 is flat, the interval T is maintained constant, and the substrate holder 39 is smoothly interposed between the substrates 8 without colliding with the substrate 8. Can be inserted into.

  However, not all the substrates 8 always remain flat. In the process of the substrate processing system 1 and the process before being carried into the substrate processing system 1, the substrate 8 is partially (locally) warped or warped from a flat state in the course of various processes. Transforms into. Conventionally, there are many substrates 8 that are deformed into a substantially bowl-shaped curved surface in which the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 is warped up (curved down). In addition, when the substrate 8 is subjected to a three-dimensional stacking that has recently been performed in 3D NAND formation or the like, the substrate 8 is partially (locally) along the outer peripheral edge as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It was newly confirmed that the positions A and C that warped upward and the positions B and D that warped downward were deformed into a substantially saddle-shaped curved surface formed symmetrically. In this substrate 8, as indicated by a dashed-dotted line in FIG. 4, the substrate 8 is gradually warped upward (toward the surface) from the center of the substrate 8 toward the positions A and C, and the two-dot chain line in FIG. As shown by contour lines in FIG. 3, the substrate 8 is gradually warped downward from the center of the substrate 8 toward the positions B and D (back surface side), and is deformed into a saddle shape as a whole. In this substrate 8, for example, the position where the notch 40 is formed is warped down. When the height (warp amount) of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 is measured in the circumferential direction from the position of the notch 40 along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8, the position D (angle θ = 0 degree) is obtained as shown in FIG. From the position A (θ = 90 degrees) to the position A (θ = 90 degrees) and from the position A (angle θ = 90 degrees) to the position B (θ = 180 degrees). Is gradually warped down, partially (locally) at position B, gradually warped from position B (angle θ = 180 degrees) toward position C (θ = 270 degrees), and partially at position C. (Locally) warp, gradually warp from position C (angle θ = 270 degrees) toward position D (θ = 360 degrees (0 degrees)), and partially (locally) warp at position D . Since the substrates 8 are processed with the notches 40 aligned and aligned when collectively processed in a lot, all the substrates 8 forming a lot warp with the same tendency (shape) based on the notches 40. It was confirmed (deformed).

  The substrate 8 in such a warped state may have the following problems. For example, when a plurality of (horizontal) portions of the substrate 9 are warped in the inside of the carrier 9 along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 toward the substrate support 39 side, the plurality of substrates are aligned in a horizontal posture with vertical intervals. Causes a large decrease in the portion where the position B is partially (locally) warped down along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8, and the substrate support 39 is inserted when the substrate 8 is received by the substrate support 39. Then, the substrate 8 and the substrate support 39 contact (collide) with each other, and the substrate 8 cannot be received well. Further, for example, the substrate 8 is moved back and forth with the position B, which is partially (locally) warped down along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 on the loading side lot mounting table 17 or the unloading side lot mounting table 18, facing upward. When a plurality of substrates are aligned in the vertical posture at intervals, a large inclination occurs in the substrate 8 in the vertical posture. If the substrate 8 is received by the substrate support 39 in this state, the substrate 8 and the substrate support 39 contact (collide) with each other, and the substrate 8 cannot be received well. Further, at the time of forming the lot, the plurality of substrates 8 forming the lot are aligned at a half interval (T / 2) of the state of being accommodated in the carrier 9, so that the substrates 8 come into contact (collide) with each other. As a result, the substrate 8 is damaged. In particular, when the lots are formed such that the surfaces of the substrates 8 on which the patterns are formed face each other during the formation of the lots, the (contact) collisions between the substrates 8 remarkably occur. The above-mentioned problem is not limited to the case where a plurality of warped substrates 8 are arranged side by side and may occur even in the case of one substrate 8.

  Therefore, in the substrate transfer mechanism 15 of the substrate processing system 1, as shown in FIG. 6, positions A and C that are partially (locally) raised along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 and positions B that are downwardly warped are shown. The substrate support 39 is inserted from a position different from D toward the center of the substrate 8. The position where the substrate support 39 is inserted may be any position different from the positions A and C which are partially (locally) warped and the positions B and D which are warped downward along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8. However, a position between the positions A and C that are partially (locally) warped up and the positions B and D that are warped down along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 (preferably in the middle) is preferable.

  Therefore, in the substrate processing system 1, in the substrate aligning steps S3 and S7, the wafer aligner 16 is used to partially warp the positions A and C along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 and the warped and lowered positions B and D. The substrate support 39 is inserted from different positions toward the central portion of the substrates 8 to align the plurality of substrates 8 so as to receive the substrates 8. For example, the deformation state along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 is measured as shown in FIG. 5, the partially warped positions A and C and the partially warped positions B and D are detected, and the intermediate position between them is detected. The substrates 8 are rotated one by one so as to be aligned so that the position is the insertion position of the substrate support 39. The measurement of the deformed state of the substrate 8 may be performed inside the substrate processing system 1, or may be performed in advance before being transferred to the substrate processing system 1. Further, since the plurality of substrates 8 processed at the same time tend to be similarly deformed, only one deformed state of the substrate 8 is measured, and the remaining substrates 8 are aligned with the notches 40 aligned. You can leave it alone. Further, it is not limited to the case where the substrates 8 are aligned inside the substrate processing system 1, and the substrates 8 are previously aligned by the wafer aligner 16a (see FIG. 1) outside the substrate processing system 1 and accommodated in the carrier 9. It may be loaded into the substrate processing system 1.

  As a result, in the substrate processing system 1, in the substrate transfer mechanism 15, the positions A and C that are partially (locally) warped up along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 and the positions B and D that are warped down are different from each other. The substrate support 39 is inserted from the direction toward the center of the substrate 8 to receive the substrate 8. Further, the substrate 8 is aligned with the positions A and C that are partially warped or the positions B and D that are warped downward along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 8 in the dry processing device 23, the cleaning processing device 25, and the etching processing device 26. Is processed in the specified state.

  Therefore, in the substrate processing system 1, even if the plurality of substrates 8 aligned at intervals are warped, contact between the substrate 8 and the substrate support 39 or contact between the substrates 8 can be avoided. Therefore, the substrates 8 can be satisfactorily received by the substrate support 39, and a plurality of substrates 8 can be collectively processed satisfactorily.

  In the substrate processing system 1, a plurality of (for example, 25) substrate supports 39 are provided, and the substrate transfer mechanism 15 moves the plurality of substrate supports 39 from the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the central portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the substrate transfer mechanism 15 moves at least one substrate support 39 of the plurality of substrate supports 39 from the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the central portion. Alternatively, only one substrate support 39 may be provided and the substrate support 39 may be moved from the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the central portion.

  In the substrate processing system 1, the wafer aligner 16 or the wafer aligner 16a corresponds to the substrate aligning apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate transfer mechanism 15 corresponds to the substrate receiving apparatus according to the present invention, and the drying processing apparatus 23. The cleaning processing apparatus 25 and the etching processing apparatus 26 correspond to the substrate liquid processing apparatus according to the present invention.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the substrate 8 deformed into a substantially saddle-shaped curved surface in which the position where the part is partially warped and the position where the part is warped is repeatedly formed along the outer peripheral edge, It can be applied to any substrate that has been deformed so that a partially warped position and a partially warped position are formed.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the batch type processing apparatus for collectively processing a plurality of substrates 8 but can be applied to a single wafer processing apparatus such as a spin processing apparatus for processing the substrates 8 one by one.

1 Substrate processing system 8 Substrate
39 Substrate support

Claims (6)

A substrate aligning device for aligning a plurality of substrates, comprising:
The substrate aligning device rotates the substrates to align a reference position,
Based on the deformation state of the substrate measured in advance, the substrate receiving device can receive the substrate at a position different from the position where the substrate is partially warped and the position where the substrate is warped downward along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate. A substrate aligning device, wherein the plurality of substrates are aligned at the same positions.   The substrate alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference position is a position of a notch of the substrate. A substrate alignment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2;
A substrate receiving device for receiving a plurality of substrates aligned by the substrate aligning device;
Have
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the plurality of substrates are collectively processed. A substrate alignment method for aligning a plurality of substrates, comprising:
Rotating the plurality of substrates one by one to align the reference positions,
Based on the deformation state of the substrate measured in advance, the substrate receiving device can receive the substrate at a position different from the position where the substrate is partially warped and the position where the substrate is warped downward along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate. Aligning the plurality of substrates at the same position,
A method for aligning substrates, comprising:   The substrate alignment method according to claim 4, wherein the reference position is a position of a notch of the substrate. A substrate processing method comprising: collectively processing a plurality of substrates aligned by the substrate alignment method according to claim 4 or 5.

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