JPH09293769A - Substrate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a substrate from being electrostatically charged when the substrate is separated from a substrate holder, so as to protect an element on the substrate from damage caused by static electricity, to restrain dust from being gathered on the substrate, and to improve the yield. SOLUTION: A substrate processing device is equipped with a substrate holder 24 mounted with a substrate inside a substrate processing chamber 21, substrate lifting pins 25 which are used when a gate valve 31 is opened to transfer the substrate 23 with a transfer arm 32 in a transfer chamber 22, and an ionizer 29 which ionizes gas fed from an inert gas feed controller 30. Gas ionized by the gas ionizer 29 is blown against the substrate 23 through the holes of the substrate lifting pin 25 or a diffusing plate 26 or a swing mechanism 28 to prevent the substrate 23 from being charged with electricity.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly to a substrate processing apparatus used for etching or forming a film on a semiconductor wafer or a substrate of a liquid crystal display panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional substrate processing apparatus of this type is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), a bank-shaped member 3a is provided on the mounting surface of the substrate holder 1 so as to surround the opening 5a to reduce the contact area between the substrate 23 and the mounting surface. The closed space 4 is formed by the substrate 23 and the bank 3a. When releasing the adsorption of the substrate 23 adsorbed on the substrate holder 1 with the positive pressure gas, the positive pressure control device 8 is provided with a humidity controller 10 for supplying a high humidity gas to the closed space 4. Further, the substrate 23
An ionized gas generator 11 that supplies ionized gas to the substrate 23 is provided until the substrate 23 is separated from the mounting surface by the elevating arm 6 and transferred to the transfer device. After the processing of the substrate 23, when the substrate 23 is separated from the mounting surface by the lifting arm 6, a gas for preventing the substrate 23 from being charged is supplied by the humidity control unit 10 and the ionized gas generator 11.

In a conventional substrate processing apparatus of this type, as shown in FIG. 3, a substrate 23 is set on a cathode 12, and after the processing of the substrate 23, the substrate 23 is supplied by an ionizer 16 when the substrate 23 is transported. The ionized gas is blown from the ionized gas outlet 17 onto the substrate 23.

[0004]

The first problem is that the conventional substrate processing apparatus shown in FIGS.
Since the contact surface between the substrate and the substrate holder is made uneven in order to reduce the contact area between the substrate and the substrate holder, when the substrate is heated to several hundred degrees for processing, the substrate is deformed along the unevenness. Therefore, it is inconvenient to form a pattern on the order of μm or less on the substrate. Also, when the contact surface between the substrate and the substrate holder is flattened, when the substrate is lifted by the elevating arm, only the portion facing the elevating arm due to the warp of the substrate is separated from the substrate holder and peeled and charged. Since the positions are different, the charge cannot be immediately removed.Since the substrate and the substrate holder are in contact with each other over a large area on a flat surface, the amount of charge due to the separation of the substrate is large, which causes electrostatic breakdown of elements on the substrate and collection on the substrate. Dust is generated and product defects occur. Furthermore, although high-humidity gas is used for static elimination, high vacuum is often used for substrate processing, and the moisture of the high-humidity gas occupies most of the back pressure when drawing a high vacuum.
It takes a long time or a new device or mechanism to obtain the high vacuum required for the processing.

A second problem is that when the substrate is separated from the substrate holder in the conventional substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG.
By simply introducing an ionized gas into the vacuum chamber to eliminate static electricity generated by peeling charging, unevenness can be removed from the surface of the substrate, and the effect on removing electricity from the back surface of the substrate is small.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. When a substrate is separated from a substrate holder, the substrate is immediately discharged from the substrate to be charged, thereby electrostatically destroying elements on the substrate, and An object is to prevent dust collection on a substrate and improve a yield.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate holder for placing a substrate in a substrate processing chamber and using a substrate elevating pin at the time of carrying the substrate, an inert gas supply adjusting unit is used. Has a means for introducing the gas ionized by the ionizer through a plurality of holes opposite to the substrate side of the substrate elevating pins in the substrate processing chamber and spraying the gas on the back surface of the substrate.

Further, according to the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus having the substrate holder for setting the substrate in the substrate processing chamber and using the substrate lifting pins at the time of carrying the substrate, the gas from the inert gas supply adjusting section is ionized. Which has an ionizer that converts the gas ionized by the ionizer into the substrate processing chamber,
It has means for branching the gas pipe and additionally spraying the ionized gas having a porous plate on one surface or both surfaces of the substrate through a diffusion plate which makes the surface planar and blows it out.

Further, according to the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus which has the substrate holder for setting the substrate in the substrate processing chamber and uses the substrate elevating pins when carrying the substrate, the gas from the inert gas supply adjusting section is ionized. And a means for blowing the gas ionized by the ionizer from one of the swinging inlets in the substrate processing chamber to one or both sides of the substrate.

Further, according to the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus having the substrate holder for placing the substrate in the substrate processing chamber and using the substrate elevating pins during the transportation of the substrate, the gas from the inert gas supply adjusting unit is supplied. It has an ionizer for ionization, and has means for simultaneously using the above-mentioned three kinds of means as means for blowing the gas ionized by the ionizer onto the substrate in the substrate processing chamber.

[0011]

In the present invention, the substrate charged in separating the substrate which is in flat contact with the substrate holder from the substrate holder by the substrate raising and lowering pins is charged by the ionized gas introduced through the holes of the substrate raising and lowering pins in the space generated by the separation. By being guided quickly, the electricity can be immediately removed. Further, by spraying the ionized gas onto the substrate through the diffusion plate, the entire surface of the substrate can be immediately neutralized. further,
By swinging the ionized gas inlet, the entire surface of the substrate can be uniformly discharged. Furthermore, by combining the above-mentioned three types of means, the entire surface of the substrate can be immediately neutralized, the substrate is apparently not charged, electrostatic breakdown of the elements on the substrate and dust collection on the substrate are prevented, and the yield is improved. be able to.

[0012]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration during operation of an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The operation of one example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is as shown in FIG.
When the gate valve 31 is opened and the substrate 23 is transported by the transport arm 32 in the transport chamber 22, the substrate processing apparatus using the substrate elevating pins 25 is used to supply the inert gas 30 from the supply adjustment unit. Has an ionizer 29 for ionizing the above gas. The substrate 23 is transferred from the transfer chamber 22 into the substrate processing chamber 21 by the transfer arm 32, is set on the substrate holder 24 via the substrate elevating pins 25, and is evacuated after the substrate processing is completed. here,
Before the substrate 23 is transferred from the substrate processing chamber 21 to the transfer chamber 22 by the transfer arm 32 and the substrate elevating pins 25, the substrate 23 is separated when the substrate 23 is separated from the substrate holder 24.
In order to prevent peeling electrification, the following three means are taken.

As a first means, the gas ionized by the ionizer 29 is introduced from a plurality of holes opposite to the substrate side of the substrate elevating pins 25 in the substrate processing chamber 21 and the substrate elevating pins 25 start lifting the substrate 23. Then, only the portion of the substrate 23 near the substrate elevating pins 25 due to the warpage of the substrate 23 separates from the substrate holder 24 and is separated and charged, and at the same time, the space created by the separation of the substrate 23 and the substrate holder 24 is Since the pressure is a negative pressure, the ionized gas is quickly introduced into the space and is sprayed on the back surface of the substrate 23, so that the charged substrate 23 is immediately discharged. further,
When the substrate 23 is lifted by the substrate lifting pins 25,
A portion of the substrate 23 where the charge is removed at the same time as the peeling charge is separated from the substrate holder 24 in the same manner and peeled and charged, and at the same time, the space created by the separation of the substrate 23 and the substrate holder 24 is newly generated. Is a negative pressure, the ionized gas is quickly introduced into the space, and
The substrate 23 which has been sprayed and charged on the back surface is immediately discharged immediately.

As a second means, the gas ionized by the ionizer 29 is divided into a plurality of gas pipes in the substrate processing chamber 21 and, in addition, by providing a porous plate, the ionized gas is made planar. The substrate 23 is sprayed on one side or both sides through the diffuser plate 26 that blows out to prevent the substrate 23 from being charged. Although the diffusion plate 26 is in contact with the lower side of the substrate 23 in FIG. 1, it may be installed above the substrate 23 and at a distance therefrom.

As the third means, the gas ionized by the ionizer 29 is oscillated in the substrate processing chamber 21.
The substrate 23 is sprayed onto one or both sides of the substrate 23 from the introduction port 27 having a hole to prevent the substrate 23 from being charged. In FIG. 1, the inlet 27 having the swing mechanism 28 is installed facing the upper side of the substrate 23, but it may be installed facing the lower side of the substrate 23.

Of the above three means, one or two,
By simultaneously using the three means, the substrate 23 is prevented from being charged.

Thereafter, the gate valve 31 is opened and the substrate 2
When 3 is raised to the set position by the substrate lifting pins 25,
The transfer is performed by the transfer arm 32 to the transfer chamber 22, and after the transfer is completed, the introduction of the ionized gas is stopped.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the substrate and the substrate holder are in contact with each other on a plane, and the charging of the substrate is performed by introducing the ionized gas from the hole of the substrate elevating pin or by introducing the ionized gas through the diffusion plate. By doing so, the charge can be immediately eliminated by further swinging the ionized gas inlet. Therefore, electrostatic breakdown of the elements on the substrate and dust collection on the substrate can be prevented, and the yield can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration during an operation of an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of another example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the related art.

[Explanation of Codes] 3a Bank-shaped member 4 Closed space 5 Through-hole 5a Opening 6 Elevating arm 8 Positive pressure control unit 9 Negative pressure control unit 10 Humidity control unit 11 Ionized gas generator 12 Cathode 13 Anode 14 Capacitor 15 High frequency power supply 16 Ionizer 17 Ionized Gas Blowout 18 Vacuum Chamber 21 Substrate Processing Room 22 Transfer Chamber 23 Substrate 24 Substrate Holder 25 Substrate Elevating Pin 26 Diffuser Plate 27 Inlet 28 Swing Mechanism 29 Ionizer 30 Inert Gas 31 Gate Valve 32 Transfer Arm

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A substrate processing apparatus having a substrate holder for setting a substrate in a substrate processing chamber and using a substrate elevating pin at the time of carrying the substrate, an ionizer for ionizing gas from an inert gas supply adjusting unit. A substrate processing apparatus having means for blowing gas ionized by the ionizer onto the substrate in the substrate processing chamber. 2. The means for spraying onto the substrate has a means for introducing from a plurality of holes of a substrate elevating pin in the substrate processing chamber opposite to the substrate side and spraying onto the back surface of the substrate. 1. The substrate processing apparatus according to 1. 3. A means for spraying the substrate onto the one or both sides of the substrate through a diffusion plate for branching the gas pipe in the substrate processing chamber and for spraying the ionized gas provided with a porous plate into a plane. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for spraying onto the substrate has a means for spraying onto one surface or both surfaces of the substrate from a swinging inlet in the substrate processing chamber.