JPH10144600A - Substrate treatment equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce installation cost and maintenance cost, and prevent contami nation of atmosphere gas in a treatment chamber adjacent to a coating develop ment chamber. SOLUTION: A load.unload chamber 2, a coating development chamber 3 and an exposure chamber 4 are formed by partitioning the inside of a cabinet 1 having a unified body, with a first partition wall 5 and a second partition wall 6. Windows 5a, 6a for delivering a substrate are arranged on the first partition wall 5 and the second partition wall 6, respectively. Shutters 5b, 6b capable of independently opening and closing are arranged on the respective windows 5a, 5b. An atmosphere gas supplying and discharging means for setting the atmospheric pressure of atmosphere in the coating development chamber 3 lower than that in the adjacent lond.unload chamber 2 and the exposure chamber 4 is installed. Thereby it can be prevented that atmosphere gas containing harmful components in the coating development chamber 3 flows into the load.unload chamber 2 and the exposure chamber 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a series of processes such as application of a photoresist to a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a liquid crystal display substrate, exposure and development of a fine pattern, etc., in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor element or a liquid crystal display substrate. The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for performing processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor element or a liquid crystal display substrate, it is necessary to perform a series of processes such as coating a photoresist, exposing and developing a fine pattern on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and a liquid crystal display substrate. However, as an apparatus for performing such a series of processing, a substrate processing apparatus described below is known.

(A) As shown in FIG. 6, a resist coating unit 101 in which a substrate storage unit 104 for storing a substrate is connected to one end, and an intermediate substrate transfer unit 105 in the other end of the resist coating unit 101. A developing unit 102 having one end connected to the developing unit 102, and an exposing unit 103 connected to the other end of the developing unit 102 via a terminal substrate transfer unit 106. Transfer robot 10
7, a substrate is transferred between the substrate storage unit 104 and the intermediate substrate transfer unit 105, and a second transfer robot 10 disposed in the developing unit 102 is provided.
8, a substrate is exchanged between the intermediate substrate exchange unit 105 and the terminal substrate exchange unit 106 to perform a series of processes such as application of a photoresist, exposure of a fine pattern, and development. (See Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-305914).

(B) As shown in FIG. 7, a coating unit 201, a projection exposure unit 202, and a developing unit 20
3. Opening portions 201a, 202a, 202b, 203a, and 2 for arranging the inspection units 204 in a row and transferring substrates to and from boundary walls of adjacent units.
03b and 204a, respectively, and the first transfer robot 20 provided in the coating unit 201.
6, the transfer of the substrate such as a wafer between the cassette 205 and the XY stage 208 provided in the projection exposure unit 202 is performed, and the XY control is performed by the second transfer robot 209 provided in the developing unit 203. Inspection device 2 provided in stage 208 and inspection unit 204
10. A substrate processing apparatus configured to perform a series of processes such as application of a photoresist, exposure and development of a fine pattern, development, and inspection on a substrate such as a wafer by exchanging a substrate such as a wafer with the substrate 10. (JP-A-8-8375
No. 0).

[0005]

However, (a) of the above-mentioned prior arts, in addition to the substrate transport robots provided in the coating unit and the developing unit, respectively, includes a coating unit and a developing unit. Since the intermediate substrate transfer unit is interposed between the developing unit and the exposure unit, the terminal substrate transfer unit is interposed between the developing unit and the exposure unit.
There are problems that the equipment cost and the maintenance cost are increased, and a large foot space is required.

In (b), since there is no need to provide an intermediate substrate transfer unit and a terminal substrate transfer unit as in (a) above, equipment costs and maintenance costs can be reduced. When a substrate is exchanged between the exposure unit and the development unit, a harmful atmosphere gas containing an acidic or basic solvent in the coating unit or the development unit flows into the exposure unit, and the atmosphere gas in the exposure unit is changed. There is a problem that the substrate is contaminated and adversely affects a substrate exposed in the exposure unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and can reduce the equipment cost and the maintenance cost, and can reduce the atmosphere containing harmful components in the coating and developing chamber. It is an object of the present invention to realize a substrate processing apparatus in which an atmospheric gas in a processing chamber other than a coating and developing chamber is not contaminated by a gas.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a load processing device for loading and unloading a substrate, which is partitioned by a partition wall inside a housing having an integral structure. An unloading chamber, a coating and developing chamber for applying and developing a photoresist on the substrate, and an exposure chamber for exposing a fine pattern to the substrate on which the photoresist has been applied; A substrate processing apparatus including a plurality of processing chambers for performing processing, a window for transferring the substrate between adjacent processing chambers provided on the partition wall, and an atmosphere in the coating and developing chamber. And an atmosphere gas supply / exhaust means for lowering the air pressure of the atmosphere in the processing chamber adjacent to the coating and developing chamber.

[0009] Each window is provided with a shutter which can be individually opened and closed.

Further, by disposing a substrate transfer robot for transferring a substrate in each processing chamber,
The transfer of the substrate between adjacent processing chambers may be performed by the substrate transfer robots disposed in the adjacent processing chamber, or the substrate may be provided in a portion near a window provided on a partition wall in the exposure chamber. It is preferable to dispose a substrate delivery table for mounting the substrate.

[0011]

By setting the pressure of the atmosphere in the coating and developing chamber to be lower than the pressure of the atmosphere in the processing chamber adjacent to the coating and developing chamber, the atmospheric gas containing harmful components in the coating and developing chamber enters the adjacent processing chamber. Inflow can be prevented. Further, since a plurality of processing chambers partitioned by the partition wall are provided in the housing having an integral structure, a foot space can be reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention with a side wall removed, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a substrate processing apparatus E ₁ according to the present embodiment has a casing ₁ having a long cube shape and an integral structure.
The interior is partitioned by a first partition wall 5 and a second partition wall 6 at predetermined intervals, so that a loading / unloading chamber 2 for introducing and unloading a substrate such as a wafer is provided. A coating / developing chamber 3 for applying and developing a photoresist, and an exposure chamber 4 for exposing a fine pattern to the substrate on which the photoresist has been applied; The second partition wall 6 is provided with windows 5a, 6a for exchanging substrates between adjacent rooms, respectively.
6a is provided with shutters 5b, 6b which can be individually opened and closed by shutter driving means 5c, 6c, respectively. 2 and exposure room 4
Atmospheric gas supply / exhaust means for lowering the pressure of the internal atmosphere to below the atmospheric pressure is provided.

In this embodiment, a control unit storage box 80 is provided in a space on both sides of the load / unload chamber 2.
An input / output operation unit 80a is provided on the outer surface of one control unit storage box 80.
Is provided so that the control operation can be performed at one place outside the housing 1.

First, an atmosphere gas supply / exhaust means for setting the atmospheric pressure in the coating and developing chamber lower than the atmospheric pressure in the processing chamber adjacent to the coating and developing chamber will be described.

Air outlets 7a and 8a are provided above the load / unload chamber 2, the coating / developing chamber 3 and the exposure chamber 4 for blowing down an atmosphere gas such as clean air or inert gas into each chamber in a down flow manner. Boxes 7, 8, 9 provided with, 9a
Are arranged respectively, and each filter box 7,
The respective inlets 7b, 8b, 9b of 8, 9 are opened to a common air supply side duct 1a. Dampers 10, 11, 12 are provided at the respective inlets 7 b, 8 b, 9 b of the respective filter boxes 7, 8, 9, and each damper 1
0, 11, and 12 are damper driving means 10a, 11 respectively.
a, 12a individually driven by the inlets 7b, 8b, 9
It is configured such that the opening area of b can be adjusted.

An underfloor space 13a is formed below the loading / unloading chamber 2 and partitioned by a floor 2a.
Atmosphere gas in the load / unload chamber 2 is discharged to the outside through an exhaust port 2b formed on the floor 2a and a discharge port 1b formed on the bottom wall of the housing 1. Further, by providing an exhaust flow rate adjusting damper 17 driven by the damper driving means 17a at the discharge port 1b, the flow rate of the atmospheric gas exhausted to the outside can be adjusted.

An underfloor space 13b is formed below the coating and developing chamber 3 by a floor 3a having an exhaust port 3b, and a side wall of the housing 1 corresponding to the underfloor space 13b. Are provided with a plurality of exhaust openings 15, and each exhaust opening 15 is provided with a damper driving means 16.
By providing an exhaust flow rate adjusting damper 16 driven by a, as may regulate the flow rate of the ambient gas in which the substrate processing apparatus E ₁ from the exhaust opening 15 is exhausted to the suction exhaust duct factory installed Is configured.

A plurality of exhaust ports 4b are provided below the exposure chamber 4.
Is formed as a part of a circulation duct for circulating the under-floor space 13c to the inlet-side filter box 9 as necessary. It is configured so that it can be used.

Next, various devices provided in each processing chamber will be described.

In the load / unload chamber 2, a carrier table 21 on which a plurality of cassettes 20 for storing substrates such as wafers are placed, and a first guide movably guided by a guide 22a.
The first transfer robot 22 is capable of transferring substrates between each cassette 20 and a second transfer robot 23 disposed in the coating and developing chamber 3. It is configured as follows.

In the coating and developing chamber 3, a coater unit 25,
An oven unit 26, a developing unit 27, and a second transfer robot 23 are provided. The second transfer robot 23 includes an X-axis guide 23a, a Y-axis guide 23b, a Z-axis guide 23c, and a horizontal rotation shaft 23d. The guide unit movably guides the coater unit 25, the oven unit 26, and the developing unit 27 so as to be freely accessible, and is disposed near the window 6a provided in the second partition wall 6 in the exposure chamber 4. It is configured to be able to exchange substrates with the provided transfer table 30.

The exposure chamber 4 is provided with a projection exposure apparatus 28, a reticle stocker 29, a pre-alignment unit 31, a buffer / carrier table 32, and a third transfer robot 24. The substrate is transferred between the transfer table 30 and the exposure stage 28a of the projection exposure apparatus 28 while being movably guided by the guide 24a.

When the transfer table 30 is not provided in the exposure chamber 4, the transfer of the substrate may be performed between the second transfer robot 23 and the third transfer robot 24.

In this embodiment, the opening area of the inlet 9b of the filter box 9 of the exposure chamber 4 and the opening area of the inlet 8b of the filter box 8 of the coating and developing chamber 3 are individually changed. By exhausting the atmospheric gas in the coating and developing chamber 3 to the outside of the housing 1 through a plurality of exhaust openings 15 opened in the space 13b,
Since the pressure in the atmosphere in the coating and developing chamber 3 can be maintained lower than the pressure in the atmosphere in the exposure chamber 4, the second partition wall is used to transfer the substrate between the exposure chamber 4 and the coating and developing chamber 3. 6
When the window 6a is opened, the atmospheric gas in the coating and developing chamber 3 flows from the exposure chamber 4 through the window 6a. As a result, an atmosphere gas containing a harmful component in the coating and developing chamber 3 does not flow into the exposure chamber 4, and there is no possibility that the clean atmosphere gas in the exposure chamber 4 is contaminated.

Similarly, by setting the pressure of the atmosphere in the coating and developing chamber lower than the pressure of the atmosphere in the loading / unloading chamber 2, the pressure in the loading / unloading chamber 2 is reduced.
Needless to say, it is possible to prevent the contamination of the atmosphere gas inside.

Next, a modification of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a modification. The substrate processing apparatus E ₂ of this modification is provided with an exhaust duct 55 having one end communicating with the underfloor space 13 b of the coating and developing chamber 3. a to the other end which was communicated to the outside of the chamber in which the substrate processing apparatus E ₂ is installed, the opening area of the damper 56 disposed in the exhaust duct 55 and driven by a damper driving means 56a Is changed so that the flow rate of the released atmospheric gas can be changed.

By connecting the underfloor space 13c of the exposure chamber 4 to the return duct 13d, the atmosphere gas can be circulated to the filter box 9.

Except for this point, the embodiment may be the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS.

According to the present embodiment, the atmospheric gas in the coating and developing chamber 3 is discharged to the outside of the chamber in which the substrate processing apparatus E ₂ is installed through the exhaust side duct 55. Even so, the air in the clean room is not likely to be contaminated.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show another modification. The substrate processing apparatus E ₃ of this modification comprises a carrier pod for accommodating a carrier on a side wall of a casing which is an outer wall of a load / unload chamber. An entrance is provided for exchanging the carrier with the loading / unloading chamber.

That is, a concave portion 61 protruding toward the load / unload chamber 2 is formed on the outer surface of the load / unload chamber 2 of the housing 1, and a carrier is placed on a step portion below the concave portion 61. Opening 71a as an entrance that can be taken in and out
The carrier pod 70 is placed on the carrier pod table 71, the bottom wall 70a of the carrier pod 70 is opened, and the carrier pod 70 and the load / unload chamber 2 are disposed. The carrier 20 can be moved in and out of the carrier pod support 21a disposed therein. Carrier pod base 71 has ball screw 7
2 and is driven up and down by a ball screw driving section 73 including a motor mechanism.

Except for this point, the embodiment may be the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS.

According to the present modification, the carrier 20 can be taken in and out of the loading / unloading chamber 2 directly from the carrier pod 70. There is no risk of foreign matter adhering.

In the above embodiment and modified examples, the case where three processing chambers are formed in the housing 1 by the first and second partition walls 5 and 6 is shown, but the invention is not limited to this. Accordingly, the number of processing chambers can be increased or decreased by arbitrarily changing the number of partition walls.

[0038]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

Since the pressure of the atmosphere in the coating and developing chamber can be made lower than the pressure of the atmosphere in the processing chamber adjacent to the coating and developing chamber, the atmosphere gas containing harmful components in the coating and developing chamber enters the adjacent processing chamber. There is no risk of inflow, and the atmosphere in the adjacent processing chamber can be maintained in a clean state.

Further, the foot space of the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced, and the equipment cost and the maintenance cost can be significantly reduced.

Further, according to the invention of claim 5, the cleanliness of the atmosphere inside the apparatus is kept high, and conversely, the cleanliness inside the room of the external clean rule in which the apparatus is installed is lowered, and the maintenance cost of the clean room itself is reduced. Can be lowered.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention,
It is explanatory drawing shown in the state which removed one side wall.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a modification of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating another modified example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a portion of a carrier pod table and a carrier pot table receiver in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing another example of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 housing 1a air supply side duct 2 load / unload chamber 3 coating / developing chamber 4 exposure chamber 5,6 partition wall 5a, 6a window 5b, 6b shutter 7,8,9 filter box 10,11,12,56 damper 14 Inlet 14 a Fan 15 Exhaust opening 16, 17 Exhaust flow rate control damper 16 a, 17 a Drive mechanism 20 Cassette 21 Carrier stand 21 a Carrier pod stand receiver 22, 23, 24 Transfer robot 23 a, 24 a Guide 25 Coater unit 26 Oven unit 27 Developing unit 28 Projection exposure device 28a Exposure stage 29 Reticle stocker 55 Exhaust side duct 61 Concave portion 70 Carrier pod 70a Bottom wall 71 Carrier pod base 71a Opening 72 Ball screw 73 Ball screw drive

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A load / unload chamber for introducing and carrying out a substrate, which is partitioned by a partition wall inside a housing having an integral structure, and for applying and developing a photoresist to the substrate. Coating and developing chamber, including an exposure chamber for performing exposure of a fine pattern on the substrate coated with photoresist, a substrate processing apparatus including a plurality of processing chambers for performing a series of processing on the substrate, A window for exchanging the substrate between adjacent processing chambers provided on the partition wall, and a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure of the atmosphere in the processing chamber adjacent to the coating and developing chamber. A substrate processing apparatus provided with an atmosphere gas supply / exhaust means for reducing the pressure. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each window is provided with a shutter which can be individually opened and closed. 3. A substrate transfer robot for transferring a substrate in each of the processing chambers, whereby transfer of the substrate between adjacent processing chambers is performed by the substrate disposed in the adjacent processing chambers. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing is performed by the transfer robots. 4. A substrate delivery table for placing a substrate on a portion near a window provided in a partition wall in an exposure chamber.
A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. 5. A doorway for exchanging said carrier between a carrier pod for accommodating a carrier and said load / unload chamber is provided on a side wall of a casing serving as an outer wall of the load / unload chamber. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: