JPH077065A - Substrate carrying method of substrate treating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the substrate carrying method of a substrate treating apparatus by which the throughput of the apparatus can be improved without increasing it size. CONSTITUTION:A first substrate carrying mechanism carries a substrate to be treated in the order of an indexer ID through an ultraviolet ray emitting unit UV, spin scrubber SS1, hot plate HP1, cool plate CP1, and adhesion promoting unit AP1 to a cool plate CP1. A second carrying mechanism carries another substrate in the same way as that of the first carrying mechanism. Namely, the substrates are carried to the plate CP2 from the indexer ID through the above-mentioned different kinds of equipment in the same order and period. However, in order to prevent interference between both carrying mechanisms, a short time lag is set between the substrate carrying operation of each substrate carrying means. Therefore, a series of substrate treating processes can be performed on two substrates during the same period.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate processing method for transporting a substrate to be processed between the processing units in a substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of processing units for performing different processes on the substrate. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in the manufacturing process of precision electronic substrates such as liquid crystal display substrates and semiconductor substrates, for example, an exposure processing section, a cleaning processing section, a heating processing section, a cooling processing section, an adhesion strengthening processing section, etc. Substrate processing in which the substrates to be processed are transferred in and out of the processing units while being transferred in a predetermined transfer sequence between the processing units by a substrate transfer means such as a substrate transfer robot The device is used.

FIG. 10 is a plan layout view of a conventional substrate processing apparatus. In this apparatus, a first processing group B1 is composed of an ultraviolet irradiation unit 30 for decomposing or hydrophilizing organic substances on the substrate surface and a cleaning processing unit 40 for cleaning the substrate. The ultraviolet irradiation unit 30 includes a single ultraviolet irradiation unit UV, while the cleaning processing unit 40 includes two rotary cleaning devices (hereinafter “spin scrubber”) SS1 and SS2 for performing so-called parallel processing. .

Further, a heat treatment section 50 for subjecting the substrate to be treated to heat treatment and a first cooling treatment section 60 composed of one cool plate CP1 for cooling the substrate to be treated after the heat treatment.
And an adhesion-strengthening processing unit 70 for performing the adhesion-strengthening processing,
A second processing group B2 is constituted by a second cooling processing section 80 which is composed of one cool plate CP2 and cools the substrate to be processed after the adhesion strengthening processing. Of these processing units, the heating processing unit 50 and the adhesion strengthening processing unit 70 are respectively the hot plates HP1 and HP2 and the adhesion strengthening unit AP1.
, AP2, so that parallel processing can be performed.

As shown in the figure, these processing groups B1 and B2 are arranged in parallel at a fixed distance. Further, a substrate loading / unloading processing unit 90 composed of an indexer ID for loading / unloading the substrate is provided at the side end portion (on the left hand side in the figure) of these processing groups B1 and B2.

Further, the first and second processing groups B1 and B
A substrate transfer robot RB for transferring the substrate to be processed is arranged in a space surrounded by 2 and the indexer ID, and each processing unit 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 9 is provided.
It is possible to move freely between 0 and to transfer the substrate to be processed.

In this substrate processing apparatus, the substrate transfer robot RB uses the processing units 30, 40 and 5 in the transfer order shown in FIG.
A series of processes are performed by transferring the substrate to be processed while cyclically moving between 0, 60, 70, 80 and 90. As described above, in this substrate processing apparatus, the seven processing units 30, 40, 5 are provided while the substrate transfer robot RB makes one round.
0, 60, 70, 80, 90 are accessed, and the average value of the time required to move between the respective processing units 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 is "TM", and the substrate to be processed is Assuming that the time required for the transfer of the substrate is “TE”, the time required for the substrate transfer robot RB to make one round, that is, the cycle T
0 becomes T0 = (TM + TE) × 7.

[0008]

As described above, in the conventional substrate processing apparatus, it takes time T0 for the substrate transfer robot RB to make a round between the processing sections, and the maximum processing capacity of this apparatus is It becomes T0 per substrate. In order to increase the processing capacity of the apparatus, for example, there is a method of increasing the operation speed of the substrate transfer robot RB, but this involves great mechanical difficulty and has a certain limit.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG.
The processing units 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 are divided into a plurality of blocks BB1 and BB2, and these blocks BB1 are divided.
, BB2 is provided with an interface unit IF, and each of the blocks BB1, BB2 has a substrate transfer robot RB1,
It is proposed to place RB2. In this apparatus, as shown in FIG. 13, in each of the blocks BB1 and BB2, the substrates to be processed are transferred by the substrate transfer robots RB1 and RB2 in a predetermined transfer order, and the interface unit I
The substrate to be processed is transferred between the blocks BB1 and BB2 via F.

Now, consider the periods T1 and T2 in the blocks BB1 and BB2. The block BB1 needs to access each unit while moving between the four processing units 30, 40, 50 and 90 and the interface unit IF. Therefore, the time required for the substrate transfer robot RB1 to make one round in the block BB1, that is, the cycle T1
Becomes T1 = (TM + TE) × 5. On the other hand, the block BB2 has three processing units 6
It is necessary to access each part while moving between 0, 70, 80 and the interface part IF. Therefore, the time required for the substrate transfer robot RB2 to make one round in the block BB2, that is, the period T2, is T2 = (TM + TE) × 4. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 12 can process one substrate to be processed in the cycle T1.
It is possible to perform a series of processes with a higher processing capacity than that of the above device.

However, by providing the interface section IF in this way, the proposed technique has a problem that the device becomes large and the occupied floor area increases. Further, as described above, the interface unit IF merely transfers the substrate to be processed between the blocks BB1 and BB2, but it must be regarded as one processing unit in consideration of the processing capacity of the apparatus. However, it is disadvantageous for shortening the tact time (time required to process one substrate).

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of transferring a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus capable of increasing the processing capacity without increasing the size of the apparatus. And

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of processing units for performing different processings on a substrate to be processed, and the processing units so as to be movable between them. N substrates (n
≧ 2) substrate transporting means, wherein the substrate transporting means transports the substrates to be processed in a predetermined transporting order and at a predetermined cycle T between the processing sections. In the carrying method, in order to achieve the above object, the carrying process of the substrate to be processed by each of the substrate carrying means is carried out in a state of being shifted from each other by a time shorter than the cycle.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the transfer processing of the substrate to be processed by each of the substrate transfer means is performed in a state of being shifted from each other by a time (T / n).

[0015]

In the present invention, the n substrate transfer means individually and independently transfer the substrate to be processed between the processing sections in the predetermined transfer order and in the predetermined cycle T. Further, the transfer processing of the substrate to be processed performed by each of the substrate transfer means is performed in a state where the processing is shifted from each other by a time shorter than the cycle T. Therefore, during the period T, a series of substrate processing is performed on the p substrates by the processing unit.

[0016]

1 is a side view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus to which a substrate transfer method according to the present invention can be applied, and FIG. 2 is a plan layout view of FIG. 1 seen from above. . The substrate processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for performing the same processing on a substrate to be processed as in the conventional example.

In FIG. 1 and the following figures, the horizontal plane parallel to the floor is the XY plane, and the vertical direction is Z.
A three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system X-Y-Z is defined as a direction. Further, when the (+ X) direction and the (−X) direction are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as “X direction” (the same applies to Y and Z). Further, the Z direction in this embodiment corresponds to the "vertical direction" in the present invention, and the X direction corresponds to the "horizontal first direction". The Y direction corresponds to the “horizontal second direction”.

In FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 includes a processing unit portion A1 for performing a series of processing on a substrate to be processed, and a substrate 2 to be processed in the X direction along the processing unit portion A1.
It has a transfer section A2 including one substrate transfer mechanism 101, 102.

The processing unit section A1 is divided into upper and lower stages and arranged in parallel, and the lower stage C1 is provided with an ultraviolet ray irradiating section 30 comprising an ultraviolet ray irradiating unit UV and a cleaning treatment comprising two spin scrubbers SS1 and SS2. While the parts 40 are arranged in the X direction, the heat treatment parts 50,
The one adhesion strengthening unit AP1, the cooling processing parts 60 and 80, and the other adhesion strengthening unit AP2 that constitute the adhesion strengthening processing unit 70 are arranged in the X direction. In the heat treatment unit 50, two hot plates HP1 and HP2 are used.
Are stacked. Also, two cool plates C
P1 and CP2 are stacked and the upper cool plate C
P1 functions as the first cooling processing unit 60, while the lower cool plate CP2 functions as the second cooling processing unit 80.

A substrate loading / unloading processing unit 90 for loading and unloading substrates is provided at a side end portion (left-hand side in FIG. 2) of the transport unit A2, as in the conventional example. First and second substrate transfer mechanisms 101, 1 having a configuration
02, the substrate to be processed is processed by each processing unit 30, 40, 50,
It is sequentially conveyed to 60, 70, 80 and is subjected to a series of processing.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the structure seen from the position I-I in FIG. 1 in the (-X) direction. As shown in the figure, a frame 200 extending in the X direction is provided on the front surface side of the processing unit portion A1, that is, on the (−Y) side. Two parallel guide rails (conveyance paths) 201 and 202 extending in the X direction are fixed to the frame 200 at intervals in the Z direction. A board transfer mechanism 101 is attached to the upper guide rail 201, and the board transfer mechanism 101 can be translated in the X direction while being guided by the guide rail 201 (in FIG. 1, the board transfer mechanism 101 and the frame 200). The connection relationship with is not shown). The lower guide rail 202 has the substrate transfer mechanism 10
2 is attached, and the substrate transfer mechanism 102 can be translated in the X direction while being guided by the guide rail 202.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer mechanism 101 of FIG. 5 is a side view of the substrate transfer mechanism 101 viewed from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the substrate transfer mechanism 101 viewed from the direction of arrow VI of FIG. Further, FIG. 7 is a front view of the substrate transfer mechanism 101 viewed from the arrow VII direction in FIG.

In this apparatus 1, two substrate transfer mechanisms 10 are provided.
1 and 102 are used, but since their basic configurations are the same, the substrate transfer mechanism 101 will be mainly described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

First referring to FIG. Of the guide rails 201 and 202 fixed to the frame 200, the upper guide rail 201 is provided with the first substrate transfer mechanism 101. The substrate transfer mechanism 101 has an X movement mechanism 110 for translating the entire substrate transfer mechanism 101 in the horizontal X direction.

A vertical arm mechanism 120a that bends and extends in the vertical Z direction is connected to the X moving mechanism 110, and the housing 131 is supported by the vertical arm mechanism 120a. Referring to FIG. 4, this housing 13
Reference numeral 1 is a hollow box having both ends in the Y direction opened, and two sets of horizontal arm mechanisms 140a and 140b capable of bending and extending in the horizontal Y direction are housed inside the box. A hand 15 as a substrate holding mechanism is attached to each of the tips.
0a and 150b are connected.

The X moving mechanism 110, as shown in FIG.
It has wheels 111 and 112 arranged so as to sandwich the guide rail 201 from above and below. Also, the support member 1
The drive wheel 113 is attached to the motor 114 supported by 15.
Drive wheels 113 are connected by a motor 114.
Is rotated, the X moving mechanism 110 (hence the entire substrate transfer mechanism 101) is translated in the X direction while being guided by the guide rail 201.

A motor 116 is fixed below the support member 115. The vertical arm mechanism 120a is provided with two arms 121a and 122a having substantially the same length, and an end portion of the first arm 121a among them is connected to the motor 116. In addition, the end portion 13 of the second arm 122a
2a is connected to the housing 131.

The vertical arm mechanism 120a is a so-called SCARA robot mechanism. Therefore, when the motor 116 rotates, the arms 121a and 122b rotate as indicated by arrows θ1 and θ2, respectively, and the housing 1
31 translates in the Z direction while maintaining its posture (arrow E1). By switching the rotation direction of the motor 116, the direction of translation of the housing 131 in the Z direction is reversed from the (+ Z) direction to the (-Z) direction or from the (-Z) direction to the (+ Z) direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, another vertical arm mechanism 12 having the same structure as the vertical arm mechanism 120a.
0b is provided on the opposite side of the housing 131.

Then, these vertical arm mechanisms 120
The a and 120b are connected to each other by a connecting member 124 extending in the horizontal X direction. Therefore, the driving force of the motor 116 is also transmitted to the vertical arm mechanism 120b via the connecting member 124. That is, the first vertical arm mechanism 120
When each arm of a rotates, the connecting member 124
Each arm of the second vertical arm mechanism 120b also rotates by a corresponding amount via. This allows the housing 131
While being supported at both ends, is displaced in the Z direction without changing its posture.

In the second vertical arm mechanism 120b, the motor 11 in the first vertical arm mechanism 120a is used.
A torque spring 117 is provided in order to achieve a balance with 6.

Although the substrate carrying mechanism 102 is also shown in FIG. 5, the structure of the substrate carrying mechanism 102 is substantially the same. The X movement mechanism and the vertical arm mechanism are vertically symmetrical in the first and second substrate transfer mechanisms 101 and 102, but the housings 131 and 132 and the internal configuration (described later) are mutually directional. It is the same.

The range in which the housing 131 of the substrate transfer mechanism 101, 102 can be displaced in the Z direction is such that the hot plate HP1, is the height at which the substrate to be processed can be transferred to and from the processing units 30, 40 arranged in the lower stage C1. The range is up to the height of loading and unloading the substrate to be processed on the cool plate CP1.

Next, the description will be continued with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the housing 131 with the ceiling surface removed. In the housing 131, one end of each of the pair of horizontal arm mechanisms 140a and 140b is separately connected to the left and right.

One horizontal arm mechanism 140a is provided with two arms 141a and 142a of substantially equal length,
The first arm 141a is connected to the motor 133a (see FIGS. 4 and 5) at the connection position 143a. Further, the tip of the second arm 142a is connected to the hand 150a.

This horizontal arm mechanism 140a is also constructed as a SCARA robot mechanism, and has a motor 133a.
When the arm is rotated, the arms 141a and 141b move to the arrow α1,
The hand 150a translates in the Y direction while maintaining its posture while turning in the α2 direction, respectively (arrow E2).

Therefore, when the hand 150a is translated in the (+ Y) direction by driving the motor 150a, the hand 150a is exposed from the housing 131 to the outside and reaches the unit processing section. Further, when translated in the (−Y) direction, the hand 150 a is housed in the housing 131.

The configuration and operation of the other horizontal arm mechanism 140b is also the same. The first hand 150a and the second hand 150b are aligned in the Y direction. This is the horizontal X
This is because the substrate to be processed can be taken in and out of each processing unit with either hand without changing the relative position between the substrate transport mechanism and each processing unit in the direction.

By the way, the hands 150a and 150b are set to Y.
When the heights of the hands 150a and 150b with respect to the housing 131 are the same because they are aligned in the same direction, they interfere with each other.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the hand 150
The heights of a and 150b are different. Further, in FIG. 6, the distances in the X direction between the fulcrums (connection points to the housing 131) 143a and 143b of the horizontal arm mechanisms 140a and 140b are set so that the elbow portions of the horizontal arm mechanisms 140a and 140b do not interfere with each other. Arm 141a, 1
The width is more than twice the width of 42a.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the hands 150a and 150b in this embodiment are plane plates having two fingers. The substrate to be processed is handed 150a or 15
0b and is housed in the housing 131, and in that state is transported to another processing section.

Next, a substrate transfer method in the substrate transfer device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. In the same figure, the alternate long and short dash line shows the transfer operation of the substrate to be processed by the first substrate transfer mechanism 101, and 2
The dotted chain line shows the operation of transferring the substrate to be processed by the second substrate transfer mechanism 102. In addition, the elapsed time is shown along the circumferential direction, indicating that the time T has passed in one round.

As shown by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure, the first substrate transfer mechanism 101 includes an indexer ID-ultraviolet irradiation unit UV-spin scrubber SS1-hot plate HP1.
-Cool plate CP1-Adhesion strengthening unit AP1-Cool plate CP2 are carried in the order, and the substrate to be processed is carried at the cycle T. In addition, the second substrate transfer mechanism 10
As indicated by the chain double-dashed line in the figure, 2 conveys the substrate to be treated in the same manner as the first substrate conveying mechanism 101, that is, conveys the substrate to be treated in the same conveying order and at the cycle T. However, in this embodiment, in order to prevent mutual interference between the first and second substrate transfer mechanisms 101 and 102, the substrate transfer by the substrate transfer mechanisms 101 and 102 is performed for a time (T / T).
2) It is performed with a deviation.

As described above, in this embodiment, a series of treatments can be performed on two substrates at every time T, and the treatment capacity of the substrate treating apparatus 1 is shown in FIG.
It is higher than the conventional example of No. 2. Moreover, since it is not necessary to provide the interface unit IF, it is possible to prevent the device from becoming large. Thus, according to this embodiment, the processing capacity can be increased without increasing the size of the device.

Although the substrate transfer mechanisms 101 and 102 are configured to move in the X direction along the guide rails 201 and 202 fixed to the frame 200 in the above embodiment, the substrate to be processed is transferred. The structure of the substrate transfer unit is not limited to this, and the substrate transfer unit may be configured by the mechanism shown in FIG. 9, for example. That is, as shown in FIG.
Two pairs of rails 211 and 212 extending in the direction are provided adjacent to each other in the horizontal Y direction, and substrate transfer mechanisms 411 and 412 are provided above them.

In the first substrate transfer mechanism 411, the column 451 is erected in the vertical Z direction on the base 450 which is movable on the rail pair 211 in the horizontal X direction. Arm mechanisms 452 and 453 corresponding to a SCARA robot mechanism are provided near the top of the column 451 and the ends thereof are connected to a horizontal beam 454. The horizontal beam 454 is fixed to the housing 455.

Therefore, the housing 455 can be moved up and down as shown by an arrow K in the figure. This housing 455
A horizontal arm mechanism and a hand mechanism similar to those shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 are housed therein, by which the substrate to be processed can be taken in and out of each processing section.

The same applies to the second substrate transfer mechanism 412, but its column 461 is shorter than the column 451 of the first substrate transfer mechanism 411. The substrate transfer mechanisms 411 and 412 can pass each other when moving in the Y direction.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the cleaning processing unit 4
0, the heat treatment part 50 and the adhesion strengthening treatment part 70 are provided with the same processing, respectively, so as to perform so-called parallel processing. However, depending on whether or not parallel processing is performed,
It suffices to select whether each processing unit is configured by a single processing device or a plurality of identical processing devices are provided. For example, if parallel processing is required also in the exposure processing unit 30, one ultraviolet irradiation unit UV may be added, and the substrate to be processed is transferred to one ultraviolet irradiation unit by the first substrate transfer mechanism 101. At the same time, the second substrate transfer mechanism 102 may transfer the substrate to the other ultraviolet irradiation unit.

Also, in this embodiment, the substrate transfer mechanism 10
Although the substrate transfer by 1 and 102 is performed in a state of being displaced by the time (T / 2), the amount of the displacement is not limited to this, and is the same as the above if the time is shorter than the cycle T. The effect of is obtained.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the substrate processing apparatus provided with two substrate carrying means (substrate carrying mechanism) has been described, but the substrate processing provided with three or more substrate carrying means. The present invention can be applied to a device. In short, n (n ≧ 2) substrate transfer means that can independently transfer the substrate to be processed between the processing units are provided, and the substrate transfer means are shifted from each other by a time shorter than the cycle T. Thus, n substrates can be processed during the cycle T by transferring the substrate to be processed between the processing units in a predetermined transfer order and cycle T. It should be noted that the shift amount can be, for example, time (T / n).

Further, according to the present invention, not only the apparatus of the type in which the processing section is arranged on one side of the substrate carrying means as described above (see FIG. 2), but the type in which the processing sections are arranged on both sides of the substrate carrying means Apparatus (see FIG. 10), and the type and order of the treatment applied to the substrate are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment, and are applicable to all substrate treatment apparatuses that perform a series of treatments on a substrate to be treated. The present invention can be applied.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, the processing for transferring the substrate to be processed between the processing sections in the predetermined transfer order and at the predetermined cycle T by the plurality of substrate transfer means,
That is, since the substrate transfer processing by each of the substrate transfer means is performed in a state of being shifted from each other by a time shorter than the cycle T, the processing capacity can be improved without increasing the size of the apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus to which a substrate transfer method according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan layout view of FIG. 1 seen from above.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the structure seen from the position I-I in FIG. 1 in the (−X) direction.

4 is a perspective view of the substrate transfer mechanism of FIG.

5 is a side view of the substrate transfer mechanism as viewed in the direction of arrow VII in FIG.

6 is a plan view of the substrate transfer mechanism viewed from the direction of arrow VIII in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the substrate transfer mechanism viewed from the direction of arrow IX in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a method of transporting a substrate in the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing another example of the substrate carrying means (substrate carrying mechanism).

FIG. 10 is a plan layout view showing an example of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a transfer sequence of substrates in the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a plan layout view showing another example of the conventional substrate processing apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a transfer sequence of substrates in the apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 Processing unit 101, 102, 411, 412 Substrate transfer mechanism (substrate transfer means) T cycle

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of processing units that perform different processings on a substrate to be processed and a movable unit between the processing units, and the substrate to be processed can be independently transported between the processing units. In a substrate processing apparatus provided with n (n ≧ 2) substrate transfer means, each substrate transfer means transfers the substrate to be processed in a predetermined transfer order and between the processing sections at a predetermined cycle T. A method of transferring a substrate to be transferred, wherein the transfer processing of the substrate to be processed by each substrate transfer means is performed in a state where they are shifted from each other by a time shorter than the cycle, Transport method. 2. The transfer processing of the substrate to be processed by each substrate transfer means is shifted from each other by a time (T / n),
The method for carrying a substrate in the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, which is performed.