JPH08227930A - Manufacturing system and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To select the processing, as required, by proving a first transfer arm for transferring an object while aligning individually, a second transfer means for receiving the object and transferring the object in X direction, and a plurality of processing chambers disposed along the transfer path. CONSTITUTION: A channel 102 is provided in the center of a base 101 and a unit 110 for transferring a wafer in Y direction is disposed in the channel 102. A wafer transfer mechanism 120 is disposed on the left side of the base 101 and provided with a wafer cassettes 122, 123 for containing unprocessed and processed semiconductor wafers WB, WF, respectively. A pincette 121 of the transfer mechanism 120 hand avers an unprocessed wafer WB to the pincettes 112, 113 of the transfer unit 110 and receives a processed wafer WF from the pincettes 132, 113. The semiconductor wafer W is passed through the processing stations 103-108 according to a predetermined order. Operation of the transfer unit 110 is entirely controlled by a control system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The disclosed technology relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing apparatus technology.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The manufacture of semiconductor devices such as ICs involves numerous microfabrication steps in order to form elements such as transistors on a wafer of semiconductor single crystal such as silicon. Among them, PEP (photoengraving) for forming a predetermined resist pattern on the surface of a wafer.
process) occupies a very important position.

This is because the resist pattern formed of the PEP is used as an etching mask or the like and provides a basis for the current fine processing technology.

Thus, the formation of the resist pattern in the PEP is performed by applying a photoresist to the surface of the wafer to form a photoresist film having a uniform thickness, and selectively selecting a predetermined region of the photoresist film. The step of exposing
The exposed photoresist film is developed to form a desired resist pattern.

Of these, the exposure process is, for example, a step
The step of forming a photoresist film on the surface of the substrate is performed by using an exposure apparatus such as an AND / repeat aligner (referred to as a stepper) or the like, for example, using an apparatus described below.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure in a photoresist film forming apparatus called a track system. This apparatus includes a preheating step 4, a cooling step 5, a coating step 6, and a heating step 8, as shown in the drawing. It has a processing station to perform.

A semiconductor wafer 1 on which a photoresist film is to be formed is housed in a cassette-shaped container 2 and introduced into this apparatus, and the semiconductor wafers 1 are taken out one by one from the cassette 2 by a belt transfer mechanism 3. The wafers 1 are sequentially transported to each processing station and subjected to a predetermined processing, and in the preheating step 4, the wafer 1 is heated to remove moisture.

The wafer 1 which has been preheated is cooled in a cooling step 5 and then sent to a coating step 6. In the coating step 6, for example, a spinner coater (spinner c) is used.
The photoresist 1 is uniformly coated on the surface of the wafer 1 by a coating device such as a water heater, and the wafer 1 coated with the photoresist is sent to a heating step 8 equipped with a transport mechanism 7 called a walking beam system. By being heated in the heating step 8, the photoresist liquid applied to the wafer 1 is stabilized in a film form.

After the heating step 8 is completed, the wafer 9 having the initial photoresist thin film formed on the surface thereof is accommodated in the cassette 10 for accommodating the processed wafer 9 by the belt transport mechanism 3.

[0010]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, the independent processing stations are arranged in series, and the semiconductor wafer 1 to be processed has these stations in a predetermined order and It is necessary to pass the traffic without fail, regardless of whether it is necessary or not. Therefore, it is not possible to arbitrarily change the processing sequence once set, and only select a certain processing station. There was a drawback that it was not possible to pass it through.

On the other hand, in order to form a semiconductor element on the semiconductor wafer 1, the processing steps required, including the order thereof, vary depending on the type of IC formed on the semiconductor wafer 1, but the above-mentioned conventional photolithography process is performed. In the resist film forming apparatus, there is no choice but to perform all the processing steps even on the semiconductor wafer 1 that does not require a certain processing step, which is a drawback that improves the throughput.

Therefore, the semiconductor wafer 1 to be processed
There is a demand for an apparatus capable of arbitrarily changing which processing station is to be used in which order among processing stations provided in the apparatus according to the type, but an apparatus which meets this has not been devised.

The object of the invention of this application is to solve the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and to provide a manufacturing apparatus which can be selectively changed as necessary in the processing step 5 and has high processing throughput. Is.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first aspect of the present invention is based on the above-mentioned object. A first carrying arm for carrying the object to be processed to an alignment means for aligning the object to be processed, and a object for receiving the object to be processed by the alignment means and carrying the object to be processed movable in the X direction along a common carrying path. A second transfer means and a plurality of processing chambers arranged on both sides along the common transfer path so as to face each other, and the first transfer means is positioned so as to face each processing chamber, The processing body is conveyed to each of the processing devices.

A second aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising a cassette for accommodating a plurality of objects to be processed, and the objects to be processed taken out from the cassette are transferred to the alignment means by the first transfer arm.

In a third aspect of the invention, the first transfer arm is
It is movable in the Y direction, and a plurality of the cassettes can be placed along the moving path of the first transfer arm.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a carrier device that holds an object to be processed and moves linearly, a plurality of processing stations provided along a moving path of the object, and the object to be processed by the carrier device. Means for transporting the processed object to the processing station in accordance with a predetermined process order, and an operation for carrying out the processed object to be processed and carrying in the unprocessed object at each processing station carried by the means by the carrying device. And means for executing.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, a step of unloading the unprocessed objects one by one from the container in which the unprocessed objects are stored and the unprocessed objects unloaded by this step are aligned. After the process and the unprocessed object aligned by this step are conveyed linearly and moved to the first processing station to carry out the first processed object, the unprocessed object is carried in. And a step of moving the first processed object carried out by this step to a predetermined second processing station, and after carrying out the second processed object, the first processed object. The method further comprises a step of loading the processing object, a step of aligning the processed object to be processed after this step, and a step of storing the processed object to be processed, which has been aligned by this step, in a container. It is characterized by

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the object to be processed stored in the cassette is carried in and out, and a carrying-in / carrying-out mechanism for positioning the object to be processed, and the object to be processed are received from the carrying-in / carrying-out mechanism, and the object is linear A transport mechanism that reciprocates to transport the object to be processed, a plurality of processing units provided on both sides of a linear movement path in which the transport mechanism reciprocates, and a processing unit that processes the plurality of processing units. It is characterized in that a control mechanism that can set the order arbitrarily is provided.

A seventh aspect of the invention is to carry in and carry out the object to be processed stored in the cassette and to carry out the positioning of the object to be processed, and to receive the object to be processed from the carrying in and out mechanism, and to form a linear shape. A transport mechanism that reciprocates to transport the object to be processed, at least one heat treatment unit provided along one side of a linear movement path in which the transport mechanism reciprocates, and the heat treatment unit that faces the heat treatment unit. At the time of carrying in and out the object to be processed with respect to at least one treatment liquid application section provided along the side, the at least one heat treatment section, and the at least one treatment solution application section, the treated object is processed. The present invention is characterized in that a control means is provided for carrying in the unprocessed object while carrying out the unprocessed object.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is a step of unloading an object to be processed from a cassette storing the object to be processed by a loading / unloading mechanism, and a linear transport path after positioning the object to be processed by the loading / unloading mechanism. Is provided along the linear transport path by the transport mechanism, a step of transferring the linear transport path to a reciprocating transport mechanism, a step of moving the linear transport path and transporting the linear transport path. A step of loading and unloading an object to be processed into a plurality of processing stations; a step of processing the object to be processed in the processing station after the object is loaded into the processing station; and an object to be processed from the transfer mechanism to the loading / unloading mechanism. The technical means is characterized in that it comprises a step of delivering and receiving, and a step of storing the delivered object to be processed in the cassette by the loading / unloading mechanism.

[0022]

Thus, in the processing apparatus of the invention of this application, the processing apparatus adapted to convey the object to be processed by selecting between a plurality of steps arranged opposite to each other can be used in accordance with the type of the object to be processed. Is to be selected.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the processing apparatus of the invention of this application is applied to a coating and developing apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a photoresist film coating and developing apparatus 1.
It is a top view showing 00, and 101 in the figure is a base of the apparatus main body. A passage 102 extending in the direction of the arrow Y (lateral direction) is provided in the center of the base 101, and an unprocessed semiconductor wafer W is heated on one side of the passage 102 to remove moisture and the like. A pre-heating station 103 that is accompanied by HMDS treatment for removal or is simply heated, a cooling station 104 for cooling the pre-heated wafer W, for example, heating the wafer W after applying a photoresist solution. Then, the first and second heating stations 105 and 10 each having two heating devices in the vertical direction used to form the dried photoresist film.
6 are provided side by side.

Further, on the other side of the passage 102, first and second coating stations 107 used for coating, for example, a photoresist solution on the surface of the semiconductor wafer W which has been preheated and cooled. , 108 are provided.

In FIG. 1, the cooling station 10 is used.
4 and the pre-heating station 103 and the first and second heating stations 105 and 106 are shown to be arranged in a plane for convenience of illustration, but this is for convenience and in fact It has a laminated structure in which two heating devices of the preheating station 103 are provided above and below the cooling station 104.

In the passage 102, a handling means for moving the inside of the passage 102 in the Y direction by a driving mechanism (not shown) such as a ball screw, for example,
A wafer transfer device 110 is provided, and the transfer device 110 has a carriage 111.
Vacuum tweezers, for example, semiconductor wafer W
Tweezers 112 and 113 for adsorbing and holding
Are mounted so as to be superimposed on each other, and the tweezers 112,
113 are movable in the X direction (vertical direction) and Y direction (horizontal direction) independently of each other, and the superimposed tweezers 112, 1
13 is capable of parallel movement in the Z direction (vertical direction) at the same time, and is also rotatable in the θ direction. Such parallel movement and rotation of the tweezers 112 and 113 are performed. In order to enable the above, the carriage 111 is provided with a stepping motor and a drive mechanism (not shown) such as a ball screw connected to the stepping motor.

The tweezers 112 and 113 hold the wafer W by one of the tweezers and convey it to the processing station. When the processed wafer W _F is present in the processing station, the other tweezers pick up the processed wafer W _F. The transfer device 110 is used to transfer the wafer W to the processing stations 103 to 108.

A wafer loading / unloading mechanism 120 is provided on the left side of the base 101, and the loading / unloading mechanism 120 includes a wafer cassette 122 accommodating unprocessed semiconductor wafers W _B and a processed wafer W _F. A wafer cassette 123 for accommodating the
0 has a tweezers 121 for sucking and holding the back surface of the wafer W. The tweezers 121 has the same structure as the tweezers 112 and 113, and can be moved in parallel in the X and Y directions. The tweezers 121
Removes the unprocessed wafer W _B from the cassette 122,
In addition, the processed wafer W _{F is transferred} to the wafer cassette 123.
To store.

The tweezers 121 of the loading / unloading mechanism 120 transfers the unprocessed wafer W _B to the tweezers 112 and 113 of the transfer device 110, and receives the processed wafer W _F from the tweezers 112 and 113. The interface mechanism 30 that enables this delivery is provided at the boundary between the passage 102 and the carry-in / carry-out mechanism 120.

Further, the tweezers 11 of the carrying device 110
The semiconductor wafers W and 113 are transferred to and from the processing stations 103 to 108 so that the semiconductor wafers W are processed in the processing stations 103 to 108 in a predetermined order.

All the operations of the carrier device 110 are controlled by a control system (not shown). Therefore, the processing in the processing stations 103 to 108 can be arbitrarily set by changing the program of the control system. That is, it is possible to perform only some of the processes in the processing stations 103 to 108 or change the order of the processes.

The tweezers 112, 113 and 121 are described in detail in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3A to 3C. In the figure, 21 is a tweezer body, and the tweezer body is shown. 21 has three fulcrums 22, 23,
24 is provided so as to project, and the semiconductor wafer W is supported by these fulcrums at three points.
1 has the effect of preventing sticking of the surface.

Of these fulcrums 22 to 24, 24 is provided with a suction port for vacuum suction which is opened on the top surface thereof.

Further, for alignment of the semiconductor wafer W, an arc-shaped guide member 25 and a stopper member 26 corresponding to the periphery of the semiconductor wafer W are provided.
First, the semiconductor wafer W is placed on the tweezers in the state shown in FIG. 3A. In this state, the semiconductor wafer W is not aligned and is not vacuum-sucked. as shown in B), is moved horizontally toward the forceps body 21 to the stopper member 26, an orientation flat W _a of the semiconductor wafer W is brought into contact with the stopper member 26, then, by further continuing the horizontal movement, the The semiconductor wafer W is the tweezers body 2
It slides on the fulcrums 22 to 24 of No. 1 and finally contacts the guide member 25 and stops.

Therefore, even if the position of the semiconductor wafer W deviates from the central portion of the tweezer body 21 in the state of FIG. 3A, by being guided by the guide member 25, a predetermined center portion of the tweezer body 21 is obtained. Can be aligned in position.

FIG. 4 shows an interface mechanism 30 provided at the boundary between the passage 102 and the wafer loading / unloading mechanism 120.
The interface mechanism 30 has a function of temporarily holding the semiconductor wafer W transferred between the tweezers 121 and the tweezers 112 and 113, and a holding member 31 for holding the semiconductor wafer W by a vacuum suction mechanism. And a driving device (for example, an air cylinder) 32 for moving the holding member 31 up and down. When the tweezers 121 of the loading / unloading mechanism 120 carry the semiconductor wafer W to the position shown in the figure, the holding member 32 rises. , The semiconductor wafer W is lifted and held as shown in the figure,
Next, the wafer transfer device 110 on the resist coating / developing device 100 side moves to the position of the interface mechanism 30 shown in the figure, and the holding member 31 descends, so that the semiconductor wafer W held by the holding member 31 is removed. The semiconductor wafer W is placed on the tweezers 112 or 113, and the semiconductor wafer W is transferred from the tweezers 112, 113 to the tweezers 121 in the same manner as described above.

Next, the step of forming a photoresist film on the surface of the semiconductor wafer W by the apparatus 100 of the above-described embodiment will be described step by step. The step is based on the program stored in advance in the control system described above. Be implemented.

First, the tweezers 1 of the loading / unloading mechanism 120.
21, one semiconductor wafer W is taken out from the cassette 122 and is transported to the position of the interface mechanism 30.
The transferred semiconductor wafer W is transferred to one of the tweezers, for example, the tweezers 112 of the transfer device 110 waiting at the left end of the passage 102 via the interface mechanism 30 and is adsorbed and held. When only one semiconductor wafer W of the same type is stored in one cassette 122, the ID code may be displayed on the cassette 122 and the manufacturing process program may be selected by reading the ID code.

Hereinafter, the preheating station 103, the cooling station 104, the first coating station 107,
The case where the processing in the first heating station 105 is selected in this order will be described.

First, the tweezers 112 having received the semiconductor wafer W is moved toward the preheating station 103, and the semiconductor wafer W is moved to the preheating station 1.
No. 03 is set and preheating is performed. The preheating is configured by a heater plate, and the semiconductor wafer W is placed on the heater plate. At this time, the semiconductor wafer W is directly placed on the heater plate. It is good to take measures against dust if it is raised about 0.3 mm by three-point support without contact.

During this time, the tweezers 121 is moved to 2
The second semiconductor wafer W is taken out from the cassette 122,
The interface mechanism 30 is made to stand by and the first semiconductor wafer W is preheated to the preheating station 1
03, the transfer device 110 receives the second semiconductor wafer W from the interface mechanism 30 with the tweezers 112, and holds the second semiconductor wafer W by suction on the tweezers 112. The process waits until the processing of the wafer W is completed.

When the preliminary heating process of the first semiconductor wafer W is completed, the transfer device 110 performs the following operation, that is, first, the tweezers 113 not holding the semiconductor wafer W are moved to perform the preliminary heating process. The pre-heating station 10 for the first semiconductor wafer W which has been finished
Take out from 3.

After emptying the preheating station 103 in this way, the tweezers 112 holding the second semiconductor wafer W are operated to set the second semiconductor wafer W in the preheating station 103, and then,
The tweezers 112 and 113 are moved in the Y direction, the θ direction, and the Z direction to the position of the cooling station 104, the tweezers 113 holding the substrate are operated in the X direction, and the first semiconductor wafer W is moved to the cooling station 104. set.

From this operation, two tweezers 112, 1
The advantage of providing 13 is understood. That is, tweezers is 1
If there is only one, the transfer device 110 first takes out the first semiconductor wafer W from the preheating station 103, sets it in the cooling station 104, and then receives the second semiconductor wafer W from the interface mechanism 30 and receives it. Must be set in the preheating station 103.

It should be noted that while the above-described operation is being performed, in the carry-in / carry-out mechanism 120, the third semiconductor wafer W to be processed next by the tweezers 121 is used as the interface mechanism 3.
Let's wait for 0.

Next, the transfer device 110 holds the third semiconductor wafer W from the interface mechanism 30 in the tweezers 112, and waits until the processing in the cooling station 104 is completed.

When the first semiconductor wafer W cooling process is completed, the carrier device 110 takes out the semiconductor wafer W in the cooling station 104 with the tweezers 113 that does not hold the semiconductor wafer W, and When the second semiconductor wafer W is set in the first coating station 107 for the photoresist coating process programmed in step (1) and the preheating station 103 is finished during this coating process, the transfer device 110 is The semiconductor wafer W is preheated by the tweezers 113 which does not hold the semiconductor wafer W.
03, and the third semiconductor wafer W held in the tweezers 112 is set in the preheating station 103, and at the same time, the second semiconductor wafer W held in the tweezers 113 is set in the cooling station 104. The operation is the same as that described above.

If the preheating process for the second semiconductor wafer W is completed before the completion of the cooling process for the first semiconductor wafer W, the following operation may be performed. It is possible.

That is, first, with the third unprocessed semiconductor wafer W held in the tweezers 112, the second semiconductor wafer W is taken out from the preheating station 103 by the tweezers 113 and then held in the tweezers 112. After the third semiconductor wafer W is set in the preheating station 103, it stands by.

After the cooling process of the first semiconductor wafer W in the cooling station 104 is completed, the first semiconductor wafer W is attached to the tweezers 112 or 1.
It is taken out at 13 and set in the first coating station 107. This coating is performed by, for example, a resist solution dropping spin coating apparatus.

When the first photoresist coating process on the semiconductor wafer W is completed in the first coating station 107, the carrier device 110 takes out the semiconductor wafer W from the first coating station 107 with tweezers 113. Then, the semiconductor wafer W is moved to the right along the Y direction, and the first semiconductor wafer W taken out is set in the first heating station 105 to perform the heat treatment, and in the cooling station 104 during the heat treatment. After the cooling process of the second semiconductor wafer W of
The carrier 110 uses the semiconductor wafer W for tweezers 1
It is taken out at 13, and is set in the first coating station 107 to start coating the photoresist.

Then, when the first semiconductor wafer W has been processed in the first heating station 105 and a desired photoresist film has been formed, the carrier device 110 uses the tweezers 113 for the first semiconductor wafer W. Then, the transfer device 110 moves to the left in the Y direction, and transfers the semiconductor wafer W held by the tweezers 113 to the interface mechanism 30.

During standby in the interface mechanism 30,
It is effective to mount the semiconductor wafer W in a slightly floating state without directly contacting the mounting part, and it is more advantageous to form the standby mechanism by a carrier cassette.

When the semiconductor wafer W _F thus processed is waited by the interface mechanism 30, the tweezers 121 of the loading / unloading mechanism 120 receives the semiconductor wafer W _F and stores it in the cassette 123.

The series of processing operations described above is performed by the cassette 12
This is continued until the unprocessed semiconductor wafer W _{B in 2} is exhausted.

Although the first coating station 107 and the first heating station 105 are used in the above description of the operation, the second coating station 10 is used instead of them.
8 and a second heating station 106 may be used, or two coating stations 107, 107 if the photoresist coating and / or heating steps take longer than other steps. It is also possible to use 108 and / or the two heating stations 105, 106 simultaneously.

By the way, when carrying out the above-mentioned photoresist film forming step, in order to confirm whether or not the programmed process is appropriate, one semiconductor wafer W is tentatively processed. Is normal,
In this case, it is necessary to take out the test wafer W _{T for} which the trial processing has been completed from the cassette 121 for inspection.
In order to facilitate this taking out, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable to provide a retractable receiver 40 at the base of the cassette 123, a handle 41 is provided at one end of the receiver 40, and a wafer mounting table 42 is provided inside. The test wafer W _T , for which the trial processing has been completed, is inserted from the opening 43 by the tweezers 121, and the mounting table 4
2 and thus the test wafer W _T can be easily removed by pulling out the receiver 40 as shown.

Although the first coating station 107 and the first heating station 105 are used in the above description of the operation, instead of these, the second coating station 10 is used.
8 and a second heating station 106 may be used, or two coating stations 107, 108 if the photoresist coating and / or heating steps are time consuming compared to other steps. And / or it is also possible to use the two heating stations 105, 106 simultaneously.

As is clear from the above description of the operation, according to the apparatus of the above-described embodiment, the plurality of steps required for forming the photoresist film on the surface of the semiconductor wafer are arbitrarily combined, including the order thereof. Therefore, the best process can be programmed, so that the most efficient combination process can be selected according to the kind of semiconductor wafer to be processed and the maximum throughput can be obtained.

Further, the carrier device 110 has two tweezers 1
Since the semiconductor wafers W and H have the same numbers 12 and 113 and operate independently of each other, the degree of freedom of processing is high. There is no inconvenience.

The tweezers of the transport mechanism 110 need not necessarily be two, and may be three or more.

Further, since the processing stations are arranged along the passage 102 on both sides thereof, the degree of freedom in changing the operation program of the transfer device 110 is extremely high, and therefore the processing program can be easily changed. In addition, since the preheating station 103 and the cooling station 104 are vertically stacked, the floor area required for installation can be reduced.

The apparatus of the above-described embodiment can also be used as an apparatus for developing a photoresist film exposed with a predetermined pattern to form a resist pattern. In that case, the developing solution is applied to the coating stations 107 and 108. There is also provided a device for coating the developing device, and the developing device may be configured, for example, to eject the developing solution in the form of a jet onto the semiconductor wafer W that is rotating at variable speed to develop the developing solution.

The two coating stations 107 and 10
By using either one of 8 for photoresist coating and the other for developing solution coating, it can be used as an apparatus for both photoresist film formation and development. By providing the interface mechanism 30 as shown in FIG. 4 also on the right end so that the semiconductor wafer W can be delivered to and from the exposure apparatus, it is possible to carry out from resist coating to development as a consistent continuous process.

When a plurality of processing units are desired to be provided in series, the following passage is formed on the extension of the passage 102, and a standby mechanism for the semiconductor wafer W is provided at this connection portion.
For example, a carrier station may be provided.

That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the semiconductor wafer W in the cassettes 122 and 123 is unloaded, or
A loading / unloading mechanism 120 having an arm 120a for loading into the cassettes 122 and 123, and an interface mechanism 3
Transfer device 110a for transferring the semiconductor wafer W at 0
Each processing is performed by the first processing system 150 having the above-described operation by the above-described operation.
MDS (hexamethyldisilazane) processing station 1
51, a first heating station 152, a first cooling station 153, a first coating station 154 for spin-coating the first layer resist, and a second coating station 155 for spin-coating the second layer resist. The semiconductor wafer W is selectively conveyed to each of these stations for processing, and further, a plurality of processing stations, for example, a second heating station 156, a second cooling station 157, and diffused light reflection during the exposure process. A third coating station 158 or the like for coating and forming a surface coating layer such as a CEL film on the upper surface of the resist is arranged to face each other, and a transport device 110b for transporting the semiconductor wafer W is provided to each of these stations. Second processing system 159
And the second processing system 159 and the first processing system 1 are provided.
The standby mechanism 160 is arranged between the 50 and the standby mechanism 16
0 is a mounting table 161 on which one semiconductor wafer W can be mounted.
Is provided between the transfer device 110a of the first processing system 150 and the transfer device 110b of the second processing system 159 by using the mounting table 161 in the same manner as the semiconductor wafer delivery in the interface mechanism 30. The semiconductor wafer W is delivered and received, but the structure of the standby mechanism 160 is such that a buffer cassette (not shown) is provided without providing the mounting table 161, and a plurality of semiconductor wafers W can be standby by the cassette. Alternatively, the transport mechanism 110a and the transport mechanism 1 may be provided by the buffer cassette.
Even if there is a difference in the work amount of 10b, it is possible to reduce the waiting time of one of the transport mechanisms.

By using two transfer mechanisms via the standby mechanism 160 as described above, it is possible to easily cope with an increase in the number of processing stations and to realize high throughput processing.

The transfer mechanism is not limited to two systems, but may be three or more systems, and the number can be increased as the standby mechanism is added.

In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the manufacturing apparatus is applied to the resist coating / developing process has been described, but the invention is not limited to this.
Similar effects can be obtained by VD processing, ashing processing, and the like.

[0071]

As described above, according to the invention of this application, it is possible to deal with various processes and to enhance the throughput of processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a coating and developing apparatus for explaining an embodiment of an apparatus of the invention of this application.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the tweezers of FIG.

3 is an explanatory view of the tweezers of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an interface mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG.

5 is an explanatory view of the cassette of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of another embodiment of the device of the invention of this application.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional coating device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 110 carrier device 112, 113 tweezers 120 carry-in / carry-out mechanism 160 standby mechanism

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Osamu Hirakawa 2655 Tsukyu, Kikuyo-cho, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto Ter Ter Kyushu Co., Ltd. Within

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A first transfer arm for transferring the object to be processed to an alignment means for aligning the object to be processed one by one, and an object to be processed by the alignment means for receiving the object to be processed and an X direction along a common transfer path. A second transfer means for carrying a movable object to be processed, and a plurality of processing chambers arranged facing each other along the common transfer path, wherein the first transfer means is A manufacturing apparatus, which is positioned to face each processing chamber and conveys the object to be processed to each processing apparatus. 2. A cassette for accommodating a plurality of objects to be processed, wherein the objects to be processed taken out from the cassette are transferred to the alignment means by the first transfer arm. The manufacturing apparatus according to item 1. 3. The first transfer arm is movable in the Y direction, and a plurality of the cassettes can be placed along the moving path of the first transfer arm. Manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. 4. A transfer device which holds an object to be processed and linearly moves, a plurality of processing stations provided along a moving path of the transfer device, and the object to be processed is predetermined by the transfer device. Means for carrying to the processing station according to the order of the steps, and means for carrying out an operation for carrying out the processed object and carrying in the unprocessed object at each processing station carried by the means by the carrying device. A manufacturing apparatus comprising: 5. A step of unloading the unprocessed objects one by one from a container accommodating the unprocessed objects, and a step of aligning the unprocessed objects carried out in this step, After the unprocessed object aligned by the step is conveyed linearly and moved to the first processing station to carry out the first processed object, a step of carrying in the unprocessed object, The first processed object carried out in this step is moved to a predetermined second processing station, and after the second processed object is carried out, the first processed object is carried in. And a step of aligning the treated object to be treated after this step, and a step of accommodating the treated object to be treated aligned by this step in a container. And manufacturing method. 6. A loading / unloading mechanism for loading / unloading the object to be processed stored in the cassette and positioning the object to be processed, and receiving the object to be processed from the loading / unloading mechanism, and reciprocatingly moving in a straight line. A transport mechanism that transports the object to be processed, a plurality of processing units that are provided on both sides of a linear movement path in which the transport mechanism reciprocates, and a processing sequence for the plurality of processing units can be arbitrarily set. A manufacturing device characterized by having a control mechanism that can be set. 7. A loading / unloading mechanism for loading / unloading the object to be processed stored in the cassette and for positioning the object to be processed, and receiving the object to be processed from the loading / unloading mechanism, and reciprocating in a straight line. A transport mechanism for transporting the object to be processed, at least one heat treatment section provided along one side of a linear movement path along which the transport mechanism reciprocates, and along a side facing the heat treatment section. At the time of carrying in and out the object to be processed with respect to the at least one processing liquid coating section provided, the at least one heat processing section and the at least one processing liquid coating section, the processed object is carried out. In addition, the manufacturing apparatus is provided with a control means for loading an unprocessed object. 8. A step of unloading an object to be processed from a cassette housing the object to be processed by a loading / unloading mechanism, and positioning the object to be processed by the loading / unloading mechanism, and then reciprocating along a linear transport path. A step of delivering to the transfer mechanism, a step of moving the transfer path along the linear transfer path to transfer along the linear transfer path, and a plurality of processes provided by the transfer mechanism along the linear transfer path A step of loading / unloading the object to / from the station; a step of processing the object in the processing station after the object is loaded; and a step of passing the object from the transport mechanism to the loading / unloading mechanism And a step of storing the delivered object to be processed in the cassette by the loading / unloading mechanism.