JPH10294275A - Heat treatment device and heat treatment method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide heat treatment device/method which can uniformly and cleanly heat-treat a substrate. SOLUTION: The heat treatment device is provided with a mount plate 13 arranged in a treatment room 12, a heating plate 14 heating the substrate W through the mount plate 13 by making it abut on the lower face of the mount plate 13, a cooling plate 15 cooling the substrate W through the mount plate 13 by making it abut on the lower face of the mount plate 13 and supporting pins 16 supporting the substrate W and raising/lowering it are provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus and a heat treatment method for heating and cooling a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display panel, or a mask substrate for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a substrate processing apparatus for performing a chemical treatment such as a resist coating process or a development process on a substrate, the substrate is temporarily heated by a heat treatment device before and after the chemical solution treatment.
A heat treatment for cooling the substrate to room temperature by a cooling processing device is performed.

A heat treatment apparatus such as a heat treatment apparatus or a cooling treatment apparatus for performing such heat treatment includes a heating plate having a built-in heating means such as a heater or a cooling plate having a built-in cooling means such as a Peltier element in a processing chamber. The substrate is heated or cooled while the substrate is placed on the upper surface of the heating plate or the cooling plate.
Further, as described in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-193833, a sphere projecting a minute height from the upper surface of the heating plate or the cooling plate is provided, and a so-called proximity gap is formed on the heating plate or the cooling plate. In some cases, the substrate is heated or cooled in a state in which the substrate is closely supported at a small interval.

[0004] When a substrate is heated and cooled by such a heat treatment apparatus, the substrate is transferred to a heat processing apparatus by a substrate transfer mechanism having a transfer arm, and the substrate is subjected to heat treatment. It is configured to be conveyed to a cooling processing device to perform a cooling process.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional heat treatment apparatus, the heat treatment apparatus for heating the substrate and the cooling treatment apparatus for cooling the substrate are configured as separate units. In order to perform heat treatment and cooling treatment on the substrate, it is necessary to transport the substrate from the heat treatment device to the cooling treatment device.

For this reason, the substrate is cooled under the influence of the outside air when the substrate is transported, so that the heat history of the substrate is not uniform, and as a result, the processing result of the substrate may be non-uniform.

Further, the substrate may be contaminated while being transported from the heat processing apparatus to the cooling processing apparatus. In particular, when a chemically amplified resist is used, if an acid or alkali component is present in the transport path of the substrate, the substrate is contaminated by these components, and the product yield of the processed substrate is reduced.

Further, when the time from heating the substrate to the cooling process is long, or when this time cannot be maintained constant, the processing of the substrate becomes uneven, and Product yield decreases. For example,
When a chemically amplified resist is used, a photoacid generator contained in the resist is used to generate an acid upon exposure, and the acid is activated by post-exposure bake (PEB), a type of heat treatment, to effect a crosslinking reaction. Or, after causing a decomposition reaction, the reaction is stopped by performing a cooling process, and then a developing process is performed.Thus, the transport time from the heating process to the cooling process is a fixed time, and Preferably, the time is as short as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a heat treatment apparatus and a heat treatment method capable of uniformly and cleanly heat treating a substrate.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a mounting portion for mounting a substrate, and an abutment or close proximity to the mounting portion, allow the substrate to be placed through the mounting portion. Heating means for heating the substrate mounted on the mounting portion, and cooling the substrate mounted on the mounting portion via the mounting portion by contacting or approaching the mounting portion. And a cooling means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting plate for mounting a substrate, and the mounting plate is brought into contact with or close to the lower surface of the mounting plate via the mounting plate. A heating plate that heats the substrate placed on the plate; and a cooling plate that cools the substrate placed on the placement plate via the placement plate by contacting or approaching the lower surface of the placement plate. And characterized in that:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, one of the heating plate and the cooling plate is provided with a heat treatment position in contact with or close to a lower surface of the mounting plate; A moving means for moving between a retracted position retracted laterally from below the mounting plate, and a heat treatment position in which the other of the heating plate or the cooling plate abuts or approaches the lower surface of the mounting plate. Lifting means for raising and lowering relatively to the mounting plate between a retracted position separated downward from the mounting plate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, the moving means moves the heating plate between the heat treatment position and the retreat position, and the elevating means moves the cooling plate. The plate is moved up and down relatively to the mounting plate between the heat treatment position and the retracted position.

[0014] The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claims 2 to 4.
In the invention according to any one of the above, by supporting the substrate from below through a through hole formed in the support plate, the substrate, the heat treatment position placed on the mounting plate described above And a support pin that moves up and down relatively with respect to the mounting plate between a transfer position that is separated upward from the surface of the mounting plate.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a carrying-in step of placing a substrate on a placing plate and a step of bringing a heating plate into contact with or approaching a lower surface of the placing plate allow the substrate to be moved through the placing plate. Heating the substrate by heating the heating plate, separating the heating plate from the lower surface of the mounting plate, and then contacting or approaching the cooling plate to the lower surface of the mounting plate. A cooling step of cooling the substrate by using a cooling plate, and a carrying-out step of carrying out the substrate from the mounting plate.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention. In this figure, an elevating mechanism of a cooling plate 15 and a heating plate
The moving mechanism and the like are not shown.

This heat treatment apparatus includes a mounting plate 13, a heating plate 14, a cooling plate 15, and support pins 16 disposed in a processing chamber 12.

The mounting plate 13 is for mounting and heat-treating the substrate W, and is made of, for example, a plate-like member made of aluminum or ceramic and having a thickness of about 3 mm. In addition, this mounting plate can be comprised from various members which have thermal conductivity.

The mounting plate 13 has support pins 16
A through-hole 21 for penetrating through is provided. Also,
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the mounting plate 13
The position on the diagonal line is supported by a pair of support rods 22 pointing in the vertical direction. The mounting plate 13 is restricted from moving downward by a stopper 23 attached to the pair of support bars 22. For this reason, the mounting plate 13 is movable upward.

Referring again to FIG. 1, cooling plate 15
Has a Peltier element and a water cooling mechanism built therein.
Further, in the cooling plate 15, similarly to the mounting plate 13, a through hole 24 for penetrating the support pin 16 is formed. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cooling plate 15 is engaged with the support rod 22 at a protrusion formed at one end thereof. The cooling plate 15
Is screwed with a ball screw 25 which faces in a vertical direction at a protrusion formed on the other side. For this reason, the cooling plate 15 is moved between a cooling position in contact with a lower surface of the mounting plate 13 described later and a retracted position separated from the mounting plate 13 by rotating the ball screw 25 by driving of the motor 26. Up and down.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the heating plate 14
Has a built-in heater inside. This heating plate 1
Numeral 4 is configured to reciprocate between a heating position in contact with a lower surface of the mounting plate 13 described later and a retracted position retracted laterally from below the mounting plate 13 by a moving mechanism described later.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a mechanism for moving the heating plate 14. The heating plate 14 supports the support block 3.
2 can be moved up and down through a through-hole drilled in 2, and supported by a pair of lifting members 34 provided with wheels 33 at the lower end thereof via a connecting member. The support block 32
It is connected to a synchronous belt 35, and is guided by a pair of guide members 37 by a driving of a motor 36 to reciprocate in a horizontal direction. Further, the guide surface 38 with which the wheel 33 abuts is shaped such that one end is higher than other positions.

In such a configuration, if the support block 32 moves in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 7 by driving the motor 36, the heating plate 14 also moves in the direction of the arrow along with the support block 32, and then the wheels 33 move to the guide surfaces 38. The ascending and descending member 34 is moved upward by being guided by the above, and ascends to a heating position described later.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the support pin 16 is provided upright on the support arm 42. This support arm 42
Is supported by a guide member 43 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and is configured to be able to move up and down between an ascending position and a descending position by driving an air cylinder 44.

A lid 45 is attached to the support arm 42. As shown in FIG. 1, the lid 42 holds the mounting plate 13 when the support arm 42 is at the lowered position.
By contacting the surface, a processing space that covers the substrate W to be heat-treated is formed.

An opening 46 is formed in a vertical portion at the end of the support arm 42. This opening 46 is
When the support arm 42 is in the raised position, it faces the opening 47 formed in the processing chamber 12, and the opening 46, 47 forms a passage port for the substrate W.

Next, the heat treatment operation of the substrate W by this heat treatment apparatus will be described.

First, the substrate W to be subjected to the heat treatment is placed in the processing chamber 1.
Carry in 2 In this state, as shown in FIG. 2, the cooling plate 15 is moved to a cooling position in contact with the lower surface of the mounting plate 13 by driving the motor 26.
In addition, by raising the support arm 42 by driving the air cylinder 44, the support pin 16 is moved to the raised position. Further, the heating plate 14 is moved to a retracted position retracted laterally from below the mounting plate 13. Then, the substrate W supported by the transfer arm of the substrate transfer mechanism (not shown) is carried into the processing chamber 12 by passing through the openings 46 and 47 and is placed on the support pins 16.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the support pin 16 is lowered to the lowered position. Thereby, the substrate W is placed on the placing plate 13. The processing space that covers the substrate W is formed by the lid 45 abutting on the surface of the mounting plate 13.

The cooling plate 15 is placed on the mounting plate 1.
3 to a retracted position separated downward. Then, by driving the motor 36, the heating plate 14 is moved from the retracted position in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. Thereby, the heating plate 14 moves to the heating position in contact with the lower surface of the mounting plate 13 as shown in FIG.

In this state, the mounting plate 13
It is heated by the heating plate 14 that contacts the lower surface. Therefore, the substrate W mounted on the mounting plate 13
Is heated by the heating plate 14 via the mounting plate 13.

When the heating process on the substrate W is completed, the heating plate 14 is moved from the heating position to the retracted position.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the cooling plate 15 is moved to a cooling position where the cooling plate 15 contacts the lower surface of the mounting plate 13.

Thus, the mounting plate 13 is cooled by the cooling plate 15 contacting the lower surface. Therefore, the substrate W mounted on the mounting plate 13 is cooled by the cooling plate 15 via the mounting plate 13.

When the cooling process for the substrate W is completed, as shown in FIG. 2, the substrate W is raised from the surface of the mounting table 13 by moving the support pins 16 to the raised position. Then, the substrate W is supported by a transfer arm of a substrate transfer mechanism (not shown), and transferred through openings 46 and 47 toward a subsequent processing step.

In the heat treatment apparatus having such a configuration,
The heating process and the cooling process for the substrate W can be performed while the substrate W remains mounted on the mounting plate 13 in the processing chamber 12. For this reason, it is not necessary to transfer the substrate W from the heat processing apparatus to the cooling processing apparatus as in the related art. Therefore, the substrate W can be quickly heated and cooled in a uniform and clean state, and the substrate is affected by the outside air, and the heat history becomes uneven or contaminated, unlike the conventional apparatus. Can be prevented.

Further, since the heating process and the cooling process can be performed by a single device, the area occupied by the entire substrate processing device for performing a series of processes on the substrate W can be reduced. .

Further, in the conventional heat treatment apparatus, it is necessary to open a shutter or the like in order to allow the substrate to pass through when the substrate W is loaded and unloaded, so that the temperature on the shutter side decreases in the processing chamber of the heating apparatus. Although a thermal gradient was generated in the processing chamber, the entire substrate W could not be uniformly processed. However, in the above-described heat treatment apparatus, the opening was formed only in the normal temperature state where the inside of the processing chamber 12 was not heated. Since the substrate passage area is formed by the substrates 46 and 47, it is possible to prevent such a thermal gradient from being generated in the processing chamber 12.

Further, in the above heat treatment apparatus, the substrate W is loaded into the heat treatment apparatus or the substrate W is transferred from the heat treatment apparatus.
The transfer arm enters the processing chamber 12 which is always in a normal temperature state, or comes into contact with the substrate W which has finished the cooling process and has become a normal temperature. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the transfer arm from being heated, and the heated transfer arm enters a chemical solution processing unit that performs a chemical solution process such as a resist coating process or a development process, or a substrate W on which a chemical solution process is performed. It is possible to prevent processing defects of the substrate W due to heating of the substrate W by the heated transfer arm.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the substrate W is mounted on the mounting table 13 in contact with the entire surface thereof has been described.
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-193833, a sphere projecting from the upper surface of the mounting plate 13 by a small height is provided, and the substrate W is mounted on the sphere on the mounting plate 13 so as to be placed. The substrate W may be heated or cooled in a state where the substrate W is closely supported on the plate 13 with a small interval.

In the above-described embodiment, the heating plate 14 and the cooling plate 15 are
Although the case where the mounting plate 13 is heated or cooled by being in contact with the lower surface of the mounting plate 3 has been described, the mounting plate 13 and the heating plate 14 or the cooling plate 15 are closely separated from each other by a minute distance. By arranging, the mounting plate 13 may be heated or cooled.

Further, in the above-described embodiment,
The relatively easy-moving heating plate 14 is reciprocated between the heat treatment position and the retreat position, and the cooling plate 15 that is difficult to move over a long distance because of the built-in water cooling unit is moved between the heat treatment position and the retreat position. Although the case where the heating plate 14 is moved up and down only has been described, the heating plate 14 may be moved up and down and the cooling plate 15 may be reciprocated.

In the above-described embodiment, the mounting plate 13 is fixed, and the heating plate 14, the cooling plate 15, and the support pins 16 are raised and lowered. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Plate 13,
Heating plate 14, cooling plate 15, and support pins 16
Any one of them may be fixed as long as one of them is fixed and the other three are raised and lowered. Further, it is also possible to move all of the mounting plate 13, the heating plate 14, the cooling plate 15 and the support pins 16 up and down.

[0043]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a mounting portion for mounting a substrate, and the mounting portion is brought into contact with or close to the mounting portion, through the mounting portion. Heating means for heating the substrate placed on the mounting portion, and cooling means for cooling the substrate placed on the mounting portion via the mounting portion by contacting or approaching the mounting portion. Therefore, it is possible to perform the heating process and the cooling process while the substrate is mounted on the mounting portion. Therefore, it is not necessary to transport the substrate from the heat treatment device to the cooling treatment device, and the substrate can be heat-treated uniformly and quickly in a clean state.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the mounting plate for mounting the substrate and the lower surface of the mounting plate are brought into contact with or close to the lower surface of the mounting plate so that the mounting plate is interposed therebetween. A heating plate that heats the substrate placed on the mounting plate, and a cooling plate that cools the substrate placed on the mounting plate via the mounting plate by contacting or approaching the lower surface of the mounting plate. Having prepared,
Heating and cooling can be performed while the substrate remains on the mounting plate. Therefore, it is not necessary to transport the substrate from the heat treatment device to the cooling treatment device, and the substrate can be heat-treated uniformly and quickly in a clean state.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the moving means for moving one of the heating plate and the cooling plate between the heat treatment position and the retreat position, and the other of the heating plate and the cooling plate being moved to the heat treatment position. Elevating means for elevating and lowering the mounting plate relative to the retracted position is provided, so that the operation of selectively bringing the heating plate or the cooling plate into contact with or approaching the mounting plate is efficiently performed. It becomes possible.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the heating plate is moved between the heat treatment position and the retreat position, and the cooling plate is moved relative to the mounting plate between the heat treatment position and the retreat position. As a result, the amount of movement of the cooling plate, which is difficult to move over a long distance because of the built-in water cooling unit and the like, can be minimized.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the substrate is placed on the placing plate by supporting the substrate from below through the through hole formed in the supporting plate. Between the heat treatment position and the transfer position, which is separated upward from the surface of the mounting plate, since it further has support pins that move up and down relative to the mounting plate, the substrate on the mounting plate can be moved. It is possible to efficiently transfer the data to and from the substrate transfer device.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the carrying-in step of mounting the substrate on the mounting plate and the contacting or approaching of the heating plate to the lower surface of the mounting plate can be performed.
A heating step of heating the substrate via the mounting plate, and, after separating the heating plate from the lower surface of the mounting plate, by contacting or approaching the cooling plate to the lower surface of the mounting plate, Since the method includes the cooling step of cooling the substrate and the unloading step of unloading the substrate from the mounting plate, it is possible to perform the heating process and the cooling process while the substrate remains mounted on the mounting plate. Therefore, it is not necessary to transport the substrate from the heat treatment device to the cooling treatment device, and the substrate can be heat-treated uniformly and quickly in a clean state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing an elevating mechanism of the cooling plate 15 and the like.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an elevating mechanism of the cooling plate 15 and the like.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a moving mechanism of the heating plate 14.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Processing Room 13 Placement Plate 14 Heating Plate 15 Cooling Plate 16 Support Pin 25 Ball Screw 26 Motor 32 Support Block 33 Wheel 35 Synchronous Belt 36 Motor 38 Guide Surface 42 Support Arm 44 Air Cylinder 45 Cover W Substrate

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A mounting portion for mounting a substrate, and the substrate mounted on the mounting portion is heated via the mounting portion by contacting or approaching the mounting portion. A heat treatment comprising: a heating unit; and a cooling unit that abuts on or approaches the mounting unit to cool a substrate mounted on the mounting unit via the mounting unit. apparatus. 2. A mounting plate on which a substrate is mounted, and a substrate mounted on the mounting plate via the mounting plate by contacting or approaching a lower surface of the mounting plate. A heating plate for heating; and a cooling plate for cooling a substrate mounted on the mounting plate via the mounting plate by contacting or approaching a lower surface of the mounting plate. Characteristic heat treatment equipment. 3. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one of the heating plate and the cooling plate is in a heat treatment position in contact with or close to a lower surface of the mounting plate, and below the mounting plate. Moving means for moving between the retreat position retracted to the side from, and the other of the heating plate or the cooling plate, a heat treatment position in contact with or close to the lower surface of the mounting plate, from the mounting plate A heat elevating means for elevating and lowering relative to the mounting plate, between the evacuation position separated downward and the evacuation position. 4. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the moving means moves the heating plate between the heat treatment position and the retreat position, and the elevating means moves the cooling plate to the heat treatment position. A heat treatment apparatus for elevating and lowering the mounting plate relative to the retreat position. 5. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is supported from below by passing through a through hole formed in the support plate, thereby supporting the substrate. A heat treatment apparatus further comprising a support pin that moves up and down relatively to the mounting plate between a heat treatment position mounted on the mounting plate and a transfer position that is separated upward from a surface of the mounting plate. 6. A carrying-in step of mounting a substrate on a mounting plate, and a heating step of heating the substrate via the mounting plate by bringing the heating plate into contact with or near the lower surface of the mounting plate. A cooling step of cooling the substrate via the mounting plate by separating the heating plate from the lower surface of the mounting plate and then abutting or approaching the cooling plate to the lower surface of the mounting plate. A heat treatment method comprising: a step; and an unloading step of unloading the substrate from the mounting plate.