JPH08241917A - Vacuum treatment method and device of substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve yield in the treatment process of a substrate and hence throughput by taking out one substrate from a cassette and carrying it into a space which is subjected to vacuum exhaust and aligning the orientation flat of the carried substrate at the space which is subjected to vacuum exhaust. CONSTITUTION: One substrate 30 is taken out of substrate cassettes 70 and 71 and is carried into a vacuum reserve 60 which is subjected to vacuum exhaust. The orientation flat of the substrate which is carried in is aligned in the vacuum reserve room 60 which is subjected to vacuum exhaust. Then, the substrate 30 where the orientation flat is aligned is carried into a vacuum treatment room 20 which is connected in vacuum state from the vacuum reserve room 60. The substrate 30 which is carried in is treated one by one in the vacuum treatment room 20. Then, the treated substrate 30 is collected in cassettes 70 and 71. Since the orientation flat of the substrate 30 is aligned in the vacuum spare room 6 which is subjected to vacuum exhaust, the deposition and adhesion of dust/dirt onto the treatment surface of the substrate 30, thus improving yield when manufacturing a semiconductor.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing process such as an etching apparatus, a plasma CVD apparatus and a sputtering apparatus.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Recent progress in semiconductor manufacturing process technology has been remarkable, and a model for processing a 1 .mu.m pattern has appeared in a dry etching apparatus as well, and has attracted attention. As such miniaturization progresses, the size of substrates increases, and accordingly the throughput per unit floor area of semiconductor manufacturing equipment (the number of substrates processed per hour) is improved and the diversification of manufacturing process technology is responded to. Is a big issue.

In order to solve such a demand, it is necessary to downsize the apparatus and perform multipurpose processing by using a plurality of vacuum processing chambers. Moreover, vacuum processing is required in response to process changes and line changes. There has been a demand for a vacuum processing module that can configure or organize a system by freely changing the number of rooms. On the other hand, the conventional type, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-128928, in which a module in which a vacuum processing chamber and a substrate transfer line in the atmosphere can be connected, can be added has a poor cleanliness atmosphere. Since the substrate is transferred to the next vacuum processing chamber through the inside, it is not suitable for application to a process step in which the processing is handed over to the next vacuum processing chamber during the processing. Also, the actual exploitation Sho 57-394
In the type in which substrates are transferred between several vacuum processing chambers and one buffer chamber and continuously processed as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 30, the number of vacuum processing chambers is fixed and the process is changed. There is no freedom to change the number of vacuum processing chambers in response to line changes, and it is difficult to use.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving the yield in the substrate processing process and improving the throughput.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing method and a processing apparatus capable of shortening the substrate processing time and improving the throughput.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method of vacuum-processing the substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber using only the necessary vacuum processing chambers connected via a vacuum transfer space. A step of taking out the substrates and loading the substrates into a space to be evacuated; and an orientation flat of the loaded substrates,
A step of aligning in the space to be evacuated, a step of loading the substrate with the orientation flat into the vacuum processing chamber that communicates with the space to be evacuated in a vacuum state; and the loaded substrate. It is characterized in that it has a step of processing the substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber and a step of collecting the processed substrates in a cassette.

Another feature of the present invention is that the cassette table is lowered by one pitch and the substrates are taken out from the supply cassette one by one, conveyed to the substrate table for orientation flat alignment, and the substrates after the orientation flat alignment are vacuum-processed. The substrate is conveyed above the substrate electrode in the chamber, and the claw is raised from the lower side of the substrate electrode and subsequently lowered to place the substrate on the substrate electrode,
After that, the vacuum processing chamber is partitioned and a predetermined plasma processing is performed. During this time, the orientation flat of the next substrate is performed on the substrate table, and the substrate after the plasma processing is carried out from the vacuum processing chamber and the cassette table is set. That is, the substrates are raised by one pitch and the substrates are collected one by one in the collection cassette.

According to the present invention, since the orientation flat alignment of the substrate is performed in the space evacuated, the accumulation and adhesion of dust on the surface to be processed of the substrate is suppressed as compared with the orientation flat alignment in the atmosphere. It Therefore, the yield in semiconductor manufacturing can be improved.

According to another aspect of the present invention, since the orientation flat alignment of the substrate in the space is performed while the substrate is being processed in the vacuum processing chamber, the processing time can be shortened and the throughput can be improved. Can be improved.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, the vacuum processing apparatus includes a buffer chamber 10 that can be evacuated and a vacuum processing chamber 2 provided in the buffer chamber 10.
0 and the buffer chamber 1 capable of transporting the substrate 30 in the direction of arrow A.
First substrate transfer means (not shown) internally provided at 0, and a vacuum opening / closing means 4 such as a gate valve and a partition provided on the side wall of the buffer chamber 10 corresponding to both ends of the first substrate transfer means.
0, 41 and, in this case, a gate valve provided on the side wall corresponding to the vacuum processing chamber 20 at right angles to the side wall on which the vacuum opening / closing means 40, 41 are provided and sandwiching the first substrate transfer means. Of the buffer chamber 10 through the vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51 of FIG.
The second substrate transporting means (which transports the substrate 30 in the directions of arrows B and C via the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51 between the pre-vacuum chamber 60 provided in the apparatus and the first substrate transporting means ( A substrate transfer means (not shown) provided on the substrate transfer path of the first substrate transfer means and corresponding to the vacuum processing chamber 20, and a connection between the substrate transfer means and the vacuum processing chamber 20. And a third substrate carrying means (not shown) for carrying the substrate 30 in the direction of the arrow D between them. In this case, in the vacuum preparatory chamber 60, a cassette table (not shown) of a cassette elevating device (not shown) for driving the substrate cassettes 70 and 71 up and down corresponds to the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51 so as to be able to go up and down. It is installed inside. The first to third substrate transfer means and the substrate transfer means will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, the first substrate carrying means is a belt carrying device 80, and the belt carrying device 80 is entirely moved up and down by an elevating device, for example, a cylinder 81, and a belt 83 is driven by a motor 82. Is driven to rotate.

The second substrate transfer means includes belt transfer devices 90 and 100 provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 and belt transfer devices 110 provided in the buffer chamber 10 with the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51 interposed therebetween. 120. The pulleys 91 and 92 of the belt conveying device 90 and the belt 93 wound around the pulleys 91 and 92 endlessly correspond to the cassette table 131 of the cassette elevating device 130, and the cassette table 131 is raised to the highest position. It is arranged so as to be located above it even at the time. The belt 93 is rotationally driven by a motor 94. The belt conveyance device 110 is driven to rotate the belt 112 by the motor 111, and the end portion of the belt conveyance device 110 on the belt conveyance device 80 side does not hinder the up-and-down movement of one of the belts 83 of the belt conveyance device 80. The pulley 113 at the final end bent into a V shape
Are provided so as to be located between the belts 83 of the belt transport device 80.

The belt 93 of the belt conveying device 90 and the belt 112 of the belt conveying device 110 are at the same level, and the distance between the belt conveying device 90 and the belt conveying device 110 on the other side of the vacuum opening / closing means 50 is: It has a size that does not hinder the delivery of the substrate 30. Belt transport device 10
No. 0 pulleys 101, 102 and the belt 103 wound around the pulleys 101, 102 endlessly are
The belt 103 is rotationally driven by the motor 104. The belt 122 is driven to rotate by the motor 121, and the end portion of the belt conveyor 120 on the side of the belt conveyor 80 moves up and down one of the belts 83 of the belt conveyor 80 as in the case of the belt conveyor 110. The pulley 123 at the final end, which is bent into a V shape so as not to interfere with the above, is provided so as to be located between the belts 83 of the belt conveying device 80. The belt conveyor 10
Belt 103 of 0 and belt 12 of the belt conveying device 120
2 is at the same level, and the distance between the other ends of the belt transfer device 100 and the belt transfer device 120 on the side of the vacuum opening / closing means 51 has a size that does not hinder the delivery of the substrate 30.

Further, the pulley 11 of the belt conveying device 110
The distance between 3 and the pulley 114 corresponding to the pulley 113 is
The size is such that the substrate 30 can be prevented from falling and can be delivered satisfactorily, and the space between the substrate 30 and the pulley 124 corresponding to the pulley 123 is also the same size. The belt conveyor 80 is driven up and down so that the level of the belt 83 is below and above the levels of the belts 112 and 122 of the belt conveyors 110 and 120.

The substrate transfer means 140 is a belt transfer device 8.
Substrate table 141 smaller than the dimension between the belts 83 of 0
And a lifting device, for example, a cylinder 142. The substrate table 141 is provided at a position corresponding to the vacuum processing chamber 20, in this case, at a position between the belt transfer devices 110 and 120, passes between the belts 83 of the belt transfer device 80, and is vertically movable by the cylinder 142. There is.

The third substrate transfer means is the arm transfer device 1.
50,160. The arm transfer device 150 includes a substrate scooping tool 151, an arm 152, and a rotating device, for example, a pulse motor 153. Pulse motor 15
3 is between the belt transfer device 80 and the vacuum processing chamber 20,
The pulse motor 15 is provided on one side (left side in FIG. 2) of a line connecting the center of the substrate table 141 of the substrate transfer means 140 and the center of the substrate electrode 21 of the vacuum processing chamber 20.
3, one end of an arm 152 is provided. A substrate scooping tool 151 is provided at the other end of the arm 152.

The arm transfer device 160 is composed of a substrate scooping tool 161, an arm 162, and a rotating device, for example, a pulse motor 163. Pulse motor 163
Is the other side of the line connecting the center of the substrate table 141 of the substrate transfer means 140 and the center of the substrate electrode 21 of the vacuum processing chamber 20 between the belt transfer device 80 and the vacuum processing chamber 20 (FIG. 2). The pulse motor 163 is provided with one end of an arm 162. Arm 16
At the other end of 2, a substrate scooping tool 161 is provided.
In this case, the board scooping tools 151, 161, the arm 15
The sizes of 2, 162 are the same as those of the substrate table 141 and the substrate electrode 21 when the substrate 30 is placed on the substrate table 141 and the substrate electrode 21.
The substrate scooping tools 151 and 161 have dimensions that allow scooping. Further, the arms 152 and 162 are provided with the substrate scooping tool 15
1 and 161, the substrate 30 is partially rotated by the pulse motors 153 and 163 so that the substrate 30 can be conveyed between the substrate table 141 and the substrate electrode 21. In this case, the arm 15
In the operation planes of Nos. 2, 162, the arm 152 is the upper surface, and the arm 1 is
Unlike the lower surface at 62, for example, when the substrate 30 is transferred from the substrate table 141 to the substrate electrode 21 by the arm transfer device 150, the transfer of the substrate 30 from the substrate electrode 21 to the substrate table 141 by the arm transfer device 160 is prevented. It is supposed not to.

The cassette elevating / lowering device 130 includes a cassette table 131, an elevating / lowering rod 132 vertically provided on the cassette table 131 and having a screw formed at a lower end thereof, and a motor 13.
3, a gear 134 that is driven to rotate, and a gear 135 that meshes with the gear 134 and that has a lower end portion of the elevating rod 132 screwed thereto.

The substrate electrode 21 is a rack and pinion mechanism 2
It is driven up and down by the rotation of the motor 23 via 2. Further, a substrate supporting claw 24 is provided at the center of the substrate electrode 21 so as to be able to move up and down by a lifting device, for example, a cylinder 25. The claw 24 is driven to move up and down between a position where the surface thereof is equal to or lower than the surface of the substrate electrode 21 and a position where the substrate rakes 151 and 161 of the arm transfer devices 150 and 160 and the substrate 30 can be transferred.

In the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
The following substrate processing can be performed.

First, the cassette table 131 corresponding to the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 is lowered to the lowermost portion, and the cassette table (not shown) corresponding to the other vacuum opening / closing means 51 is raised to the uppermost portion. Other vacuum opening / closing means 5
0 and 51 are closed by, for example, driving the cylinders 52 and 53, the communication between the buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum reserve chamber 60 is airtightly shut off, and the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41 are closed or partitioned so that the buffer chamber 10 is closed. Communication with the outside is also airtightly shut off. In this state, the buffer chamber 10 is evacuated to a predetermined pressure by operating a vacuum exhaust device (not shown).

On the other hand, when the outside of the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 is on the atmospheric side, a predetermined number of substrates 30 are opened by opening an atmospheric vacuum opening / closing means (not shown) such as a door provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60. A substrate cassette 70 (hereinafter abbreviated as supply cassette) loaded with an empty substrate cassette (hereinafter,
A collection cassette 71 is carried in, the supply cassette 70 is placed on the cassette table 131 corresponding to the other vacuum opening / closing means 50, and the collection cassette 71 is placed on the other vacuum opening / closing means 51.
Mounted on the cassette table corresponding to Thereafter, the atmospheric vacuum opening / closing means is closed and the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 is
The evacuation device (not shown) evacuates the buffer chamber 10 to a pressure approximately the same as that of the buffer chamber 10. Then the cylinder 52
The other vacuum opening / closing means 50 is opened by the driving of, and the buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 are brought into communication with each other.

Under this condition, the motor 133 is driven and the cassette table 131 is lowered by one pitch, whereby the substrate 3 loaded in the lowermost portion of the supply cassette 70, in this case, the substrate 3.
0 is placed on the belt 93. Then, the belt 94 is rotationally driven by the motor 94 so that the substrate 30 placed
Is conveyed to the side of the other vacuum opening / closing means 50, and is passed to the belt 112 which is rotationally driven by the motor 111 via the other vacuum opening / closing means 50. The substrate 30 passed on the belt 112 is transported to the belt transport device 80 side. At this time, the entire belt conveyor 80 is lowered by the cylinder 81 so that the level of the belt 83 becomes equal to or lower than the level of the belt 112.

After that, the substrate 30 is moved to the pulleys 113 and 114.
The entire belt conveyor 80 is lifted by the cylinder 81 so that the level of the belt 83 becomes equal to or higher than the level of the belt 112 at the time when the substrate 30 is conveyed to the extent of the above, whereby the substrate 30 is passed from the belt 112 to the belt 83. . The substrate 30 passed on the belt 83 is conveyed to a position corresponding to the substrate table 141 by driving the motor 82, and then is raised by the cylinder 142 to be received by the substrate table 141. The substrate 30 received by the substrate table 141 is subjected to orientation flat alignment by the orientation flat alignment device 170, for example.

Thereafter, the substrate 30 is passed to, for example, the substrate holder 151, and the arm 152 is rotationally driven by the pulse motor 153 toward the vacuum processing chamber 20 side.
Then, it is transported to above the substrate electrode 21 in the vacuum processing chamber 20. After that, the claw 24 is raised by the cylinder 25, so that the substrate 30 of the substrate restraint 151 is received by the claw 24. After that, the substrate mounting tool 15 in which the substrate 30 is passed to the nail 24
1 is evacuated to the buffer chamber 10 outside the vacuum processing chamber 20. Then, the claw 24 is lowered by the cylinder 25 so that the surface thereof is below the surface of the substrate electrode 21,
The substrate 30 is passed from the claw 24 to the substrate electrode 21 and placed.

After that, it is constituted by a partitioning flange 180, a bellows 181 which is laid across the back surface of the flange 180 and the bottom wall of the buffer chamber 10, and an elevating device for elevating and lowering the flange 180, for example, a cylinder 182. The buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 20 are partitioned by the partitioning means 183. In this state, first, the electrode interval between the substrate electrode 20 and the counter electrode (not shown) provided above the substrate electrode 30 and facing the substrate electrode 30 is set to an appropriate interval by driving the motor 23. Adjusted. Then, the process gas is introduced into the vacuum processing chamber 20 at a controlled flow rate, and the pressure in the vacuum processing chamber 20 is adjusted to the processing pressure by driving a vacuum exhaust device (not shown).

Thereafter, for example, by applying high frequency power to the substrate electrode 21 from a power source connected to the substrate electrode 21, for example, a high frequency power source (not shown), a glow is generated between the counter electrode and the substrate electrode 21. A discharge is generated, and the process gas is turned into plasma by the discharge. The substrate 30 placed on the substrate electrode 21 is subjected to a predetermined process such as an etching process by this plasma. During this time, the substrate 30 is taken out from the supply cassette 70 by the above-described operation, is conveyed by the belt conveying devices 110 and 80, is delivered to the substrate table 141, and is aligned with the orientation flat, and then delivered to the substrate holder 151.

After the processing in the vacuum processing chamber 20 is completed, the buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 20 are separated by the partition means 183.
Partition is released, and the vacuum processing chamber 20 becomes the buffer chamber 10
And is made to communicate again. After that, the substrate electrode 21 is lowered to a predetermined position, and the claw 24 is raised by the cylinder 25, whereby the processed substrate 30 is removed from the substrate electrode 21 and passed to the claw 24. After that, the substrate holder 161
Is rotated to a position corresponding to the back surface of the substrate 30 transferred to the claw 24, and then the claw 24 is lowered by the cylinder 25, whereby the processed substrate 30 is transferred to the substrate holder 161.

Thereafter, the substrate 30 transferred to the substrate holder 151 is transferred from the substrate table 141 to the substrate electrode 21, and the processed substrate 30 transferred to the substrate holder 161 is transferred from the substrate electrode 21 to the substrate table 141. Each is transported. The substrate 30 transported to the substrate electrode 21 is subjected to predetermined processing by the above-mentioned operation.

During this time, the processed substrate 30 transferred to the substrate table 141 is transferred to the belt 83 of the belt transfer device 80 by lowering the substrate table 141 by the cylinder 142, and then the motor 8 of the belts 83 and 122 is moved.
It is conveyed to the other vacuum opening / closing means 51 side by the rotational drive by 2,121. Delivery of the processed substrate 30 from the belt 83 to the belt 122 is performed by the reverse operation of delivery of the substrate 30 from the belt 112 to the belt 83. The other vacuum opening / closing means 51 is opened by driving the cylinder 53, and the belt 103 is rotationally driven by the motor 104, so that the processed substrate 30 transferred to the other vacuum opening / closing means 51 side is changed to another vacuum opening / closing means. It is carried into the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 via 51, and thereafter, the cassette table is raised by one pitch to be collected in the collecting cassette 71.

Further, the substrate 30 is taken out from the supply cassette 70 by the above-mentioned operation, and the belt conveying device 110,
After being conveyed by 80, it is transferred to the substrate table 141, the orientation flat is combined, and then transferred to the substrate rest 151.

By repeating the above operation, the substrates 30 are taken out from the supply cassette 70 one by one, transferred from the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 through the buffer chamber 10 to the vacuum processing chamber 20, and then the vacuum processing chamber 20. It is processed one by one at 20,
The processed substrates 30 are transferred from the vacuum processing chamber 20 through the buffer chamber 10 to the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 and collected in the collection cassette 71 one by one.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used as one module and two modules are connected in series via the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41. Note that the components in FIG. 3 are all the same as those in FIG. 2, and therefore the description of the configuration, action, etc. is omitted. FIG.
In the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIG.
Substrate processing as shown in FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the substrate 30 can be subjected to series processing in the two vacuum processing chambers 20 of the vacuum processing apparatus connected in series, as shown in FIG. 4 (b).
0 can be processed in parallel in the two vacuum processing chambers 20 of the vacuum processing apparatuses connected in series, as shown in FIG. 4C.
You can also process in parallel with.

In such a substrate processing mode, as shown in FIG.
In the case of the substrate processing mode shown in (a) and (b), at least one supply cassette (not shown) is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the vacuum processing apparatus of the first stage, and the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the vacuum processing apparatus of the second stage is set. At least one recovery cassette (not shown) is set in the. Further, in the substrate processing mode shown in FIG. 4C, one supply cassette (not shown) and one recovery cassette (not shown) are set in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of each vacuum processing apparatus. Also, in FIG.
When the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is used as one module and two modules are connected in series via the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41, the substrate 30 in each vacuum processing apparatus is transferred through the buffer chamber 10.

Further, when three or more modules of the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are connected in series through the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41, in addition to the substrate processing mode shown in FIG. Substrate processing as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B can be performed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, the substrate 30
The vacuum processing chamber 20 of the vacuum processing device in the preceding stage of the vacuum processing device connected in series and the vacuum processing chamber 20 of the vacuum processing device in the middle stage in this case first perform parallel processing and then the vacuum processing device of the subsequent stage. The series of treatments can be performed in the vacuum processing chambers 20 of the vacuum processing chambers 2 of the vacuum processing apparatuses in the front stage and the middle stage of the vacuum processing apparatus in which the substrates 30 are connected in series, as shown in FIG. 5B.
It is possible to perform the series processing at 0 and the series processing in the vacuum processing chambers 20 of the vacuum processing apparatuses at the front and rear stages.
In the case of such a substrate processing mode, two supply cassettes (not shown) are set in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus, and a recovery cassette (not shown) is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the subsequent vacuum processing apparatus. ) Try to set 2 pieces.

When the substrates 30 are processed in series in the vacuum processing chamber 20 of each vacuum processing apparatus, one supply cassette is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the vacuum processing apparatus of the first stage, and the vacuum of the vacuum processing apparatus of the second stage is set. Make sure to set one recovery cassette in the spare room. When the substrates 30 are processed in parallel in the vacuum processing chamber of each vacuum processing apparatus, at least one supply cassette is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus and the recovery cassette is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber of the subsequent vacuum processing apparatus. At least one should be set.

When each vacuum processing apparatus is independent and the substrates are processed in parallel in the respective vacuum processing chambers, one supply cassette and one recovery cassette are set in the vacuum preliminary chamber of each vacuum processing apparatus. . Even when the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used as one module and three or more modules are connected in series through the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41, the substrate 30 is transferred in each vacuum processing apparatus through the buffer chamber 10. It is done by passing.

The vacuum processing apparatus of this embodiment has the following effects. (1) The system configuration or organization can be changed by freely changing the number of vacuum processing chambers in response to process changes and line changes.

(2) Since the substrate is transferred to the next vacuum processing chamber through the buffer chamber that is evacuated, it can be applied to the process step in which the process is taken over to the next vacuum processing chamber without any problem. .

(3) Since the second substrate transfer means and the third substrate transfer means are parallel to each other, the width of the front surface of the vacuum processing apparatus can be reduced, which facilitates multi-module construction.

(4) Since the vacuum preparatory chamber is a cassette chamber that can be evacuated, the depth of the vacuum processing apparatus can be reduced, and in a multi-module system, two cassettes can be set in one module. It is possible to extend the cassette set time interval when improving the throughput.

(5) Since the arm transfer devices having different operation planes are used as the third substrate transfer means, the substrates can be carried in and out of the vacuum processing chamber at the same time, so that the throughput can be improved.

(6) Since multiple modules can perform series processing or parallel processing, the vacuum processing apparatus can be downsized and the throughput per combined floor area can be improved.

(7) The opening area of the vacuum opening / closing means provided in the buffer chamber has only to be an area through which one substrate can pass. Therefore, in the case of multiple modules, residual process gas is mixed between the vacuum processing apparatuses. Rarely occurs,
Independence with respect to the process gas in each vacuum processing apparatus can be ensured.

When the depth of the vacuum processing apparatus is reduced and the continuous processing with other apparatus is aimed at,
As shown in FIG. 6, a vacuum preliminary chamber 60 ′ is provided in the buffer chamber 10 via the vacuum opening / closing means 40, and
The substrate 30 can be transferred in the arrow E direction via the vacuum opening / closing means 40 with a belt transfer device (not shown) that is the first substrate transfer means for transferring the substrate 30 in the arrow A direction.
A belt transfer device (not shown), which is a substrate transfer means, is provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 '. In this case, the other vacuum opening / closing means is unnecessary.

In the embodiment described above, the vacuum reserve chamber is a vacuum reserve chamber in which the supply cassette and the recovery cassette are loaded and set from the outside, but it is particularly necessary to limit the vacuum reserve chamber to such a vacuum reserve chamber. There is no. For example, the supply cassette and the recovery cassette are fixedly set in the vacuum preliminary chamber, a predetermined number of substrates are externally loaded into the supply cassette, and the substrates recovered in the recovery cassette are taken out from the recovery cassette and carried out to the outside. May be.

Further, the first substrate carrying means may be any one that carries the substrate to and from the vacuum opening / closing means provided in the buffer chamber in addition to the belt carrying device. Also, the second
As the substrate transfer means, other than the belt transfer device, for example, an arm transfer device in which an arm moves straight, an arm transfer device in which an arm rotates, or the like may be used.

[0050]

According to the present invention, since the orientation flat alignment of the substrate is performed in a space that is evacuated, the accumulation of dust on the surface to be processed of the substrate compared to the orientation flat alignment in the atmosphere.
Adhesion is suppressed. Therefore, the yield in semiconductor manufacturing can be improved.

According to another feature of the present invention, since the orientation flat alignment of the substrate in the space is performed while the substrate is being processed in the vacuum processing chamber, the processing time can be shortened and the throughput can be improved. Can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a vacuum processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective configuration diagram of a substrate transfer means of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective configuration diagram of a substrate transfer means of a vacuum processing apparatus in which two modules of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG. 1 are connected in series.

4A to 4C are substrate processing mode diagrams in a two-module vacuum processing apparatus.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are other substrate processing mode diagrams in the three-module vacuum processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the vacuum processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Buffer chamber, 20 ... Vacuum processing chamber, 30 ... Substrate, 4
0, 41 ... Vacuum opening / closing means, 50, 51 ... Other vacuum opening / closing means, 60, 60 '... Vacuum reserve chamber, 80 to 120 ... Belt transfer device, 140 ... Substrate delivery means, 150, 160
… Arm transfer device.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Fumio Shibata 794 Azuma Higashitoyo, Shimomatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Stock company Hitachi Kasado Plant (72) Inventor Tsunehiko Tsubone 794 Azuma Toyoi, Shimomatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Stock Association In-house Hitachi Ltd. Kasado Plant (72) Inventor Keno Kanai 794 Azuma Higashitoyo, Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Stock Company In-house Hitachi Ltd. Kasado Plant

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A method of vacuum-processing one substrate at a time in the vacuum processing chamber using only a necessary vacuum processing chamber connected through a vacuum transfer space, wherein one substrate is taken out from a cassette, and A step of loading the substrate into a space to be evacuated; a step of aligning an orientation flat of the loaded substrate in the space to be evacuated; and a substrate combined with the orientation flat to a space to be evacuated. The method includes a step of loading the vacuum processing chamber that communicates in a vacuum state, a step of processing the loaded substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber, and a step of collecting the processed substrates in a cassette. Substrate vacuum processing method. 2. A method of vacuum-processing the substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber using only a necessary vacuum processing chamber connected through a vacuum transfer space, wherein one substrate is taken out from a cassette, and A step of loading the substrate into a space to be evacuated; a step of aligning an orientation flat of the loaded substrate in the space to be evacuated; and a substrate combined with the orientation flat to a space to be evacuated. There is a step of loading the vacuum processing chamber that communicates in a vacuum state, a step of processing the loaded substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber, and a step of collecting the processed substrates in a cassette. Then, while the substrate is being processed in the vacuum processing chamber, the orientation flat alignment of the substrate in the space to be evacuated is carried out. 3. A vacuum transfer space, a vacuum processing chamber in which only necessary chambers are connected through the vacuum transfer space to perform a predetermined process on a substrate, a vacuum exhausted space, and a vacuum exhausted space. A means for loading the substrates one by one, a means for aligning an orientation flat of the substrates loaded in the space to be evacuated, and a means for aligning the orientation flats in the space to be evacuated, According to the substrate processing mode, when the substrate is processed singly, the substrate is directly transferred to each of the vacuum processing chambers through the vacuum transfer space, and when the substrate is processed continuously, A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: a means for transferring the transferred substrates into the vacuum processing chamber through the vacuum transfer space; and a means for processing the transferred substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber. . 4. The cassette table is lowered by one pitch and the substrates are taken out from the supply cassette one by one, conveyed to the substrate table for orientation flat alignment, and the substrates after the orientation flat alignment are placed above the substrate electrodes in the vacuum processing chamber. The substrate is transferred, and the claw is raised from below the substrate electrode and continuously lowered to place the substrate on the substrate electrode, and then the vacuum processing chamber is partitioned to perform a predetermined plasma treatment. The substrate after the plasma processing is finished is carried out from the vacuum processing chamber, the cassette table is raised by one pitch, and the substrates are collected one by one in a collection cassette. Substrate processing method. 5. A step of taking out a substrate from a cassette, carrying the taken-out substrate to a space for carrying under vacuum, a step of aligning an orientation flat of the transported substrate in the space, and a step of aligning the orientation flat. A step of transferring the substrate into a vacuum processing chamber communicating with the space in a vacuum state; a step of processing the transferred substrate in the vacuum processing chamber; and a gas generated in the processing step without passing through the space. A semiconductor substrate processing method comprising: a step of evacuating the vacuum processing chamber to the outside, and a step of collecting the processed substrate into a cassette through the space.