JPH10284568A - Substrate processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve versatility and to enable exact process management corresponding to a throughput. SOLUTION: As a processor for an eximer laser stepper 3, this processor is divided into a module 1 for coding processing and a module 2 for development processing, processing parts 1-1 and 1-2 of module 1 are arranged so as to face at a prescribed interval, and a turnable and vertically movable conveyer robot 1-3 is arranged at its center. The module 2 is similarly constituted as well. Then, the modules 1 and 2 are parallelly arranged so as to arrange the module 2 through an I/F 4 onto the front face of eximer laser stepper 3, and, on the side faces of modules 1 and 2, an indexer 5 is arranged for exchanging a cassette 51 housing the wafer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a semiconductor stepper, there has been known a substrate processing apparatus in which a photoresist is formed as a pre-exposure process and development is performed as a post-process (see Japanese Patent No. 2519096). In such an apparatus, as shown in FIG. 5, processing units 71 including a plurality of processing areas are arranged in a matrix, and one transfer robot 72 reciprocates in a linear direction and in an up-down direction so as to move between each processing area. , The substrate (wafer) is transferred.

[0003]

In such a conventional substrate processing apparatus, the transfer robot reciprocates between a plurality of processing areas to transfer the wafer. Therefore, when the processing amount is increased, the transfer is delayed. Sometimes it goes away. As shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to cope with the throughput by providing two transfer robots 73 and 74. However, the area occupied by the transfer robots 72 and 73 becomes large, and the apparatus becomes large.

[0004] On the other hand, if we try to deal with the situation as it is,
Since the transfer is not in time, the wafer must be left even after the processing time has elapsed, and process management is difficult. In recent years, as the degree of integration of semiconductor integrated circuits has increased, miniaturization of patterns has been demanded, and accordingly, chemically amplified resists capable of miniaturization have been used, but this resist has been heated. When the temperature is high, the reaction proceeds immediately, and the formed resist pattern is also likely to change, causing variations in the pattern.

For this reason, in the processing using such a chemically amplified resist, it is necessary to strictly control the process, and the conventional substrate processing apparatus is not suitable for such processing. The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and has as its object to provide a substrate processing apparatus which is versatile and capable of performing accurate process management according to a processing amount.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus according to the present invention, which is installed at a position facing a predetermined distance, facing a processing unit for mounting and processing a substrate, and a processing unit facing the processing unit. A processing module having a telescopic hand for transferring a substrate, the conveying means being configured to rotate the hand to convey the substrate.

According to this configuration, when the substrate is placed on the processing section, the transfer means extends the hand and places the substrate on the processing section. When transporting the substrate placed on the processing unit to the opposing processing unit, the transport unit extends the hand to receive the substrate placed on the processing unit, shrinks the hand, turns, and extends the hand again to process. The substrate is placed on the part. By arranging such processing modules side by side, it is possible to cope with the processing amount.

In the apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, the processing section is configured by stacking a plurality of processing areas, and the transfer means is configured to move up and down so as to transfer the substrate to each processing area. ing. According to such a configuration, the transfer unit moves up and down to transfer the substrate to the processing area. In the apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of processing areas are arranged in the processing order of the substrates.

According to this configuration, when performing a series of processing, the substrate is sequentially transported to each processing area. Therefore, the substrate is immediately transported to the next processing area, and a loss time due to the transport is eliminated, and strict process management can be performed. In the apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of processing modules are provided, each processing unit and the transfer unit are arranged in parallel so as to be adjacent to each other, and a second transfer for transferring a substrate between the processing modules. Means.

According to this configuration, when the substrate is transported between the plurality of processing modules, the substrate is transported by the second transporting means. In the apparatus according to claim 5,
It is configured so that mutually related processing is performed for each processing module. According to such a configuration, mutually related processes are performed in one processing module without reciprocating between the processing modules.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus is, for example, an excimer laser stepper (hereinafter, referred to as an excimer laser stepper).
It is described as "stepper". The case where the present invention is applied to an apparatus for performing a coating process as a pre-process and a developing process as a post-process will be described.

In FIG. 1 showing the present embodiment, modules 1 and 2 as a substrate processing apparatus are arranged in parallel. Module 1 includes a C for performing a coating process.
An OATER module, and a module 2 is a DEVELOPER module for performing development processing.

The module 2 is disposed on one end face of the stepper 3 via an I / F (interface) 4, and on one end face of the modules 1 and 2, a cassette 5 containing wafers is provided.
An indexer 5 is provided for transferring the data. The processing units 1-1 and 1-2 of the module 1 are arranged so as to face each other at a predetermined interval, and a transfer robot 1-3 as a transfer unit that turns and moves up and down is disposed at the center thereof.
It has a telescopic hand for transferring wafers. The module 2 is also constituted by the processing units 2-1 and 2-2 and the transfer robot 2-3.

The module 1 is further provided with a processing unit 6, the wafer is transferred by the transfer robot 1-3, and the processing unit 6 can process the wafer. The modules 1 and 2 can perform different processes with the same structure. That is, module 1
As shown in FIG. 2 which is a side view of the processing unit 1-1,
As each processing area is arranged in the processing order of the wafer described later,
HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) treatment area 11,
A COOL (cooling) processing area 12 and a COAT (coating) processing area 13 are stacked, and HP (hot plate) areas 14 to 16 and a TFS (transfer stage) 17 are stacked in the processing unit 1-2.

A bypass passage 18 is provided below the TFS 17, and a filter 1 is provided above the module 1.
9-1 to 19-3, blower fan 20 for blowing in the direction of the arrow
-1, 20-2, and the like. Transfer robot 1-
3 is driven by a driving device (not shown) to move up and down and turn. FIG. 3 is a side view of the module 2.
As shown in (1), similarly to the processing module 1, the processing unit 2-1 stores the PEB so that the processing areas are arranged in the processing order.
Under the (post-exposure bake) processing area 31, a COOL processing area 32 and a DEV (development) processing area 33 are sequentially stacked, and an SP (space) area 34 and an HP area 35 are provided in the processing unit 2-2. , 36, TFS3
7 are stacked.

A bypass passage 38 is provided below the TFS 37 of the module 2 as in the module 1, and filters 39-1 to 39 are provided above the module 2.
-3, blower fans 40-1 and 40-2, etc., and the transfer robot 2-3 is driven by a driving device and operates in the same manner as the transfer robot 1-3. As shown in FIG. 1, modules 1 and 2 include a processing unit 1-1 and a processing unit 2-
1. Processing unit 1-2 and processing unit 2-2, transfer robot 1-3
And 2-3 are disposed so as to be adjacent to each other, and a transfer device 7 as a second transfer means is provided in the bypass passages 18 and 38.
Is arranged. The transfer device 7 is configured by, for example, a conveyor that holds and transfers only the edge of the wafer.
/ F4 to transfer the wafer.

The modules can be arranged in the same manner and added according to the processing amount and processing contents. The indexer 5 includes a cassette placement section 52 for placing a cassette 51 for accommodating a plurality of wafers, and an indexer robot 53 for transporting the wafers in the cassette 51.
The indexer robot 53 can move linearly along the cassette placement section 52, and turns between the connection position with the I / F 4 and the TFS 17, 37 of the modules 1 and 2 to transfer the wafer. It has become.

The I / F 4 includes an indexer robot 53,
A transfer device 61 for transferring a wafer between the stepper 3 and the transfer device 7 is provided. The transport device 61 moves linearly as shown by the arrow in the figure, and can move up and down so that height adjustment and smooth delivery can be performed. Next, the operation will be described based on FIG. 4 showing the processing steps.

The cassette 51 is conveyed from the processing apparatus before the exposure processing, and is placed in a place where the cassette placement section 52 of the indexer 5 is open. The wafer stored in the cassette 51 is taken out by the indexer robot 53.
The indexer robot 53 turns and places the taken-out wafer on the TFS 17 of the module 1. The mounted wafer is transferred to the module 1 by the transfer robot 1-3.
The sheet is transported to the MDS processing area 11 and is placed here.

In the HMDS processing area 11, a process for improving the adhesion of the coating is performed. By the end of this processing, the transfer robot 1-3 rises to the position of the HMDS processing area 11 and turns toward the HMDS processing area 11 so as to receive the wafer in the HMDS processing area 11 by hand. When the process is completed, raise the hand to HM
The wafer is extended to the DS processing area 11 and the wafer is placed on the hand. Then, the hand is shrunk and turned, the hand is extended to the HP area 14 where the next process is performed, and the wafer is placed on the HP area 14.

The wafer is heated to about 90 ° C. in the HP area 14. After the heat treatment, the wafer is transferred from the HP area 14 to the COOL processing area 12 by the transfer robot 1-3 and cooled. Then, after the coating of the chemically amplified resist is performed in the COAT processing area 13 and the heat treatment is performed in the HP area 15 or 16, the wafer is transferred by the transfer device 7 to the transfer device 61 of the I / F 4.
Is transported to the transport device 61 of the I / F 4 and transported by the transport robot provided on the stepper 3 side.
And exposed.

The wafer is transferred from the module 1 to the stepper 3.
Transfer robot 1 without using the transfer device 7
-3 → the transfer robot 2-3 → the transfer device 61. However, the use of the transfer device 7 is advantageous because the number of transfer steps is reduced. After exposure, the wafer
The transfer device 6 of the I / F 4 by the transfer robot of the stepper 3
1 and the transfer robot 2-3 of the module 2
This wafer is received and placed directly on the PEB processing area 31. Then, baking is performed in the PEB processing area 31, and thereafter, the wafer is sequentially transported to the COOL processing area 32 and the DEV processing area 33, where the cooling processing and the developing processing are performed.

After the development processing, the wafer is moved to the HP processing area 3
Heat treatment is performed at 5 or 36, and the sample is placed on the TFS 37.
Then, the indexer robot 53 receives the wafer placed on the TFS 37, turns, and stores the wafer in the cassette 51. This cassette 51 is transported to the next processing device.

It should be noted that, after the exposure, the film may be transported to another apparatus or the like without developing, thereby bypassing the developing process.
The transfer of the wafer between the transfer device 61 and the indexer robot 53 is performed. According to this configuration, since the processing unit is opposed to a vertically movable and rotatable transfer robot without using the transfer robot that moves linearly, the degree of freedom of the system configuration is high and the , And even if the processing amount increases, the number of modules can be increased to cope with the processing amount and processing content, and the equipment throughput can be improved.

Further, since the processing areas where the reduction of the transfer time between the processes is particularly required are arranged at the opposed position or the upper and lower positions, the wafer can be transferred quickly.
Loss time due to transport is eliminated, and accurate time management and process management can be performed. Therefore, the present apparatus is particularly suitable for processing using a chemically amplified resist or the like in which such process control is strict.

Further, since the coating process and the developing process, which are different from each other, are performed in different modules, mutual effects can be prevented. For example, in the HMDS process, ammonia is generated, and if the wafer before development comes into contact with the ammonia, the pattern of the wafer changes, which has an adverse effect. In this apparatus, however, the coating process and the development process may affect each other. And the quality of the wafer can be improved. In some cases, it is more effective to arrange the modules 1 and 2 at an interval.

Also, since the processing areas are stacked,
Space saving can be achieved, and the module is modularized, so that maintenance is good. In the present embodiment, the present apparatus is applied to an apparatus that performs a coating process and a developing process of a stepper. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be used for a substrate processing apparatus for a display.

[0028]

As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the transport robot that can move up and down and the processing unit opposed to each other are modularized without the transport robot that moves linearly. Therefore, the degree of freedom of the system configuration is high, and it is possible to cope with changes during the process. Further, even if the processing amount increases, the number of modules can be increased correspondingly, and the versatility can be improved, and the equipment throughput can be improved. Further, the maintainability is good.

According to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, two or more processes can be performed in one processing module, and space can be saved. According to the substrate processing apparatus of the third aspect, since the substrates are transported to the respective processing areas in the processing order, the transport time between the respective processing units is shortened, and accurate process management can be performed.

According to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, since the substrate is transported by the second transport means between the plurality of processing modules, the substrate can be transported quickly. According to the substrate processing apparatus of the fifth aspect, it is possible to collectively perform the processes related to each other for each processing module, and there is no mutual influence between different processes, thereby improving the quality. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the coating module of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the developing module of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a process explanatory view of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a conventional device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 module 3 excimer laser stepper 4 I / F (interface) 5 indexer

Claims (5)

[Claims] A processing unit for mounting and processing a substrate, the processing unit being disposed at an opposing position with a predetermined interval between the processing units; And a transport module for transporting the substrate by rotating the hand. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured by stacking a plurality of processing areas, and the transfer unit is configured to move up and down so as to transfer the substrate to each processing area. 1
A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of processing areas are arranged in a processing order of the substrates. 4. A processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of processing modules;
4. The transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second transfer unit configured to transfer the substrates between the processing modules, the transfer units being arranged in parallel so as to be adjacent to each other. 5. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing related to each other is performed for each processing module.