JPH07176588A - Resist treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate a time waiting for the arrival of a conveying robot from the finish of a resist treatment to the start of conveyance by a method wherein a finish forecast flag is set on a resist treatment unit by a finish announcement unit and a robot controller transfers the conveying robot to that resist treatment unit based on the flag. CONSTITUTION:A forecast finish time calculating unit 12 calculates a treatment finish time to be forecast by subtracting the transfer time of a conveying robot 16 from the treatment finish time of a wafer 18 when a resist treatment is started by a resist treatment unit. A lapse of time counting unit 13 starts counting when the resist treatment is started. A finish forecast unit 14 compares the forecast finish time with the lapse of time and, when both of them agree with each other, sets a finish forecast flag. A robot controller 17 transfers the conveying robot 16 to that resist treatment unit 2 to eliminate a time waiting for the arrival of the conveying robot from the finish of the resist treatment to the start of conveyance. With this constitution, a time required for the whole treatment process can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter,
(Regarding a wafer), it relates to a resist processing apparatus that has various resist processing units for relaying between these processing units by a transfer robot, and in particular, by eliminating the arrival waiting time of the transfer robot from the end of the resist processing to the start of unloading, The present invention relates to a resist processing apparatus capable of shortening the entire processing time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a wafer resist processing step,
2. Description of the Related Art A resist processing apparatus that sequentially executes various resist processing such as resist coating processing, resist exposure processing, and resist development processing is widely used.

This type of resist processing apparatus has a dedicated processing unit for each resist processing, and a transfer robot transfers a wafer between these processing units. For example, a transfer robot carries a wafer into a processing unit. This processing unit performs a predetermined resist processing on this wafer.

When the resist processing is completed, the processing unit prepares to transfer the wafer to the transfer robot, and after the completion of the transfer preparation, sets a processing end flag in the memory. When the transfer robot reads from the memory that the processing end flag is set, it moves to the front of this processing unit and receives the wafer in the processing unit.

When the receiving is completed, the transfer robot carries out the wafer to the next processing unit. Similarly, the resist processing is sequentially executed in each processing unit.

[0006]

However, in the resist processing apparatus as described above, the time from when the processing unit writes the processing end flag in the memory to when the transfer robot receives the wafer from the processing unit is the processing time. It depends on the time it takes to travel to the front of the unit.

For this reason, when the transfer robot is stopped at a place far from the processing unit to which the wafer is to be delivered, the moving time becomes long and the time for the entire processing is increased.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a resist processing apparatus capable of shortening the entire processing time by eliminating the arrival waiting time of the transfer robot from the end of the resist processing to the start of unloading. The purpose is to

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer robot for transferring a wafer and a plurality of types of resist processing units for performing resist processing different from each other.
The transfer robot carries in the wafer to the corresponding resist processing unit, and the transfer robot carries out the wafer whose resist processing has been completed by the resist processing unit from the resist processing unit, and the steps from the carry-in to the carry-out are performed. In the resist processing apparatus for performing various resist processings on the wafer by executing the resist processing section of the same type, when the resist processing of the wafer is started by a certain resist processing section, from the processing end time of the wafer, At the end notice time calculating means for calculating the process end notice time of the wafer so as to be at least a value obtained by subtracting the moving time of the transfer robot, and when the resist treatment of the wafer is started by the certain resist processing unit, the resist treatment is performed. Elapsed time counting means for counting the elapsed time of,
The processing end notice time calculated by the end notice time calculation means and the elapsed time counted by the elapsed time counting means are compared, and when both match, an end notice flag is set corresponding to the certain resist processing unit. The resist processing apparatus includes a stand-up end notifying unit and a transfer control unit that moves the transfer robot to the certain resist processing unit when the end notifying unit sets the end notifying flag. The invention corresponding to claim 2 is
In the resist processing apparatus, the above-mentioned advance notice time calculation means and the elapsed time counting means are provided individually corresponding to each of the resist processing units.

[0010]

Therefore, in the invention corresponding to claim 1, by taking the above-mentioned means, when the end advance notice calculation means starts the resist processing of the wafer by the certain resist processing portion, the processing of the wafer is completed. The processing end notice time of the wafer is calculated so as to be a value obtained by subtracting at least the movement time of the transfer robot from the time, and the elapsed time counting means, when the resist processing of the wafer is started by a certain resist processing unit,
The elapsed time of the resist processing is counted, and the termination notifying means compares the processing termination notifying time calculated by the termination notifying time calculating means with the elapsed time counted by the elapsed time counting means, and when both match, a certain resist An end notice flag is set in correspondence with the processing unit, and the conveyance control means sets the end notice flag by this end notice means.
Since the transfer robot is moved to a certain resist processing unit,
By eliminating the waiting time for the transfer robot to arrive from the end of the resist processing to the start of unloading, the overall processing time can be shortened.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, since the completion notifying time calculating means and the elapsed time counting means are individually provided for each resist processing section, the claim processing means for each resist processing section is defined. It is possible to obtain the action corresponding to, and thus it is possible to further shorten the time of the entire processing.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a resist processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a unit controller applied to this resist processing apparatus. This resist processing apparatus includes an OAP unit 1 for hydrophobically modifying a wafer, a coater unit 2 for spin-coating a resist on a wafer, a baker unit 3 for heating the wafer, a cooling unit 4 for cooling the wafer, and a resist on the wafer. It has an exposure unit 5 for exposing and a developer unit 6 for applying a developing solution to a wafer, and each unit individually has its own unit controller 1a.
~ 6a.

Since the unit control devices 1a to 6b have the same structure, the unit control device 2a of the coater unit 2 will be described as an example as shown in FIG. The unit control device 2a includes a control unit 11 connected to the coater unit 2, an end notice time calculation unit 12 and an elapsed time counting unit 13 connected to the control unit 11, and an end notice unit 12 and an elapsed time counting unit 13. The end notifying unit 14 is connected to the memory 15, and the end notifying unit 14 is connected to the memory 15.

The control unit 11 controls the resist processing by the coater unit 2 on the basis of a predetermined processing time, and outputs a processing start signal at the start of processing and a preliminary notice calculation unit 1 at the end of processing.
2 and has a function of sending to the elapsed time counting unit 13. Note that the resist processing by the coater unit 2 is a series of processing including suction of a wafer, rotation of the wafer at a predetermined rotation speed and stabilization waiting, dropping and spin coating of resist when the wafer is stably rotating, rotation stop and escape of the wafer. The processing time required for the series of processes is set in advance. Further, the control unit 11 has a function of setting a processing end flag in the memory 15 at the end of processing, as in the conventional case.

Upon receipt of the processing start signal from the control section 11, the end-notification calculation section 12 reads out a predetermined processing time from the control section 11, and subtracts a preset moving time of the transfer robot 16 from this processing time. Then, the processing end notice time is calculated, and the calculation result is sent to the end notice unit 14.

The elapsed time counting section 13 has a function of counting the elapsed time of the resist processing when receiving the processing start signal from the control section 11 and sending the counting result to the end notifying section 14.

The end notice unit 14 is an end notice calculation unit 12
The process end warning time calculated by the above and the elapsed time counted by the elapsed time counting unit are compared, and when the two match, the end warning flag is stored in the memory 1 corresponding to the corresponding unit.
It has the ability to stand at 5.

The memory 15 has an area for setting an end notice flag for each unit 1 to 6, and each unit control device 1
End notice flags 14 a to 6 a individually set end notice flags, and can be accessed from the robot controller 17 that controls the transfer robot 16. Further, in the memory 15, as in the conventional case, the processing end flag can be individually set by the control unit 11 of each of the unit control devices 1a to 6a.

The robot controller 17 refers to the memory 15 at a predetermined cycle, and the end notifying unit 14 causes the memory 15 to read the memory 15.
When the end warning flag is set on the transfer robot 16
To the unit corresponding to the end notice flag. In addition, the robot controller 17 controls the transfer robot 16 so as to receive the wafer 18 from the unit and transfer the wafer 18 to the next unit when the processing unit 11 sets the processing end flag in the memory 15. It has a function.

Next, the operation of such a resist processing apparatus will be described. Since the same processing is performed in each of the unit control devices 1a to 6a, the unit control device 2a of the coater unit 2 will be described as an example as described above.

Now, the transfer robot 16 carries the wafer 18 into the coater unit 2. After the wafer 18 is loaded, in the unit controller 2a of the coater unit 2, the control unit 11 causes the coater unit 2 to start a predetermined resist process, and outputs a process start signal to the end notice calculation unit 12 and the elapsed time counting unit 13. Send to.

Upon receipt of this processing start signal, the end notice time calculation unit 12 calculates a process end notice time which is shorter than the process end time by the moving time of the transfer robot 16 and sends it to the end notice unit 14.

On the other hand, when the elapsed time counting unit 13 receives the processing start signal, it counts the elapsed time and sends it to the end notifying unit 14. The end notifying unit 14 compares the process end notifying time with the elapsed time, and when both match, the coater unit 2
The end notice flag of is set in the memory 15.

The robot control device 17, when reading the processing end notice flag set in the memory 15, starts the movement of the transfer robot 16 to the coater unit 2. When the transfer time elapses and the transfer robot 16 arrives in front of the coater unit 2, the registration processing by the coater unit 2 is completed.

Subsequently, the coater unit 2 prepares to transfer the wafer 18 to the transfer robot 16 as described above, and sets a processing end flag in the memory 15 after the completion of the transfer preparation.

The transfer robot 16 is a robot controller 1
Reference numeral 7 reads from the memory 15 that the processing end flag is set, and causes the transfer robot to receive the wafer from the coater unit 15.

When the receiving is completed, the transfer robot 16 carries out the wafer 18 to the baker unit 3 which is the next processing unit. In the next baker unit 3 as well, the end notice flag is set in the memory 15 earlier than the moving time of the transfer robot 16 in the same manner as described above, so that the wafer 18 can be carried out when the transfer robot 16 arrives. 16 arrival waiting times are eliminated.

Similarly, the arrival waiting time of the transfer robot 16 is eliminated in all the units 4 to 6. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the end-of-advance notice calculation unit 12 sets a value obtained by subtracting the moving time of the transfer robot 16 from the processing end time at the start of the resist processing of the wafer 18 by the coater unit 2. The processing end notice time of the wafer 18 is calculated, and the elapsed time counting unit 13 counts the elapsed time of the resist processing when the coater unit 2 starts the resist processing of the wafer 18, and the end notice unit 14 notifies the processing end notice. When the time and the elapsed time are compared and both match, the end notice flag is set in the memory 15 corresponding to the coater unit 2, and the robot controller 17 sets the end notice flag in the memory 15 based on Since the transfer robot 16 is moved in front of the coater unit 2, waiting for the arrival of the transfer robot 16 from the end of the resist processing to the start of unloading. By eliminating, it is possible to shorten the overall processing time.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the end prediction time calculating unit 12 and the elapsed time counting unit 13 are provided in the unit processing apparatuses 1a to 6a respectively corresponding to the units 1 to 6, each unit 1 By eliminating the arrival waiting time of the transfer robot 16 for every ~ 6, it is possible to significantly reduce the time of the entire processing.

In the above embodiment, each unit 1-6
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is similarly embodied even if one unit control device performs multitask control of each unit. The same effect can be obtained. In addition, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0031]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, when the end notice calculation unit starts the resist processing of the wafer by a certain resist processing unit, at least the transfer robot is operated from the wafer processing end time. Is calculated by subtracting the moving time of the wafer, and the elapsed time counting means counts the elapsed time of the resist processing with the start of the resist processing of the wafer by a certain resist processing unit and finishes the processing. The notifying means compares the processing end notifying time calculated by the end notifying time calculating means with the elapsed time counted by the elapsed time counting means, and when both match, sets an end notifying flag corresponding to a certain resist processing unit. The stand-up and transfer control means moves the transfer robot to a certain resist processing unit based on the end-notification flag set by this end-notification means. Since the, by eliminating the arrival latency transport robot from the resist processing end to start unloading, it can provide a resist processing apparatus can shorten the overall processing time.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, since the end notice time calculating means and the elapsed time counting means are provided individually corresponding to each resist processing section, the resist processing section according to claim 1 It is possible to provide a resist processing apparatus that achieves the above effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a resist processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a unit controller in the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... OAP unit, 2 ... coater unit, 3 ... baker unit, 4 ... cooling unit, 5 ... exposure unit, 6 ... developer unit, 1a-6a ... unit control device, 11 ... control unit, 12 ... end notice calculation unit , 13
… Elapsed time counting unit, 14… End notice unit, 15… Memory,
16 ... Transport robot, 17 ... Robot controller, 18 ...
Wafer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transfer robot that transfers a wafer and a plurality of types of resist processing units that perform different resist processing, wherein the transfer robot transfers the wafer to a corresponding resist processing unit, and The transfer robot carries out the resist-processed wafer from the resist processing unit, and performs the processes from the carry-in to the carry-out for other types of resist processing units, thereby performing various resist processes on the wafer. In the resist processing apparatus, when the resist processing of the wafer is started by a certain resist processing unit, the processing end notice time of the wafer is set to be a value obtained by subtracting at least the moving time of the transfer robot from the processing end time of the wafer. By the end notice calculation means for calculating With the start of the resist processing of the wafer, the elapsed time counting means for counting the elapsed time of the resist processing, the processing end notice time calculated by the end notice time calculating means, and the progress counted by the elapsed time counting means The times are compared, and when both match, an end notifying unit that sets an end notifying flag corresponding to the certain resist processing unit, and the transfer robot based on the end notifying unit setting the end notifying flag A resist processing apparatus, which is provided with a transfer control means for moving the above to a certain resist processing section. 2. The resist processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end advance notice time calculating means and the elapsed time counting means are provided individually corresponding to each of the resist processing units.