JPH10275796A - Substrate treating equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform an oil exchange and a substrate treatment at the same timing and to suppress the reduction in a throughput, by providing a chemical liquid tank and a substrate treating equipment with a feeding part, calculating a scheduled time when a substrate arrives the chemical liquid tank from the feeding part and an oil exchange ending scheduled time of the chemical liquid tank, and controlling the substrate feeding part. SOLUTION: A substrate-treating equipment 100 has, for example, a chemical liquid bath CB, a rinsing bath WB, a substrate-carrying robot TR, and a loader part (feeding part) LD for placing a cassette 20 that accommodates a non-treated substrate W. Also, a computer 30 is incorporated and a treatment pattern is set. When a lot to be fed is carried into target chemical liquid bath, a schedule time for arriving at the chemical liquid bath is calculated and it is judged whether a liquid is exchanged or not at either point from the feeding point of the lot to the arrival point to the target chemical liquid bath. When the liquid is to be exchanged, a liquid exchange ending scheduled time is calculated, thus preventing the liquid exchange from interfering with a lot treatment and at the same time suppressing the reduction in a throughout as an entire substrate-treating device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for immersing a thin plate-like substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as a "substrate") such as a semiconductor substrate, a liquid crystal glass substrate, a glass substrate for a photomask, and a substrate for an optical disk in a processing liquid. The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs various processes such as cleaning and etching on a surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the above-described substrate processing apparatus has a chemical solution tank for storing a chemical solution and a washing tank for storing pure water. Then, according to a predetermined procedure, a set of a plurality of substrates (hereinafter, referred to as a “lot”) is circulated and transported to each processing tank, and the plurality of substrates are immersed for a predetermined processing time in each processing tank at the destination. Through the process, a series of substrate treatments of removing contaminants on the substrate surface, etching an oxide film on the substrate surface, and stripping a resist film is achieved.

[0003] A chemical solution has a liquid life depending on the type of the chemical solution. In this specification, the term “liquid life” means an upper limit time in which the chemical solution can be used after supplying the chemical solution to the chemical solution tank or an upper limit number of times the substrate can be immersed in the chemical solution. If the immersion process is performed using the chemical solution after the liquid life has expired, the processing may be defective.If the chemical liquid in the chemical tank reaches the liquid life, the discharge of the substrate is temporarily stopped and the liquid is discharged. After the chemical solution whose life has expired is drained and a new chemical solution is supplied, that is, after the liquid exchange is completed, the process is restarted. When the processing is restarted, the substrate is discharged again, and the substrate processing is performed by a series of circulating conveyance.

[0004]

However, after the processing is resumed, a certain period of time such as the transfer time or the processing time in the circulating transfer path is required until the first discharged substrate reaches the chemical solution tank where the liquid has been exchanged. It takes time. This time is in a standby state despite the fact that it can be processed as the liquid tank whose liquid has been exchanged, so that it is wasted time and the throughput of the entire apparatus is reduced.

When the first substrate after the resumption of processing is carried into the chemical solution tank, the chemical solution is not in a fresh state, but deteriorates with time according to the time required for carrying in.

Such a problem becomes more serious as the liquid-exchanged chemical tank is located downstream of the circulating conveyance.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing a decrease in throughput.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of performing substrate processing in a fresh state in which a chemical solution has not deteriorated with time.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus for performing immersion processing on a substrate, comprising: (a) storing a chemical solution; A chemical solution tank for performing immersion processing, (b) a substrate loading section for loading the substrate into the substrate processing apparatus, and (c) a scheduled arrival time at which the substrate reaches the chemical solution tank from the substrate loading section is calculated. Scheduled arrival time calculating means, (d) when the liquid exchange of the chemical solution tank is performed at any time from the time of the loading of the substrate to the time of the arrival, the estimated time of liquid exchange ending when the liquid exchange ends. (E) when the estimated arrival time is equal to or later than the estimated liquid exchange end time, an input that controls the substrate input section to start the input of the substrate. Control means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the expected arrival time is earlier than the expected liquid exchange end time, The loading of the substrate is controlled so that the time coincides with the scheduled time for ending the liquid exchange.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of the chemical tanks, and the charging control means includes a plurality of the chemical tanks respectively. The loading of the substrate is controlled such that all of the scheduled times of arrival are after the respective scheduled times of liquid replacement.

[0012]

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

A. Overall schematic configuration of substrate processing apparatus:
The overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a chemical solution tank C
B1, CB2, CB3 and washing tanks WB1, WB2, WB
3, FR, a drying unit SD, and a substrate transport robot TR for transporting the substrate. Further, the substrate processing apparatus 100
Is a cassette 2 containing unprocessed substrates W at both ends.
A loader unit (substrate loading unit) LD for mounting the substrate 0 and an unloader unit ULD for mounting the cassette 20 in which the processed substrate W is stored.

The chemical liquid tanks CB1, CB2, and CB3 are tanks capable of storing chemical liquids (hereinafter, simply referred to as "chemical liquids") such as sulfuric acid, ammonia, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen peroxide, or a mixture thereof. This is a processing tank for performing an etching process or the like on the substrate W. Also, the washing tanks WB1, WB
2. WB3 is a processing tank that contains pure water and cleans a chemical solution attached to the substrate W. The washing tank FR is also a washing tank containing pure water, and is mainly used for finishing washing. Further, the drying unit SD is a processing unit that removes water droplets attached to the substrate W while rotating the substrate W, and dries.

The substrate transfer robot TR is movable in the horizontal and vertical directions, pays out unprocessed lots from the loader section LD, and executes a predetermined processing procedure (hereinafter, referred to as a predetermined processing procedure).
The robot is a robot that circulates and transports a lot between the processing tanks according to a “recipe” and transfers the processed lot to an unloader unit ULD. The substrate transport robot TR includes a pair of openable and closable hands 11, and a plurality of grooves for holding the substrate W are provided in the hand 11 in parallel at a constant pitch (shown in the figure). (Omitted), lots are held by the plurality of grooves. When the substrate transport robot TR receives the lot from the loader section LD, the pair of hands 11 of the substrate transport robot TR grips the lot raised from the cassette 20 by a holder (not shown) provided below the cassette 20. It is done by doing. When transferring the lot to the unloader unit ULD, the lot is transferred from the hand 11 to a holder (not shown), and the lot is stored in the cassette 20 by descending the holder. You. Note that the example shown here is an apparatus of a type in which a lot is taken out from the cassette 20 and the lot is directly gripped and transported by the substrate transport robot TR.
May be a so-called cassette transfer type device for transferring a lot while holding the same.

B. Control mechanism of substrate processing apparatus: Next, a control mechanism of the substrate processing apparatus 100 will be described. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram for explaining a control mechanism of the substrate processing apparatus 100. The substrate processing apparatus 100 incorporates a desktop computer 30. An operator can give commands to the apparatus and set processing patterns and processing conditions via the desktop computer 30.

The desktop computer 30 has a CPU 31 as its main body and a ROM as a read-only memory.
32, a RAM 33 which is a readable and writable memory,
A magnetic disk 34 for storing control software, data, etc., an input / output port 35 as an interface with associated input / output devices, and a network port 36 as an interface with a device that directly controls the substrate processing apparatus 100. A communication port 3 for communicating with a host computer or the like provided outside the substrate processing apparatus 100
7 is provided. The desktop computer 30 is also provided with a display 38 and a keyboard 39 via an input / output port 35.
You can enter commands and parameters from. Then, the operator can set and input the scheduled arrival time of the substrate and the scheduled end time of the liquid exchange in the chemical tank from the keyboard 39.

The command input to the desktop computer 30 is processed based on processing software, and is transmitted from the desktop computer 30 to the master controller 40 and the tank controller 50 via the network port 36 as necessary. Is done. The master controller 40 controls the operation of the substrate transport robot TR (see FIG. 1). Further, the master controller 40 can calculate the scheduled arrival time of the lot to reach the chemical solution tank and the scheduled liquid exchange end time of the chemical solution tank, and give a liquid exchange command to the tank controller 50 as necessary. .

The tank controller 50 that has received the liquid exchange command
Are a chemical liquid discharging means 51 and a chemical liquid supplying means 53 which will be described later.
And the like, and controls the injection and drainage of each processing tank. Further, the tank controller 50 includes a timer 56 and a counter 57, and uses these to manage the life of the chemical solution.

C. Configuration of Chemical Solution Tank: Next, Substrate Processing Apparatus 1
The configuration of the chemical solution tank CB2 provided in 00 will be described. The following description is for the chemical tank CB2, but the same applies to the chemical tanks CB1 and CB3.

FIG. 3 shows a chemical solution tank CB of the substrate processing apparatus 100.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of FIG. The chemical solution tank CB2 includes an inner tank 60, an outer tank 65, a bat 68, and a liquid supply / drainage mechanism associated therewith.

The inner tank 60 is a tank for storing a chemical solution and performing an etching process with the chemical solution on the immersed substrate W. The outer tank 65 is a tank for collecting a chemical solution overflowing from the inner tank 60. The chemical liquid overflowing into the outer tank 65 is circulated to the inner tank 60 by the circulation pump 70, and is purified by the circulation filter 71 in the path.

A chemical solution can be supplied from the chemical solution supply means 53 to the inner tank 60. The chemical solution is supplied to the inner tank 60
This is performed by supplying a chemical solution directly into the inner tank 60 from above, but is not limited to this. For example,
A new chemical solution may be supplied in the circulation path from the outer tank 65 to the inner tank 60.

The vat 68 is a container for collecting the chemical liquid overflowing from the inner tank 60 and the outer tank 65.

The inner tank 60, the outer tank 65, and the butt 6
The chemical solution stored in 8 can be drained by the chemical solution draining means 51 via drain air valves 73, 72, 74, respectively. It should be noted that the chemical liquid discharging means 51, the chemical liquid supplying means 53, the circulation pump 70, and the air valves 72, 73, 74 shown in FIG.
) Controls its operation.

When the immersion process is performed in the chemical solution tank CB2 shown in FIG. 3, first, a chemical solution is supplied from the chemical solution supply means 53, and a predetermined amount of liquid necessary for the immersion process is stored in the inner tank 60 and the outer tank 65. Then, after the supply of the chemical solution is stopped, the lot is immersed in the chemical solution in the inner tank 60, and the etching process on the substrate W is started. While the immersion processing is being performed on the substrate W, the air valves 72, 73, 7
Reference numeral 4 is closed, and the circulation pump 70 recirculates the chemical solution. That is, in the steady state of the immersion processing, the overflowing chemical solution among the processing chemical solutions in the inner tank 60 is
The operation of being collected in the outer tank 65, being purified by the circulation filter 71 via the circulation pump 70, and then being supplied to the inner tank 60 again is repeated.

When the liquid is exchanged in the chemical tank CB2, all the chemicals stored in the inner tank 60 and the outer tank 65 are drained through the air valves 72 and 73, respectively. This is performed by supplying a new chemical solution and storing a predetermined amount of liquid necessary for the immersion process in the inner tank 60 and the outer tank 65 again. Further, at the time of liquid exchange, cleaning of the tank and temperature control of the chemical solution are also performed by cleaning means and temperature adjusting means (not shown).

D. Substrate processing procedure: Next, substrate processing apparatus 1
A lot input timing adjustment process which is a feature of the substrate processing procedure at 00 will be described. FIG. 4 shows a substrate processing apparatus 1
6 is a flowchart showing a substrate processing procedure at 00. The following processing is executed when a lot is input, that is, when the lot is discharged from the loader unit LD.

First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not a new lot to be put in is carried into a target chemical solution tank. This determination is made by the master controller 40 identifying the recipe corresponding to the lot. Here, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 4 is sequentially executed for each of the chemical tanks CB1, CB2, and CB3, and the “target chemical tank” is a target at the time of the determination in step S1. It is a chemical tank.

When the lot to be introduced is carried into the target chemical solution tank, the process proceeds to step S2, and the expected arrival time at which the lot reaches the target chemical solution tank is calculated. The scheduled arrival time is a parameter calculated by the master controller 40, and is a time required for the lot to be carried into the target chemical solution tank, in other words, each processing tank immersed until the lot is carried into the target chemical solution tank. Is calculated based on the sum of the processing time and the transport time between the processing tanks. An example of calculating the scheduled arrival time is shown in Table 1 below.

[0031]

[Table 1]

The lot is transported to each processing section in the order from the top of Table 1, and the transport time between each processing section is set to one minute for easy understanding. It is also assumed that the processing time in each processing unit is as shown in Table 1. In this case, the scheduled time of arrival at the chemical tank CB2 is the sum of the immersion processing time and the transport time in the chemical tank CB1 and the washing tank WB1.
3 minutes. As shown in Table 1, the expected arrival time differs depending on whether the target chemical tank is one of the chemical tanks CB1, CB2, and CB3. The scheduled arrival time may be set and input by the operator via the keyboard 39.

Next, it is determined whether or not the target chemical liquid tank is to be subjected to liquid exchange at any time from the time of inputting the lot to the time of reaching the target chemical liquid tank (step S).
3). This judgment is made by the tank controller 5 that manages the liquid life.
0 is performed with reference to the expected arrival time. When the liquid exchange in the chemical tank is performed, the scheduled liquid exchange end time at which the liquid exchange ends is calculated by the master controller 40 (step S4). The starting point of the liquid exchange (the point at which the liquid life is reached) may be before or after the lot input, and the time required for the liquid exchange is added to the time at which the chemical liquid reaches the liquid life. Calculate the scheduled replacement end time. Also, the operator is requested to enter the keyboard 39 when the liquid replacement end time is estimated.
The setting may be input via the.

Next, proceeding to step S5, the master controller 40 compares the expected arrival time with the expected liquid exchange end time. If the scheduled arrival time is after the scheduled liquid exchange end time, the process proceeds to step S7.

On the other hand, if the scheduled arrival time is before the scheduled liquid exchange end time, the process proceeds to step S6, where the estimated arrival time is recalculated, and the process returns to step S5 again.
In other words, the scheduled liquid exchange end time is an invariable time determined by the liquid life and the time required for the liquid exchange, whereas the estimated arrival time can be changed by adjusting the lot input timing. It is time. The circulation process from step S5 to step S6 is a process of delaying the lot input time until the scheduled arrival time becomes equal to or later than the scheduled liquid exchange end time.

By the way, when the lot is not carried into the target chemical solution tank (step S1) and when the target chemical solution tank does not perform liquid exchange within the above-mentioned predetermined period (step S3).
In this case, the processing of the input lot is not interrupted by the target chemical solution tank. Further, even when the target chemical tank performs liquid exchange within a predetermined period, if the scheduled arrival time of the lot is later than the scheduled liquid exchange end time (step S5), the processing of the input lot is performed in the target chemical liquid tank. It is not interrupted by the exchange. In these cases, the process proceeds to step S7, and it is determined whether or not the master controller 40 has performed the processes of steps S1 to S6 for all the chemical liquid tanks. Then, for example, if the chemical solution tank CB3 has not been processed, the process returns to step S1 again, and the above process is repeated with the chemical solution tank CB3 as the target chemical solution tank. On the other hand, when the above processing is completed for all of the chemical tanks CB1, CB2, and CB3, the processing of the lot is not interrupted by any of these chemical tanks, the process proceeds to step S8, and the lot input is started. And
Processing is performed according to the recipe.

The processing contents in the above-described procedure will be specifically shown with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining adjustment of the lot input timing. The following example is a case where all the input lots are carried into the target chemical tank (step S1), and the target chemical tank performs liquid exchange within a predetermined period (step S3).

In the example of FIG. 5A, when a lot is input at time t ₁ , the expected arrival time is time t ₂ . on the other hand,
The liquid exchange in the target chemical tank is performed at time t ₃ before the lot is introduced.
It has been started, the time t ₂ is a liquid exchange scheduled end time. In this case, since estimated time of arrival and the liquid exchange scheduled end time is the same time t _2, the liquid exchange of the target chemical tank is never an obstacle to lot processing, the process proceeds directly to step S7 from step S5. Conventionally, at time t ₂
Liquid exchange lot is turned from the end, of the target chemical tank has reached the time t ₄ is the liquid exchange and the substrate processing and the same time to (time from time t ₁ at time t ₂₎ It performed, to reach the same time subject chemical tank and chemical exchange ends at time t _2, thereby improving the throughput by minute (difference between the time t ₂ and time t ₄₎ the time difference, a fresh chemical solution immediately after liquid exchange Can be used for immersion treatment.

Next, the example of FIG. 5 (b) differs from the example of FIG. 5 (a) only in that the liquid exchange is started at time t ₃ after the introduction of the lot. Even in this case, since estimated time of arrival and the liquid exchange scheduled end time is the same time t _2, the never liquor exchange of the target chemical tank becomes an obstacle for lot processing, directly step S7 from step S5 move on. As a result, the same effects as above can be obtained.

In the example of FIG. 5C, the lot is loaded at time t ₁ , and the expected arrival time is time t ₂ . Liquor exchange in a subject chemical bath began in lot input earlier time t _3, the time t ₅ before the estimated time of arrival t ₂ is a liquor exchange expected ending time. In this case, the estimated arrival time t ₂
There order is later than the liquid exchange expected ending time t _5, never liquid exchange target chemical tank becomes an obstacle for lot processing, the process proceeds directly to step S7 from step S5. Then, it is possible to improve the time difference only throughput from the time t ₂ as compared with the prior to time t _4.

Further, in the example shown in FIG.
If the lot is turned to _1, estimated time of arrival is the time t _2. On the other hand, the liquid exchange in the subject chemical tank has been started in the lot input the previous time t _3, the time t ₅ is a liquid exchange scheduled end time. In this case, since estimated time of arrival t ₂ is before the liquor exchange expected ending time t _5, the liquid exchange of the target chemical tank becomes an obstacle of lot processing. Therefore, by the step S6 to repeat the circulation process in step S5, lot input timing is delayed from the time t ₁ over time. Eventually, when the lot input time reaches time t ₆ , the expected arrival time at that time becomes the same time t _{5 as the} expected liquid exchange end time, and at this time, steps S 5 to S 5 are performed.
Go to 7. Again, it is possible to improve the time difference only throughput from time t ₅ as compared with the prior to time t _4, it is possible to perform the substrate immersed in fresh state where the drug solution is not degraded over time .

The above processing is performed in all the chemical tanks CB
1, CB2, and CB3 are performed, so that the liquid exchange in any of the chemical tanks does not hinder the processing of the inputted lot, and the reduction in throughput of the substrate processing apparatus 100 as a whole can be suppressed as compared with the related art. it can. It should be noted that, if the target chemical solution tank is different, the scheduled arrival time will be different.
As described above.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described example. For example, the substrate processing apparatus 100 in the above-described embodiment is an apparatus for processing a substrate W in lot units. But this was 1
It may be a single-wafer-type substrate processing apparatus that processes one by one.

[0044]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the scheduled arrival time is after the scheduled liquid exchange end time, the loading of the substrate is started.
The liquid exchange and the substrate processing can be performed at the same time without the substrate processing being hindered by the liquid exchange. As a result, a decrease in throughput can be suppressed. Further, since the substrate is immersed in a short time after the liquid exchange is completed, the substrate processing can be performed in a fresh state in which the chemical solution has not deteriorated with time.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the estimated arrival time is earlier than the scheduled liquid exchange end time, the loading of the substrate is controlled so that the estimated arrival time coincides with the estimated liquid exchange end time. Therefore, the liquid exchange and the substrate processing can be performed at the same time without the substrate processing being hindered by the liquid exchange, and as a result, a decrease in throughput can be suppressed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the loading of the substrate is controlled so that all of the scheduled arrival times of the plurality of chemical liquid tanks are equal to or later than the respective scheduled end times of the liquid exchange, Liquid exchange in the chemical solution tank does not hinder substrate processing, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in throughput of the entire substrate processing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram for explaining a control mechanism of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a chemical solution tank of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing procedure in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining adjustment of a lot input timing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 40 Master controller 50 Tank controller 51 Chemical liquid discharging means 53 Chemical liquid supplying means 72, 73, 74 Air valve 100 Substrate processing device CB1, CB2, CB3 Chemical liquid tank LD Loader unit W Substrate

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A substrate processing apparatus for performing an immersion process on a substrate, comprising: (a) a chemical solution tank for storing a chemical solution and performing an immersion process on the substrate in the chemical solution; (C) a scheduled arrival time calculating means for calculating a scheduled arrival time at which the substrate reaches the chemical solution tank from the substrate insertion unit, (d) the substrate from the time of introduction of the substrate When the liquid exchange in the chemical solution tank is performed at any time up to the arrival point, the liquid exchange scheduled end time calculation means for calculating the liquid exchange end scheduled time at which the liquid exchange ends, (e) the scheduled arrival A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a loading control unit that controls the substrate loading unit so that loading of the substrate is started when the time is equal to or later than the scheduled liquid exchange end time. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the expected arrival time is earlier than the expected liquid exchange end time, the input control means sets the expected arrival time to the expected liquid exchange end time. A substrate processing apparatus for controlling the loading of the substrate so as to match the substrate. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of the chemical solution tanks, and the input control unit determines that all of the scheduled arrival times of the plurality of the chemical solution tanks are different. A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the loading of the substrate is controlled so as to be after each of the scheduled liquid exchange end times.