JP6994424B2 - Substrate processing equipment, substrate processing method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a storage medium.

In the heat treatment in which the substrate is heated by a hot plate, it is important to ensure the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface. Here, for a substrate having deformation such as warpage, it is difficult to keep the distance between the hot plate and each region of the substrate constant, and it is difficult to ensure the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface. For example, in the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a suction portion for sucking the substrate from the hot plate side is provided to correct the warp of the substrate, thereby improving the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-119337

However, even when the suction portion described above is used, it is conceivable that deformation such as warpage of the substrate cannot be sufficiently corrected. In this case, the distance between the hot plate and each region of the substrate is not constant, and the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface cannot be ensured.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface in the heat treatment.

The substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is divided into a plurality of divided pieces, and is provided corresponding to a hot plate for heating the placed substrate and the plurality of divided pieces, and raises and lowers each divided piece. It is equipped with a mechanism.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the hot plate to be heat-treated is divided into a plurality of divided pieces, and each divided piece can be raised and lowered by an elevating mechanism. As a result, for example, when the substrate has a warped shape, each divided piece can be raised and lowered according to the warp (deformation) of the substrate. As a result, even when the substrate has deformation such as warpage, the distance between each region of the substrate and the corresponding divided piece (hot plate) is adjusted to a desired distance to make the heating more uniform. This can be done, and the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface in the heat treatment can be improved.

The elevating mechanism may have an inclination adjusting mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the divided piece. By adjusting the inclination of the divided pieces, the divided pieces (hot plates) can be arranged according to the inclination and unevenness in the region of the substrate corresponding to the divided pieces, and the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface in the heat treatment can be achieved. Can be further improved.

The tilt adjusting mechanism has a first elevating part that raises and lowers a first region of one divided piece, and a second elevating part that raises and lowers a second region of the divided piece that is different from the first region. May be good. As a result, the inclination of the divided pieces can be appropriately adjusted by a simple configuration.

The first region and the second region may be arranged side by side in the direction from the center of the hot plate to the outside when the hot plate is viewed in a plan view. The substrate often has a convex warp shape from the outside toward the center when viewed in a plan view, or a concave warp shape from the outside toward the center. For this reason, the first region and the second region arranged side by side in the direction from the center to the outside can be raised and lowered, respectively, so that the substrate and the divided piece having the above-mentioned convex warp shape or concave warp shape can be used. The distance can be adjusted appropriately.

The substrate processing apparatus further includes a plurality of position detection units for detecting position information regarding the position of the substrate placed on the hot plate, and a control unit. The control unit includes each divided piece based on the position information. The elevating mechanism may be controlled so that the variation in the distance from the substrate is small. The position information of the board is detected, and the elevating mechanism is controlled so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece is small, so that the distance between each region of the board and the corresponding divided piece is surely desired. It is possible to further improve the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface in the heat treatment.

Based on the position information, the control unit determines that the mounting of the substrate on the hot plate is completed when the distance between each divided piece and the substrate is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and even if the control on the elevating mechanism is terminated. good. This makes it possible to reliably move each of the divided pieces to a position where the substrate can be appropriately heated.

At least one position detection unit is provided for one divided piece, and the control unit is provided with the position information detected by the corresponding position detection unit for each divided piece and the position corresponding to the other adjacent divided pieces. The corresponding elevating mechanism may be controlled based on the position information detected by the detection unit. For example, when the hot plate is divided so that the area of one divided piece becomes large, the position detected by the position detection unit and the position of a part of the area of the divided piece corresponding to the position detection unit. May deviate significantly. In this regard, by considering the position information detected by the position detection unit corresponding to the other adjacent divided pieces in addition to the position information detected by the corresponding position detection unit, the position of each region of the divided piece can be determined. It can be estimated with higher accuracy. As a result, the positioning of the divided pieces using the elevating mechanism can be performed with higher accuracy, and the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface during the heat treatment can be further improved.

The control unit may estimate the unevenness tendency of the substrate based on the position information in the mounting operation when the substrate is mounted on the hot plate. When mounting the substrate, it is possible to grasp information such as which part of the substrate approaches the hot plate quickly. By using such information to estimate the unevenness tendency of the substrate in advance before performing the elevation control on the divided pieces, the subsequent elevation control of the divided pieces can be smoothly performed according to the unevenness tendency of the substrate estimated in advance. Can be done. Further, since the warped shape of the substrate tends to be the same for each lot, for example, the unevenness tendency of the substrate is estimated in advance, and the same elevating control according to the tendency is prepared for each lot, so that the substrate is performed for each lot. The heat treatment can be performed smoothly.

The substrate processing device further includes a rotation mechanism for rotating the substrate or the hot plate, and the control unit is a substrate or a substrate when the unevenness of the substrate to be processed changes along the circumferential direction based on the estimated unevenness tendency. The rotation mechanism may be controlled so as to rotate the hot plate. When elevating control is performed in units of divided pieces, it is preferable that the unevenness changes as little as possible within the same divided piece. At this point, for example, when the unevenness changes along the circumferential direction, the substrate or the hot plate is rotated so that each divided piece corresponds to either the concave portion or the convex portion as much as possible. The change in unevenness within the same divided piece can be reduced, and the distance between each region of the substrate and the corresponding divided piece can be appropriately adjusted to a desired position.

In the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus, a gap is formed between the adjacent divided pieces, and the substrate processing apparatus may include an airflow suppressing member provided in the vicinity of the hot plate below the hot plate. .. By forming a gap between the adjacent divided pieces, it is possible to prevent the divided pieces from being worn or damaged when they are thermally deformed due to temperature expansion or when they rub against the adjacent divided pieces when ascending or descending. can. On the other hand, when the above-mentioned gap is formed, the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface may be impaired due to the increase in air permeability. In this respect, by providing the airflow suppressing member close to the hot plate below the hot plate, it is possible to suppress the increase in air permeability and ensure the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface.

The substrate processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing method in which a substrate is placed on a hot plate divided into a plurality of divided pieces to heat the substrate, and each divided piece is moved up and down in units of the divided pieces. , Adjust the separation distance between each divided piece and the substrate.

In the above-mentioned substrate processing method, each divided piece may be moved up and down so that the distance between each divided piece and the region of the substrate corresponding to each divided piece is within a predetermined value in consideration of the unevenness of the substrate.

The storage medium according to another aspect of the present disclosure may be a computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing the apparatus to execute the above-mentioned substrate processing method.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the temperature uniformity in the substrate surface in the heat treatment.

It is a perspective view which shows the schematic structure of the substrate processing system. It is sectional drawing which follows the line II-II in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the line III-III in FIG. It is a schematic vertical sectional view which shows an example of a heat treatment unit. It is a top view of a hot plate. It is a perspective view of the elevating mechanism. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation of the elevating mechanism. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation of the elevating mechanism. It is a figure for demonstrating the arrangement of a temperature sensor. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation of the elevating mechanism. It is a figure for demonstrating the arrangement of an elevating mechanism. It is a figure for demonstrating the estimation of the unevenness tendency of a wafer. It is a hardware configuration diagram of a controller. It is a flowchart which shows the substrate processing. It is a flowchart which shows the unevenness tendency estimation processing. It is a figure for demonstrating the heat treatment unit which concerns on a modification. It is a figure for demonstrating the heat treatment unit which concerns on a modification. It is a figure for demonstrating the heat treatment unit which concerns on a modification.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same elements or elements having the same function are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

[Board processing system]
The substrate processing system 1 is a system that forms a photosensitive film, exposes the photosensitive film, and develops the photosensitive film on the substrate. The substrate to be processed is, for example, a semiconductor wafer W. The photosensitive film is, for example, a resist film.

The substrate processing system 1 includes a coating / developing device 2 and an exposure device 3. The exposure apparatus 3 exposes the resist film formed on the wafer W. Specifically, the exposed portion of the resist film is irradiated with energy rays by a method such as immersion exposure. The coating / developing apparatus 2 performs a process of forming a resist film on the surface of the wafer W before the exposure process by the exposure apparatus 3, and performs a resist film development process after the exposure process.

(Applying / developing equipment)
Hereinafter, the configuration of the coating / developing device 2 will be described as an example of the substrate processing device. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the coating / developing apparatus 2 includes a carrier block 4, a processing block 5, an interface block 6, and a controller 100.

The carrier block 4 introduces the wafer W into the coating / developing device 2 and derives the wafer W from the coating / developing device 2. For example, the carrier block 4 can support a plurality of carriers 11 for the wafer W, and has a built-in transfer arm A1. The carrier 11 accommodates, for example, a plurality of circular wafers W. The transfer arm A1 takes out the wafer W from the carrier 11 and passes it to the processing block 5, receives the wafer W from the processing block 5, and returns the wafer W to the inside of the carrier 11.

The processing block 5 has a plurality of processing modules 14, 15, 16, and 17. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the processing modules 14, 15, 16 and 17 include a plurality of liquid processing units U1, a plurality of heat treatment units U2, and a transfer arm A3 for transporting the wafer W to these units. Built-in. The processing module 17 further incorporates a direct transfer arm A6 that transfers the wafer W without passing through the liquid processing unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2. The liquid treatment unit U1 applies the treatment liquid to the surface of the wafer W. The heat treatment unit U2 has, for example, a hot plate and a cooling plate built-in, and the wafer W is heated by the hot plate, and the heated wafer W is cooled by the cooling plate to perform heat treatment.

The treatment module 14 forms an underlayer film on the surface of the wafer W by the liquid treatment unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2. The liquid treatment unit U1 of the treatment module 14 applies the treatment liquid for forming the underlayer film on the wafer W. The heat treatment unit U2 of the processing module 14 performs various heat treatments accompanying the formation of the underlayer film.

The treatment module 15 forms a resist film on the lower layer film by the liquid treatment unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2. The liquid treatment unit U1 of the treatment module 15 coats the treatment liquid (coating liquid) for forming the resist film on the lower layer film. The heat treatment unit U2 of the processing module 15 performs various heat treatments accompanying the formation of the resist film. Details of the liquid processing unit U1 of the processing module 15 will be described later.

The treatment module 16 forms an upper layer film on the resist film by the liquid treatment unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2. The liquid treatment unit U1 of the treatment module 16 applies a treatment liquid for forming an upper layer film on the resist film. The heat treatment unit U2 of the processing module 16 performs various heat treatments accompanying the formation of the upper layer film.

The processing module 17 develops the resist film after exposure by the liquid processing unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2. The liquid treatment unit U1 of the treatment module 17 applies a treatment liquid (developer) for development on the surface of the exposed wafer W and then rinses it with a treatment liquid (rinse liquid) for cleaning to resist. The film is developed. The heat treatment unit U2 of the processing module 17 performs various heat treatments associated with the development process. Specific examples of the heat treatment include heat treatment before development treatment (PEB: Post Exposure Bake), heat treatment after development treatment (PB: Post Bake), and the like.

A shelf unit U10 is provided on the carrier block 4 side in the processing block 5. The shelf unit U10 is divided into a plurality of cells arranged in the vertical direction. An elevating arm A7 is provided in the vicinity of the shelf unit U10. The elevating arm A7 elevates the wafer W between the cells of the shelf unit U10. A shelf unit U11 is provided on the interface block 6 side in the processing block 5. The shelf unit U11 is divided into a plurality of cells arranged in the vertical direction.

The interface block 6 transfers the wafer W to and from the exposure apparatus 3. For example, the interface block 6 has a built-in transfer arm A8 and is connected to the exposure apparatus 3. The transfer arm A8 passes the wafer W arranged in the shelf unit U11 to the exposure device 3, receives the wafer W from the exposure device 3, and returns the wafer W to the shelf unit U11.

The controller 100 controls the coating / developing device 2 so as to execute the coating / developing process in the following procedure, for example.

First, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A1 so as to convey the wafer W in the carrier 11 to the shelf unit U10, and controls the elevating arm A7 so as to arrange the wafer W in the cell for the processing module 14.

Next, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to transfer the wafer W of the shelf unit U10 to the liquid processing unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2 in the processing module 14, and forms an underlayer film on the surface of the wafer W. The liquid treatment unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2 are controlled in this way. After that, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to return the wafer W on which the underlayer film is formed to the shelf unit U10, and controls the elevating arm A7 so as to arrange the wafer W in the cell for the processing module 15.

Next, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to transfer the wafer W of the shelf unit U10 to the liquid processing unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2 in the processing module 15, and forms a resist film on the lower film of the wafer W. The liquid treatment unit U1 and the heat treatment unit U2 are controlled so as to do so. After that, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to return the wafer W to the shelf unit U10, and controls the elevating arm A7 so as to arrange the wafer W in the cell for the processing module 16.

Next, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to transfer the wafer W of the shelf unit U10 to each unit in the processing module 16, and the liquid processing unit so as to form an upper layer film on the resist film of the wafer W. It controls U1 and the heat treatment unit U2. After that, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to return the wafer W to the shelf unit U10, and controls the elevating arm A7 so as to arrange the wafer W in the cell for the processing module 17.

Next, the controller 100 directly controls the transfer arm A6 so as to transfer the wafer W of the shelf unit U10 to the shelf unit U11, and controls the transfer arm A8 so as to send the wafer W to the exposure apparatus 3. After that, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A8 so as to receive the exposed wafer W from the exposure apparatus 3 and return it to the shelf unit U11.

Next, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to transfer the wafer W of the shelf unit U11 to each unit in the processing module 17, and the liquid processing unit U1 and the liquid processing unit U1 and the liquid processing unit U1 so as to perform a development process on the resist film of the wafer W. The heat treatment unit U2 is controlled. After that, the controller 100 controls the transfer arm A3 so as to return the wafer W to the shelf unit U10, and controls the elevating arm A7 and the transfer arm A1 so as to return the wafer W to the carrier 11. This completes the coating / developing process.

The specific configuration of the substrate processing apparatus is not limited to the configuration of the coating / developing apparatus 2 exemplified above. The substrate processing apparatus may be any as long as it includes a liquid treatment unit U1 for film formation (liquid treatment units U1 of the treatment modules 14, 15 and 16) and a controller 100 capable of controlling the liquid treatment unit U1. good.

[Heat treatment unit]
Subsequently, the heat treatment unit U2 of the processing module 15 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 13. As shown in FIG. 4, the heat treatment unit U2 has a housing 90, a temperature adjusting mechanism 50, a heating mechanism 30, and a controller 100 (control unit).

The housing 90 is a processing container that houses the heating mechanism 30 and the temperature adjusting mechanism 50. A wafer W carry-in entrance 91 is opened on the side wall of the housing 90. Further, in the housing 90, a floor plate 92 for partitioning the inside of the housing 90 into an upper region, which is a moving region of the wafer W, and a lower region is provided.

The temperature adjusting mechanism 50 is configured to transfer (convey) the wafer W between the hot plate 34 and the external transfer arm A3 (see FIG. 3) and adjust the temperature of the wafer W to a predetermined temperature. The temperature adjusting mechanism 50 has a temperature adjusting plate 51 and a connecting bracket 52.

The temperature adjustment plate 51 is a plate that adjusts the temperature of the mounted wafer W. Specifically, the wafer W heated by the hot plate 34 of the heating mechanism 30 is placed and the wafer W is cooled to a predetermined temperature. It is a plate to be used. In the present embodiment, the temperature control plate 51 is formed in a substantially disk shape. The temperature control plate 51 is made of, for example, a metal having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, silver, or copper, and is preferably made of the same material from the viewpoint of preventing deformation due to heat. A cooling flow path (not shown) for circulating cooling water and / or cooling gas is formed inside the temperature control plate 51.

The connecting bracket 52 is connected to the temperature control plate 51 and is driven by the drive mechanism 53 controlled by the controller 100 to move in the housing 90. More specifically, the connecting bracket 52 is movable along a guide rail (not shown) extending from the carry-in inlet 91 of the housing 90 to the vicinity of the heating mechanism 30. By moving the connecting bracket 52 along the guide rail (not shown), the temperature adjusting plate 51 can move from the carry-in inlet 91 to the heating mechanism 30. The connecting bracket 52 is made of, for example, a metal having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, silver, or copper.

The heating mechanism 30 is configured to heat-treat the wafer W. The heating mechanism 30 includes a support base 31, a top plate portion 32, an elevating mechanism 33, a support pin 35, an elevating mechanism 36, a hot plate 34, a plurality of temperature sensors 80 (position detection portions), and a plurality of heating mechanisms 30. It has an elevating mechanism 60 and.

The support base 31 is a member having a cylindrical shape with a recess formed in the central portion. The support base 31 supports the hot plate 34. The top plate portion 32 is a disk-shaped member having the same diameter as the support base 31. The top plate portion 32 faces the support base 31 via a gap, for example, in a state of being supported by the ceiling portion of the housing 90. An exhaust duct 37 is connected to the upper part of the top plate portion 32. The exhaust duct 37 exhausts the inside of the chamber.

The elevating mechanism 33 has a configuration in which the top plate portion 32 is elevated and lowered according to the control of the controller 100. When the top plate portion 32 is raised by the elevating mechanism 33, the chamber, which is a space for heat-treating the wafer W, is opened, and when the top plate portion 32 is lowered, the chamber is closed. Will be.

The support pin 35 is a member that extends so as to penetrate the support base 31 and the hot plate 34 and supports the wafer W from below. The support pin 35 moves the wafer W up and down to arrange the wafer W at a predetermined position. The support pin 35 is configured to transfer the wafer W to and from the temperature control plate 51 that conveys the wafer W. Three support pins 35 are provided, for example, at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The elevating mechanism 36 has a configuration in which the support pin 35 is elevated and lowered according to the control of the controller 100.

The hot plate 34 is fitted in the recess of the support base 31, and the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 to heat the wafer W. The hot plate 34 has a heater for heat-treating the wafer W. The heater is composed of, for example, a resistance heating element. As shown in FIG. 5, the hot plate 34 is divided into a plurality of divided pieces 41. Each of the divided pieces 41 is formed by cutting the hot plate 34 in the thickness direction, and a gap (not shown) is formed between the divided pieces 41 and the adjacent divided pieces 41. In the example shown in FIG. 5, a circular division piece 41 in a plan view is formed in the center of the hot plate 34, and the region surrounding the outer periphery of the circular division piece 41 is substantially evenly divided into four division pieces 41. , 41, 41, 41 are formed.

The temperature sensor 80 detects the position information regarding the position of the wafer W placed on the hot plate 34 by detecting the temperature change when the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 or in the placed state. The temperature sensor 80 may have a function as a gap pin for forming a space (air layer) between the hot plate 34 and the wafer W, for example. The temperature sensor 80 transmits the detected temperature information (that is, the position information of the wafer W) to the controller 100. As shown in FIG. 5, one temperature sensor 80 may be provided corresponding to one divided piece 41 (specifically, the center of the divided piece 41). Thereby, the position of the region of the wafer W facing each divided piece 41 can be detected.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a plurality of temperature sensors 80 may be provided corresponding to one divided piece 41. As a result, the position of the wafer W with respect to the divided piece 41 can be detected in more detail. In the example shown in FIG. 9A, three temperature sensors 83 are provided for the central divided piece 41, and two temperature sensors 81 and 82 are provided for each of the four outer peripheral divided pieces 41. ing. The temperature sensor 83 is provided, for example, in the central portion of each region obtained by dividing the central divided piece 41 into three equal parts. The temperature sensor 81 is provided, for example, in the central portion of each of the four divided pieces 41 on the outer circumference. The temperature sensor 82 is provided, for example, on one end side in the circumferential direction of the four divided pieces 41 on the outer circumference. The temperature sensor 82 can not only detect the position information of the wafer W on one end side in the circumferential direction of the corresponding divided piece 41, but also detect the position information of the wafer W on the other end side of the circumferential direction of the adjacent divided pieces 41. be able to. That is, the temperature sensor 82 can detect the position information of the wafer W in the region Ew where the adjacent divided pieces 41 are continuous with each other in the circumferential direction (see FIG. 9A). In this way, the detection result by the temperature sensor 82 is also used as the position information of the wafer W in the adjacent divided pieces 41, so that the position of the wafer W with respect to the divided pieces 41 can be determined while minimizing the number of the temperature sensors 80. It can be detected in detail. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 9B, only one temperature sensor 83 is provided for the central divided piece 41. In this case, for example, the temperature sensor 81 provided in the central portion of each of the four divided pieces 41 on the outer periphery not only detects the position information of the wafer W in the corresponding divided piece 41, but also detects the outer peripheral side in the central divided piece 41. It is used as a sensor to detect the position information of the wafer W in the region of. That is, the temperature sensor 81 can detect the position information of the region Ec in which the divided pieces 41 adjacent to each other in the radial direction are continuous with each other (see FIG. 9B).

The elevating mechanism 60 is provided corresponding to a plurality of divided pieces 41, and raises and lowers each divided piece 41. As shown in FIG. 6, the elevating mechanism 60 has a drive unit 61 and a support unit 62. The support portion 62 supports the split piece 41 at its upper end. The drive unit 61 moves the support unit 62 up and down (expands and contracts) according to the control of the controller 100.

One elevating mechanism 60 is provided, for example, corresponding to one divided piece 41. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), when a part of the wafer W and the divided piece 41 (the divided piece 41 on the right side in FIG. 7 (a)) are largely separated from each other, the elevating mechanism 60 is driven. As shown in FIG. 7B, the unit 61 raises (extends) the support unit 62 according to the control of the controller 100 to obtain a desired separation distance between each region of the wafer W and each divided piece 41. Can be a distance.

As shown in FIG. 10, the elevating mechanism 60 may have an inclination adjusting mechanism 70 for adjusting the inclination of the divided piece 41. The tilt adjusting mechanism 70 raises and lowers a first elevating unit 71 that elevates and lowers a first region 78 of one divided piece 41, and a second elevating unit 72 that elevates and lowers a second region 79 different from the first region 78 of the divided piece 41. And have. The first elevating part 71 and the second elevating part 72 have the same configuration as each other, and have the above-mentioned drive part 61 and the support part 62. The elevating mechanism 60 has a tilt adjusting mechanism 70, and the first elevating portion 71 and the second elevating portion 72 of the tilt adjusting mechanism 70 raise and lower different regions in the same divided piece 41 to make the same divided piece 41. The divided pieces 41 can be arranged according to the inclination or unevenness in the region of the corresponding wafer W. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the second region 79 of the divided piece 41 is brought closer to the wafer W according to the warp of the wafer W. The first region 78 and the second region 79 described as different regions in the same divided piece 41 are, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the hot plate 34 is viewed in a plan view, the hot plate 34 They are arranged side by side in the direction from the center to the outside (that is, in the radial direction).

As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 100 has a chamber open / close control unit 101, a support pin elevating control unit 102, a plate movement control unit 103, a position acquisition unit 104, and an elevating control unit 105 as functional modules. ..

The chamber opening / closing control unit 101 controls the raising / lowering mechanism 33 so that the chamber is opened / closed by raising / lowering the top plate portion 32.

The support pin elevating control unit 102 controls the elevating mechanism 36 so that the wafer W is transferred between the temperature control plate 51 and the support pin 35 by elevating the support pin 35. Further, the support pin elevating control unit 102 controls the elevating mechanism 36 so that the support pin 35 supporting the wafer W descends and the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 from the support pin 35. The support pin elevating control unit 102 can acquire the position data (Z-axis position data) of the support pin 35 when the wafer W is placed.

The plate movement control unit 103 controls the drive mechanism 53 so that the temperature control plate 51 moves in the housing 90.

The position acquisition unit 104 acquires position information from the temperature sensor 80 provided corresponding to each divided piece 41.

The elevating control unit 105 controls the elevating mechanism 60 so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W becomes small based on the position information acquired by the position acquisition unit 104. The elevating control unit 105 controls the elevating mechanism 60, for example, when the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 or based on the position information of the wafer W in the placed state. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7 (a), the wafer W and the divided piece 41 are close to each other in the position information detected by the temperature sensor 80 provided on the divided piece 41 on the left side of FIG. 7 (a). On the other hand, in the position information detected by the temperature sensor 80 provided on the split piece 41 on the right side of FIG. 7A, it is shown that the wafer W and the split piece 41 are largely separated from each other. .. In this case, the elevating control unit 105 controls the driving unit 61 of the elevating mechanism 60 on the right side as shown in FIG. 7B so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W becomes small. , The support portion 62 is raised, and the split piece 41 on the right side is brought close to the wafer W.

The elevating control unit 105 completes the placement of the wafer W on the hot plate 34 when the distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W is equal to or less than a predetermined value based on the position information acquired by the position acquisition unit 104. It is determined that this has been done, and the control of the elevating mechanism 60 is terminated. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7B described above, the elevating control unit 105 controls the elevating mechanism 60 on the right side (control to raise the divided piece 41), and then the position information acquired by the position acquisition unit 104. Based on the above, it is determined whether or not the separation distance from the wafer W is equal to or less than the predetermined value for all the divided pieces 41, and if it is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the control for the elevating mechanism 60 is terminated. The state in which the distance between the divided piece 41 and the wafer W is equal to or less than a predetermined value is, for example, a state in which the temperature sensor 80 on the divided piece 41 is in contact with the back surface of the wafer W.

For example, when the area of one divided piece 41 is wide and only one temperature sensor 80 is provided for one divided piece 41 as shown in FIG. 8A, the position is determined by the temperature sensor 80. There is a region E1 in which information is detected, a region E2 having a shorter separation distance from the wafer W than the region E1, and a region E3 having a longer separation distance from the wafer W than the region E1. In this case, when the elevating mechanism 60 is controlled by the elevating control unit 105 based only on the information in the region E1, the separation distance from the wafer W is the shortest before the elevating control, as shown in FIG. 8A. In the region E2, the divided piece 41 may come into direct contact with the back surface of the wafer W. In this regard, when a plurality of temperature sensors 80 are provided for one divided piece 41 as shown in FIG. 8B, the elevating control unit 105 is based on the information of the plurality of temperature sensors 80. Since the elevating mechanism 60 can be controlled, contact between the wafer W and the divided piece 41 (for example, contact in the region E2) as shown in FIG. 8A can be prevented.

The elevating control unit 105 corresponds to each of the divided pieces 41 based on the position information detected by the corresponding temperature sensor 80 and the position information detected by the temperature sensor 80 corresponding to the other adjacent divided pieces 41. The elevating mechanism 60 is controlled. The warp of the wafer W often draws a gentle curve rather than a steep step. Therefore, for example, when there are two adjacent divided pieces 41, even if the temperature sensor 80 corresponds to one divided piece 41, the temperature sensor 80 is provided at a position close to the other divided piece 41. In such cases, the position information of the temperature sensor 80 can be used for raising / lowering control of the other divided piece 41. That is, for example, in the example shown in FIG. 8B, the elevating control unit 105 is adjacent to each other as well as the position information of the temperature sensor 80 provided on the left side division piece 41 in the elevation control of the left side division piece 41. Using the position information of the temperature sensor 80 provided on the right split piece 41 (specifically, the temperature sensor 80 on the left side of the temperature sensor 80 provided on the right split piece 41), the corresponding elevating mechanism 60 is provided. You may control it.

The elevating control unit 105 estimates the unevenness tendency (warp tendency) of the wafer W based on the position information in the mounting operation when the wafer W is mounted on the hot plate 34. When the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 from the support pin 35, the elevating control unit 105 acquires position information (position information detected by the temperature sensor) from the position acquisition unit 104, and the support pin elevating control unit 105. The position data of the support pin 35 is acquired from 102. From this information, the elevating control unit 105 determines which division piece 41 is close to the wafer W when the support pin 35 is located (for example, the temperature sensor 80 of which division piece 41 contacts the back surface of the wafer W). Did you know). The elevating control unit 105 has previously acquired the relationship (correct answer data) between the position information and the position data of the support pin 35 when the wafer W does not have a noticeable warp (when there is no unevenness). Then, the elevating control unit 105 estimates the unevenness tendency (warp tendency) of the wafer W by comparing the acquired position information and the position data of the support pin 35 with the correct answer data. The main unevenness tendency (warp tendency) of the wafer W is a warp shape (inverted bowl shape) that is convex from the outside toward the center when viewed in a plan view, or a warp shape (bowl shape) that is concave from the outside toward the center. ) Is common. Therefore, when the elevating control unit 105 is in a state where the support pin 35 is higher than the correct answer data (that is, at an early stage in the mounting operation) and the divided piece 41 in the central portion is closer to the wafer W, the elevating control unit 105 is concerned. If the wafer W can be estimated to be bowl-shaped, and the support pin 35 is high (that is, at an early stage in the mounting operation) and the outer divided piece 41 is close to the wafer W, the wafer W is inverted bowl-shaped. Can be estimated.

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12, the inverted bowl-shaped wafer W is placed on the divided piece 41. Since the support pin 35 supports the central portion of the wafer W, the outside of the wafer W hangs down below the normal position WL (the position when the wafer W without warpage is supported) in the state before mounting. ing. When the support pin 35 is lowered from this state, the outside of the wafer W first comes close to the divided pieces 41 and 41 directly under the wafer W. Based on such information, the elevating control unit 105 can estimate the unevenness tendency of the wafer W (inverted bowl shape in the example shown in FIG. 12). When the wafer W is bowl-shaped and the central portion of the wafer W is close to the split piece 41 directly underneath, it cannot be determined whether the wafer W is bowl-shaped or flat (no noticeable warpage). There is a risk. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, it is preferable that the divided pieces 41 immediately below the center of the wafer W are arranged so as to be slightly shifted downward from the other divided pieces 41.

The elevating control unit 105 has been described as estimating the unevenness tendency (warp tendency) of the wafer W based on the position information in the mounting operation when the wafer W is mounted on the hot plate 34, but the present invention is limited to this. However, apart from the process of placing the wafer W on the hot plate 34, for example, the unevenness tendency of the wafer W measured by another device may be simply acquired.

The controller 100 is composed of one or a plurality of control computers. For example, the controller 100 has a circuit 120 shown in FIG. The circuit 120 has one or more processors 121, a memory 122, a storage 123, an input / output port 124, and a timer 125.

The input / output port 124 inputs / outputs an electric signal to / from the elevating mechanism 33, the elevating mechanism 36, the drive mechanism 53, the elevating mechanism 60, and the temperature sensor 80. The timer 125 measures the elapsed time, for example, by counting a reference pulse having a fixed cycle. The storage 123 has a recording medium that can be read by a computer, for example, a hard disk. The recording medium records a program for executing the substrate processing procedure described later. The recording medium may be a removable medium such as a non-volatile semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. The memory 122 temporarily records the program loaded from the recording medium of the storage 123 and the calculation result by the processor 121. The processor 121 constitutes each of the above-mentioned functional modules by executing the above program in cooperation with the memory 122.

The hardware configuration of the controller 100 is not necessarily limited to the one that configures each functional module by a program. For example, each functional module of the controller 100 may be configured by a dedicated logic circuit or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that integrates the logic circuit.

[Board processing procedure]
Next, as an example of the substrate processing method, the substrate processing procedure executed by the heat treatment unit U2 under the control of the controller 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. The flowchart shown in FIG. 14 shows the positioning process of the divided piece 41 performed when the heat treatment of the wafer W by the hot plate 34 is started. Further, the flowchart shown in FIG. 15 shows the unevenness tendency estimation process performed when the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 (step S1 in FIG. 14).

As shown in FIG. 14, first, the controller 100 controls the elevating mechanism 36 so that the support pin 35 supporting the wafer W is lowered and the wafer W is placed on the hot plate 34 from the support pin 35 (step). S1).

Subsequently, the controller 100 acquires position information (distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W) from the temperature sensor 80 provided corresponding to each divided piece 41 (step S2). The controller 100 determines the ascending / descending amount of each divided piece 41 based on the position information (step S3). That is, the controller 100 determines the ascending / descending amount of each divided piece 41 based on the position information so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W becomes small.

Then, the controller 100 controls the ascending / descending of the divided piece 41 so that the elevating amount is determined (step S4). Specifically, the controller 100 controls the drive unit 61 of the elevating mechanism 60 to raise the support portion 62 of each divided piece 41 so that the elevating amount is determined.

Subsequently, the controller 100 determines whether or not the separation distance from the wafer W is equal to or less than a predetermined value for all the divided pieces 41 (step S5). If it is determined in S5 that the value is not equal to or less than the predetermined value, the process from step S3 is performed again. On the other hand, if it is determined in S5 that the value is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the process ends. The above is the positioning process of the divided piece 41 performed when the heat treatment of the wafer W by the hot plate 34 is started.

As shown in FIG. 15, in the process of step S1 described above, the controller 100 first acquires the contact position with the temperature sensor 80 in the mounting operation of the wafer W (step S11). Specifically, the controller 100 acquires position information (position information detected by the temperature sensor) from the position acquisition unit 104, and acquires position data of the support pin 35 from the support pin elevating control unit 102, and these information. Therefore, when the support pin 35 is in which position, which of the divided pieces 41 the temperature sensor 80 comes into contact with the back surface of the wafer W is specified.

Subsequently, the controller 100 estimates the unevenness tendency of the wafer W based on the above-mentioned contact position information. Specifically, the controller 100 has acquired position information and position data of the support pin 35, and correct answer data (position information and position data of the support pin 35 when the wafer W does not have a noticeable warp). By comparing with (relationship with), the unevenness tendency (warp tendency) of the wafer W is estimated. In this way, by estimating the unevenness tendency of the wafer W before performing the raising / lowering control of the divided piece 41, it becomes possible to control the raising / lowering mechanism 60 in advance according to the unevenness tendency, and the raising / lowering control is performed more smoothly. be able to.

[Action effect]
The heat treatment unit U2 according to the present embodiment is divided into a plurality of divided pieces 41, and is provided corresponding to a hot plate 34 for heating the placed wafer W and the plurality of divided pieces 41, and each divided piece 41 is provided. A lifting mechanism 60 for raising and lowering is provided. In such a heat treatment unit U2, the hot plate 34 for heat treatment is divided into a plurality of divided pieces 41, and each divided piece 41 can be raised and lowered by the elevating mechanism 60. As a result, for example, when the wafer W has a warped shape, each divided piece 41 can be raised and lowered according to the warp (deformation) of the wafer W. As a result, even when the wafer W has deformation such as warpage, the distance between each region of the wafer W and the corresponding divided piece 41 (heat plate 34) can be adjusted to a desired distance. It is possible to improve the temperature uniformity in the wafer W surface in the heat treatment.

The elevating mechanism 60 has an inclination adjusting mechanism 70 that adjusts the inclination of the divided piece 41. By adjusting the inclination of the divided pieces 41, the divided pieces 41 can be arranged according to the inclination and unevenness in the region of the wafer W corresponding to the divided pieces 41 (see FIG. 10), and the wafer W in the heat treatment can be arranged. The in-plane temperature uniformity can be further improved.

As shown in FIG. 10, the tilt adjusting mechanism 70 has a first elevating portion 71 that raises and lowers the first region 78 of one divided piece 41, and a second region 79 that is different from the first region 78 of the divided piece 41. It has a second elevating portion 72 for elevating and lowering. Thereby, the inclination of the divided piece 41 can be appropriately adjusted by a simple configuration.

As shown in FIG. 11, the first region 78 and the second region 79 are arranged side by side in the direction toward the outside (that is, the radial direction) from the center of the hot plate 34 when the hot plate 34 is viewed in a plan view. .. The wafer W often has a convex warp shape from the outside toward the center when viewed in a plan view, or a concave warp shape from the outside toward the center. Therefore, the first region 78 and the second region 79 arranged side by side in the direction from the center to the outside can be raised and lowered, respectively, so that the wafer W having the above-mentioned convex warp shape or concave warp shape can be used. The distance from the divided piece 41 can be appropriately adjusted.

The heat treatment unit U2 includes a plurality of temperature sensors 80 for detecting position information regarding the position of the wafer W placed on the hot plate 34, and a controller 100. The controller 100 includes each divided piece 41 based on the position information. The elevating mechanism 60 is controlled so that the variation in the distance between the wafer W and the wafer W becomes small (see FIGS. 10A and 10B). The position information of the wafer W is detected, and the elevating mechanism 60 is controlled so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W becomes small, so that the distance between each region of the wafer W and the corresponding divided piece 41 is reduced. Can be reliably adjusted to a desired position, and the temperature uniformity in the wafer W surface during heat treatment can be further improved.

Based on the position information, the controller 100 determines that the placement of the wafer W on the hot plate 34 is completed when the distance between each divided piece 41 and the wafer W is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and controls the elevating mechanism 60. To finish. As a result, each divided piece 41 can be reliably moved to a position where the wafer W can be appropriately heated.

At least one temperature sensor 80 is provided for one divided piece 41, and the controller 100 is provided for each divided piece 41 with the position information detected by the corresponding temperature sensor 80 and the other adjacent divided pieces 41. The corresponding elevating mechanism 60 is controlled based on the position information detected by the corresponding temperature sensor 80 (see FIGS. 8A and 8B). For example, when the hot plate is divided so that the area of one divided piece 41 becomes large, the position detected by the temperature sensor 80 and a part of the area of the divided piece 41 corresponding to the temperature sensor 80. There is a possibility that the positions may deviate significantly (for example, the region E1 and the region E2 in FIG. 8A). In this regard, by considering the position information detected by the temperature sensor 80 corresponding to the other adjacent divided pieces 41 in addition to the position information detected by the corresponding temperature sensor 80, each region of the divided pieces 41 can be divided. The position can be estimated with higher accuracy. As a result, the positioning of the divided piece 41 using the elevating mechanism 60 can be performed with higher accuracy, and the temperature uniformity in the wafer W surface during the heat treatment can be further improved.

The controller 100 estimates the unevenness tendency of the wafer W based on the position information in the mounting operation when the wafer W is mounted on the hot plate 34 (see FIG. 12). When mounting the wafer W, it is possible to grasp information such as which part of the wafer W quickly approaches the hot plate 34. Using such information, the unevenness tendency of the wafer W is estimated in advance before the lifting control of the divided piece 41 is performed, and then the unevenness tendency of the wafer W estimated in advance for the raising / lowering control of the divided piece 41. It can be done smoothly according to the situation. Further, since the warp shape of the wafer W tends to be the same for each lot, for example, by estimating the unevenness tendency of the wafer W in advance and preparing the same elevating control for each lot, it is possible for each lot. The heat treatment of the wafer W to be performed can be smoothly performed.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the heat treatment unit U2 may be provided with the pressure loss applying member 95 (air flow suppressing member) shown in FIG. The pressure drop applying member 95 is provided in the vicinity of the divided piece 41 below the divided piece 41, and is, for example, a metal plate. The distance between the pressure loss applying member 95 and the hot plate 34 (divided piece 41) is about the same as the gap cl described later, for example, about 1 mm, preferably 500 μm or less. In the configuration shown in FIG. 16, a gap cl is formed between the divided pieces 41. By forming a gap cl between the divided pieces 41, it is effective that the divided pieces 41 are worn or damaged when they are thermally deformed due to temperature expansion or when they rub against adjacent divided pieces 41 when ascending or descending. Can be prevented. On the other hand, when the above-mentioned gap cl is formed, the temperature uniformity in the wafer W surface may be impaired due to the increase in air permeability. In this regard, by providing the metal pressure loss applying member 95 close to each divided piece 41 below each divided piece 41, it is possible to effectively suppress the increase in air permeability and to make the temperature uniform in the wafer W surface. Sex can be guaranteed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 17, the heat treatment unit U2 further includes a rotation mechanism 190 for rotating the hot plate 34, and the controller 100 has the wafer W to be processed along the circumferential direction based on the estimated unevenness tendency. The rotation mechanism 190 may be controlled so as to rotate the hot plate 34 (divided piece 41) when the unevenness changes. The rotation mechanism 190 is provided, for example, below the hot plate 34 and the elevating mechanism 60, and is a mechanism for rotating the hot plate 34 (divided piece 41) supported by the elevating mechanism 60 by rotating a plurality of elevating mechanisms 60. Is. The unevenness tendency of the wafer W may change along the circumferential direction. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 17A, the region Es having a strong downward warp and the region Eu having a strong upward warp are alternately arranged along the circumferential direction. Here, in the heat treatment unit U2, the elevating control is performed in units of the divided pieces 41, but the change in unevenness is as small as possible in the same divided piece 41, that is, it becomes a region of either the region Es or the region Eu. Is preferable. However, in the example shown in FIG. 17A, both the regions Es and Eu are included in the same divided piece 41, and it is difficult to arrange the divided piece 41 along the wafer W. In this regard, in the example shown in FIG. 17B, since the rotation mechanism 190 is provided, the hot plate 34 is rotated, and one divided piece 41 contains only one of the region Es and the region Eu. Can be done. By rotating the hot plate 34 in this way, the change in unevenness within the same divided piece 41 can be reduced, and the distance between each region of the wafer W and the corresponding divided piece 41 can be appropriately set to a desired position. Can be adjusted to. Although the rotation mechanism 190 has been described as rotating the hot plate 34, the rotation mechanism 190 may rotate the wafer W.

Further, the division mode of the hot plate 34 is not limited to the above-mentioned mode. That is, as shown in FIG. 18A, a circular division piece 141 in a plan view is formed in the center of the hot plate 134, and the region surrounding the outer periphery of the circular division piece 141 is substantially evenly divided into four parts. The four divided pieces 141 may be formed, and further, the region surrounding the outer periphery of the four divided pieces 141 may be divided into eight substantially evenly to form the eight divided pieces 141. Further, as shown in FIG. 18B, for example, a plurality of regular hexagonal divided pieces 241 may be continuously formed on the hot plate 234. By reducing the number of divisions as in the hot plate 34, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of control devices and elevating mechanisms required according to the number of divisions, and to simplify temperature control / adjustment.

The temperature sensor 80 has been described as an example of the position detection unit, but the position detection unit may be another sensor as long as it can detect the position information regarding the position of the wafer W placed on the hot plate 34. May be good.

2 ... Coating / developing device (board processing device), 34 ... Hot plate, 41 ... Divided piece, 60 ... Elevating mechanism, 70 ... Tilt adjusting mechanism, 71 ... First elevating part, 72 ... Second elevating part, 78 ... No. 1 region, 79 ... 2nd region, 80 ... temperature sensor (position detection unit), 95 ... pressure loss applying member (air flow suppression member), 100 ... controller, 190 ... rotation mechanism, W ... wafer, cl ... gap.

Claims (11)

A hot plate that is divided into multiple pieces and heats the placed substrate,
An elevating mechanism that is provided corresponding to the plurality of divided pieces and raises and lowers each divided piece,
A plurality of position detection units that detect position information regarding the position of the substrate placed on the hot plate, and
With a control unit ,
At least one position detection unit is provided for one divided piece.
Based on the position information, the control unit controls the elevating mechanism so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece and the substrate becomes small.
The control unit corresponds to each divided piece based on the position information detected by the corresponding position detection unit and the position information detected by the position detection unit corresponding to the other adjacent divided pieces. A substrate processing device that controls the elevating mechanism . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism has an inclination adjusting mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the divided pieces. The tilt adjusting mechanism has a first elevating part that raises and lowers a first region of one divided piece, and a second elevating part that raises and lowers a second region of the divided piece that is different from the first region. Item 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first region and the second region are arranged side by side in a direction toward the outside from the center of the hot plate when the hot plate is viewed in a plan view. Based on the position information, the control unit determines that the mounting of the substrate on the hot plate is completed when the distance between each divided piece and the substrate is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and the control unit determines that the mounting of the substrate on the hot plate is completed. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the control is terminated. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the control unit estimates the unevenness tendency of the substrate based on the position information in the mounting operation when the substrate is mounted on the hot plate. Processing device. Further provided with a rotation mechanism for rotating the substrate or the hot plate,
Based on the estimated unevenness tendency, the control unit controls the rotation mechanism so as to rotate the substrate or the hot plate when the unevenness of the substrate to be processed changes along the circumferential direction. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 . A hot plate that is divided into multiple pieces and heats the placed substrate,
It is provided with an elevating mechanism that is provided corresponding to the plurality of divided pieces and raises and lowers each divided piece.
A gap is formed between each adjacent split piece,
A substrate processing apparatus further comprising an airflow suppressing member provided below the hot plate in the vicinity of the hot plate. It is a substrate processing method in which a substrate is placed on a hot plate divided into a plurality of divided pieces to heat the substrate.
The position information regarding the position of each divided piece of the substrate placed on the hot plate is detected, and the position information is detected.
For each divided piece, based on its own position information and the position information of other adjacent divided pieces, each divided piece is moved up and down in units of divided pieces so that the variation in the distance between each divided piece and the substrate is small. Substrate processing method. The substrate processing method according to claim 9 , wherein each divided piece is moved up and down so that the distance between each divided piece and the area of the substrate corresponding to each divided piece is within a predetermined value in consideration of the unevenness of the substrate. A computer-readable storage medium in which a program for causing an apparatus to execute the substrate processing method according to claim 9 or 10 is stored.

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