JPH10335409A - Substrate treating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate treating apparatus capable of accurately controlling the heat treatment with heating units in a simple structure. SOLUTION: An apparatus comprises a second carrier robot TR2 which makes access to cool plates CP7-CP9 of a transfer part, moves substrates treated in a first treating group G1 to a second treating group G2 and vice versus, makes access to edge exposure parts EEW and hot plates HP7, HP8 at the center of the group G1 to transfer the substrates, makes access to hot plates HP1-HP3, HP4-HP6 to carry substrates therein, and makes access to cool pirates CP1-CP3, CP4-CP6 to carry substrates therefrom; carrier robot TR3 which transfers substrates in the hot plate HP1-HP3 to the cool plates CP1-CP3; and carrier robot TR4 which transfers substrates in the hot plate HP4-HP6 to the cool plates CP4-CP6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for performing a series of processes on various substrates such as a semiconductor wafer and a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A substrate such as a semiconductor wafer is subjected to various surface treatments such as resist coating and processes related thereto, and a substrate processing apparatus for automatically performing a series of such processes is used.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating a substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-8321. The body of the device is between the indexer ID for loading and unloading substrates from the cassette and the interface IFB for transferring substrates between external devices. This main body portion includes a first processing unit group SG including a rotation processing unit such as a spin coater and a second processing unit group TG including a heating unit. The first processing unit group SG and the second processing unit group TG are disposed to face each other, and a first substrate transfer unit including a first transfer robot TC is disposed therebetween. A second substrate transfer unit including the second transfer robot TH is disposed in a region facing the first transfer robot TC with the TG interposed therebetween.

[0004] The former first transfer robot TC transfers a substrate between a rotary processing unit forming the first processing unit group SG and a non-heating type processing unit forming the second processing unit group TG. The second transfer robot TH
The substrate is transferred between a heating unit, a cooling unit, and the like that constitute the second processing unit group TG. In such an apparatus, since the first transfer robot TC is not heated by the second processing unit group TG, the first processing unit group SG is hardly affected by the thermal influence from the second processing unit group TG. .

[0005]

However, in the above-described apparatus, the second transfer robot TH transfers the substrate between a plurality of units constituting the second processing unit group TG. Even if the process is completed, a case may occur in which the second transfer robot TH cannot immediately access the heating unit and unload the substrate therefrom. In this case, since the substrate after the heat treatment is excessively heat-treated (overbaked) by the residual heat while being pinned up in the heating unit until the second transfer robot TH accesses the substrate, it is necessary to accurately control the heat history. In a processing apparatus for a substrate, the number and arrangement of the processing units constituting the second processing unit group TG are limited. In particular, when a post-exposure bake unit (PEB) for a chemically amplified resist is incorporated in the second processing unit group TG as a heating unit, when overbaking is performed with such a PEB,
There is a problem in that a difference occurs in the thermal energy applied to each substrate, and the line width after development greatly varies.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of accurately controlling the heat treatment in a heating unit with a simple structure.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a rotation processing unit for performing a predetermined process while rotating a substrate; a heat treatment unit for performing a heat treatment on the substrate; A transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the processing unit and the heat treatment unit, wherein at least one of the heat treatment units is at least one pair of heating units above a transfer path of the transfer unit. And a cooling unit and a transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the heating unit and the cooling unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus, a part of the heating unit and the cooling unit above the transport path is disposed above the transport path.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the heating unit and the cooling unit for transferring the substrate between each other are arranged in directions different from the transfer means by approximately 90 °.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus, the transfer section is disposed between the rotation processing section and the heat treatment section, and the substrate is moved between the rotation processing section and the non-heated portion of the heat treatment section. And a second transfer unit that is disposed in a region facing the first transfer unit with the heat treatment unit interposed therebetween and that transfers the substrate between processing units that constitute the heat treatment unit. And

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In order to clarify the directional relationship with each of the drawings described later, XYZ orthogonal coordinate axes are shown. Have been. FIG. 2 is a plan layout view of the device 10, and FIG.

An outline of the apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The apparatus 10 performs a series of processes on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, and is connected to an indexer unit ID as an entrance and an associated external device. A first processing unit group G1 that is a rotation processing unit including a liquid processing unit and a second processing unit group G2 that is a heat treatment unit including a heating unit are provided in a main body portion between the interface unit IF and the interface unit IF. .
In the apparatus 10, the transport unit is set to the first processing unit group G
The first transfer robot TR1 and the second
The second transfer robot TR2 that accesses only the processing unit group G2
And the substrates are circulated and transported in cooperation with each other. Furthermore, of the second processing unit group G2, the transport path (indexer unit I) of the second transport robot TR2
In the processing portion above the transfer path extending from the transfer position with the transfer unit D to the transfer position with the interface unit IF), two sets of the heating unit stacking unit SHP and the cooling unit stacking unit SCP are arranged. Transfer robots TR3 and TR4, which are transfer means for transferring substrates between the cooling unit stacked portions SCP, are incorporated between the cooling unit stacked portions SCP.

Hereinafter, the planar structure of the device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. In the apparatus 10, when the cassette CA containing the substrates is loaded and loaded on the indexer unit ID, the robot 21 sequentially takes out the substrates from the cassette CA, and receives the substrates and the first and second transfer robots TR1, TR2 receiving the substrates. Circulates and transports the substrate to each of the processing units included in the first and second processing unit groups G1 and G2, and automatically performs a series of processing in those processing units.

The first and second processing unit groups G1 and G2 are substantially equal to two.
The interface unit IF is arranged in parallel with the column, and is provided on the opposite side of the indexer unit ID. The interface unit IF transfers a substrate to and from a related external device, for example, a stepper during the circulating conveyance.

The first processing unit group G1 comprises only spin units not related to the heat treatment, that is, the spin coater SC and the spin developers SD1 and SD2. On the other hand, the second processing unit group G2 includes both a heating unit and a cooling unit. First and second processing unit groups G1, G2
When the substrate is transferred between the two transfer robots, a non-heated transfer unit 4 (see FIG. 1) provided on the lower side of the upper end of the transfer path of the second transfer robot TR2 is used as a bidirectional interface. To intervene. On both sides of the second processing unit group G2, not only the circulating transfer of the substrate in the first and second processing unit groups G1 and G2, but also the exchange operation of the substrate between the first and second processing units G1 and G2. Therefore, the first and second transfer robots T
R1 and TR2 work together.

Further, on the upper side of the upper end of the pass line of the second processing unit group G2, a three-stage heating unit stacking unit SHP and a three-stage cooling unit stacking unit SCP are provided for precise heat treatment. Two sets of heating / cooling units 71 and 72 are arranged, and in each of the heating / cooling units 71 and 72, a dedicated transfer robot for transferring a substrate in a heating unit constituting the unit to the cooling unit. TR3 and TR4 are built in.

The first transport robot TR1 that accesses the first processing unit group G1 is a robot that handles only a substrate near a constant temperature, and has two hands that are vertically overlapped. The first transport robot TR1 is provided with an indexer unit I
In the section from D to the interface unit IF, the unit can translate (translate) in the X direction and the opposite direction on the transport path 91 provided along the first processing unit group G1. The first transfer robot TR1 has not only the degree of freedom of movement in the Z-axis direction, that is, the vertical direction, but also the degree of freedom of rotation about the vertical axis, and can move the hand forward and backward in a horizontal plane.

The second access unit accesses only the second processing unit group G2.
The transfer robot TR2 has two hands similarly to the first transfer robot TR1. This second transfer robot TR
2 is from the vicinity of the indexer ID to the interface I
In the section up to F, translational movement is possible in the X direction and in the opposite direction on a transport path 92 provided along the second processing unit group G2. Also, the second transfer robot TR2 is
The hand has a degree of freedom of movement in the Z-axis direction, that is, the vertical direction, and the hand can be moved forward and backward in a horizontal plane.

The robot 21 provided in the indexer unit ID is used for transferring a substrate between the cassette CA mounted on the indexer unit ID and the second transport robot TR2 or the like.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the arrangement of the second processing unit group G2 from the back. The second processing unit group G2 has a stacked structure in which a plurality of processing units are arranged in multiple stages and multiple rows, and includes hot plates HP1 to HP8, cool plates CP1 to CP9,
And an edge exposure unit EEW.

The hot plates HP1 to HP8 are heating units for baking the substrate at a high temperature. The hotplates HP1 to HP8 are used for drying the substrate before applying the resist, strengthening the adhesion, post-exposure baking after applying the resist, and drying the substrate after developing. Processing and the like are performed. The cool plates CP1 to CP9 are cooling units for forcibly cooling the substrate, and the hot plate HP1
The substrate after baking by HP8 is placed on a plate to which constant-temperature water at a predetermined temperature near normal temperature is supplied, and a cooling process for forced cooling is performed. In addition, cool plate CP1 ~
CP9 is a non-heating portion in the second processing unit group G2. The edge exposure unit EEW is for exposing the substrate edge after resist application, and is also classified as a non-heated portion in the second processing unit group G2.

The cool plates CP7 to CP9 disposed in the transfer unit 4 corresponding to the lowermost stage of the second processing unit group G2 have a function of forcibly cooling the substrate as a cooling unit. It is also used as a temporary placement place for delivery between the side and the second processing unit group G2 side. In such delivery, these cool plates CP7
CP9 is a processing unit (non-heated portion) commonly accessed by both the first transfer robot TR1 and the second transfer robot TR2. Due to such circumstances, in the cool plates CP7 to CP9, processing in which the processing result is extremely seriously affected by a small temperature change is not performed. No substantial effect on processing.

The left heating / cooling unit 71 of the second processing unit group G2 includes hot plates HP1 to HP3, cool plates CP1 to CP3, and a transfer robot TR3 for transferring substrates only between them. This left heating / cooling unit 7
In the first embodiment, a pair of heating and cooling processes can be performed by itself without intervening transfer by the second transfer robot TR2 in the middle. That is,
Due to the presence of the transfer robot TR3, the hot plate HP1
-The substrate after the heat treatment in HP3 can be immediately taken out and carried into the cool plates CP1-CP3, and the substrate after the predetermined processing in the hot plates HP1-HP3 is prevented from being further heated by residual heat it can. With such a configuration, PE performed with a chemically amplified resist
In particular, heat history becomes a problem, such as B (post-exposure bake), so that it is possible to appropriately cope with applications requiring high-precision temperature control.

The right-side heating / cooling unit 72 of the second processing unit group G2 includes hot plates HP4 to HP6, cool plates CP4 to CP6, and a transfer robot TR4 for transferring substrates only between them. This right-side heating / cooling unit 7
2 can itself perform a pair of heating and cooling processes without intervening the second transport robot TR2. That is, the transfer robot T
Due to the presence of R4, the substrate after the heat treatment in the hot plates HP4 to HP6 is immediately taken out and the cool plate CP
Since it can be carried into 4 to CP6, the heat history becomes a problem, so that it is possible to appropriately cope with applications requiring high-precision temperature control.

The second transfer robot TR2 loads the substrate before the heat treatment into the hot plates HP1 to HP3 in advance, and also loads the substrates into the cool plates CP1 to CP3 by the transfer robot TR3 and cools them. Take out the substrate from here. Further, the second transfer robot TR2 loads the substrate before the heat treatment into the hot plates HP4 to HP6 in advance, and also sets the cool plate CP4.
The substrate which has been carried into CP6 and cooled here is taken out from here.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the structure of the transfer robot TR3 provided in the left heating / cooling unit 71. The transfer robot TR3 includes a base 74 that is guided by a slide guide 73 and moves up and down in the Z direction, a head 76 that rotates around a rotation axis 75 by a rotation drive mechanism provided in the base 74, And a substrate support arm 77 for moving the substrate WF forward and backward while keeping the substrate WF horizontal and above the head 76 by an advance / retreat mechanism provided in the head 76. In addition,
A drive mechanism for moving the base 74 up and down is housed in the upper part 78 of the transfer robot TR3.

The empty substrate support arm 77 that does not support the substrate WF is advanced in the X direction in front of the head 76, passed through the shutter SH, inserted into the hot plate HP1, moved up slightly, and then retracted. Thus, the substrate WF in the hot plate HP1 is
Can be taken out. Next, the head 76 is set at 90 °
By rotating the substrate support arm 77 in the Y direction in front of the head 76, the substrate WF on the substrate support arm 77 is passed through the shutter SH and the hot plate C
It can be carried into P1. On the other hand, as shown in the figure, the head 76 at the uppermost stage is lowered by one or two stages together with the base 74, and the empty substrate supporting arm 77 is moved forward and backward in the X direction in front of the head 76. The substrate WF in HP2 and HP3 is carried out. Next, the head 76 is rotated by 90 °, and the substrate support arm 77 is rotated.
Is moved forward and backward in the Y direction in front of the head 76, whereby the substrate WF on the substrate support arm 77 is carried into one of the cool plates CP2 and CP3.

As is clear from the above description, the left heating / cooling unit 71 and the right heating / cooling unit 72 are connected to the hot plates HP1 to HP6 and the cool plates CP1 to CP6 with the transfer robots TR3 and TR4 provided therebetween. Are arranged at 90 degrees different from the transfer robots TR3 and TR4 at right angles (L-shaped arrangement).
The substrate support arm 77 that unloads the substrate WF from the hot plates HP1 to HP6 only needs to change its orientation by 90 ° together with the head 76, and the corresponding cool plate CP1
The substrate WF can be quickly carried into CP6. In addition, the hot plate HP
2nd transfer robot TR2 which carried substrate WF into HP6
In addition, only by changing the direction of the head by 90 °, the substrate WF can be quickly carried out from the corresponding cool plates CP1 to CP6.

FIG. 5 shows the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in FIGS.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the transfer of a substrate at 0. The first transfer robot TR1 includes a spin coater SC and a spin developer SD constituting a first processing unit group G1 irrespective of the heat treatment.
1. Access SD2 and deliver the board. Further, the first transfer robot TR1 is provided with the cool plates CP7 to CP5 constituting the transfer unit 4 arranged at the bottom of the second processing unit group G2.
Also accesses CP9 and delivers the substrate.

On the other hand, the second transfer robot TR2 accesses the cool plates CP7 to CP9 constituting the transfer unit 4 and transfers the substrate, which has been processed by the first processing unit group G1, to the second processing unit group G1.
The substrate that has been processed by the second processing unit group G2 can be transferred to the first processing unit group G1. Also, the second transfer robot TR2
, Also accesses the edge exposure unit EEW in the center of the first processing unit group G1 and the hot plates HP7 and HP8 to transfer the substrate. Further, the second transport robot TR2 accesses the hot plates HP1 to HP3 and HP4 to HP6, loads the substrates into these, and cools the plates CP1 to CP3 and CP4.
To CP6 to carry out the substrate therefrom.

The transfer robot TR3 transfers the substrates in the hot plates HP1 to HP3 to the cool plates CP1 to CP3.
The transfer robot TR4 transfers the substrates in the hot plates HP4 to HP6 to the cool plates CP4 to CP6.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a plan layout view of a substrate processing apparatus 110 according to an embodiment. The device 110 of the second embodiment is a modified example of the device of the first embodiment, and the first processing unit group G1 includes a spin coater SC and a spin developer SD.
The arrangement of the second processing unit group G2 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but provided in the left-side heating / cooling unit 71 as much as the space between the indexer unit ID and the interface unit IF is reduced. Transfer robot TR3 and cool plate CP1
~ CP3 overhangs on the indexer ID side,
The transfer robot TR4 and the cool plates CP4 to CP6 provided in the right heating / cooling unit 72 overhang on the interface IF side, so that the space can be more effectively utilized. In addition, cool plates CP1 to CP3, C
Since the lower ends of P4 to CP6 are higher than the transfer path of the second transfer robot TR2, the operation of the second transfer robot TR2 to access the indexer unit ID and the interface unit IF is the same as in the first embodiment. There is no hindrance.

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan layout view of a substrate processing apparatus 210 according to the embodiment. The device 210 of the third embodiment is a modification of the device of the second embodiment, and the arrangement of the second processing unit group G2 is the same as that of FIG.
Is different from the one shown. The upper part of the second processing unit group G2 is composed of two sets of hot plates HP1 to HP
P3 and hot plates HP4 to HP6, a transfer robot TR5 sandwiched therebetween, and the transfer robot TR5
Of cool plates C that are stacked in a state of being protruded into the area above the pass line of the second transfer robot TR2 in front of
P1 to CP3. Here, the transfer robot TR5
Can immediately take out the substrate after the heat treatment in the hot plates HP1 to HP3 and carry it into the cool plates CP1 to CP3, immediately take out the substrate after the heat treatment in the hot plates HP4 to HP6, and
1 to CP3C. At that time, the processing cycle of each of the hot plates HP1 to HP3 and HP4 to HP6 is appropriately shifted in timing to prevent the problem of interference from occurring.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the second processing unit group G2, for example, the left side heating / cooling unit 71 has a hot plate HP1
HP3 and the cool plates CP1 to CP3 are arranged, but they need not always be laminated, and when they are laminated, the number of stages is arbitrary. Further, a single hot plate and a single cool plate, for example, a hot plate HP1 and a cool plate CP1 may be paired and provided with a dedicated transfer robot. in this case,
A transfer robot is provided for each of the pair of hot plates and cool plates.

[0035]

As is apparent from the above description, in the apparatus according to the first aspect, the heat treatment section includes at least one pair of a heating section and a cooling section above the conveying path of the conveying section. Since the transfer means for transferring the substrate between the cooling units is built in, the transfer of the substrate between the indexer unit and the interface unit and the transfer of the substrate between the respective processing units constituting the heat treatment unit are performed. The transfer unit transfers the substrate between the heating unit and the cooling unit without interfering with the transfer by the transfer unit. Therefore, it is necessary to interpose the transfer unit when transferring the substrate between the heating unit and the cooling unit. In particular, in applications where heat history is a problem and high-precision temperature control is required,
The transfer of the substrate from the heating section to the cooling section becomes quick, and the heat treatment in the heating unit can be accurately controlled.

Further, in the apparatus according to the second aspect, since a part of the heating section and the cooling section above the transport path is disposed above the transport path, the space above the transport path can be effectively utilized. Can be.

In the apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the heating unit and the cooling unit for transferring the substrate between each other are disposed in directions different from the transfer means by approximately 90 °, so that the substrate in the heating unit is unloaded. For example, the substrate supporting arm of the transfer means can carry the substrate into the corresponding cooling section only by changing its orientation by 90 °. On the other hand, for example, a substrate supporting hand of the transport unit that has carried the substrate into the heating unit facing the heating unit, can change the direction by 90 ° and can carry out the substrate from the corresponding cooling unit. Therefore, the substrate can be quickly transported with respect to the heating unit and the cooling unit.

In the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the transfer section is disposed between the rotation processing section and the heat treatment section, and transfers the substrate between the rotation processing section and the non-heated portion of the heat treatment section. The first transport unit and the second transport unit that is disposed in a region opposed to the first transport unit with the heat treatment unit interposed therebetween and transports the substrate between the processing units that constitute the heat treatment unit.
The transport unit is not heated by the heat treatment unit or the like, and the rotation processing unit is hardly affected by the heat from the heat treatment unit. Therefore, the heat treatment of the substrate is more accurately controlled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual rear view layout diagram of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a substrate transfer robot.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the transfer of a substrate in the substrate processing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Delivery unit 21 Robot 71 Left heating / cooling unit 72 Right heating / cooling unit 91 Transport path 92 Transport path G1 First processing unit group (rotation processing unit) G2 Second processing unit group (heat treatment unit) TR1 First transfer robot TR2 Second Transfer robot TR3, TR4, TR5 Transfer robot (transfer means) ID indexer unit CP1 to CP9 Cool plate HP1 to HP8 Hot plate EEW Edge exposure unit IFB interface unit SC Spin coater SD1, SD2 Spin developer WF Substrate CA Cassette

Claims (4)

[Claims] A rotation processing unit configured to perform a predetermined process while rotating the substrate; a heat treatment unit configured to perform a heat treatment on the substrate; and a transfer unit configured to transfer the substrate between the rotation processing unit and the heat treatment unit. Wherein at least one of the heat treatment units transfers at least one pair of heating units and cooling units and a substrate between the heating units and cooling units above a conveyance path of the conveyance unit. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of the heating section and the cooling section above the transport path is disposed above the transport path. 3. The heating unit and the cooling unit, which deliver the substrate between each other, are substantially 90
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the substrate processing apparatuses are arranged in different directions. 4. The transport unit is disposed between the rotation processing unit and the heat treatment unit, and transports the substrate between the rotation processing unit and a non-heated portion of the heat treatment unit. A first transfer unit, and a second transfer unit that is disposed in a region facing the first transfer unit with the heat treatment unit interposed therebetween, and that transfers the substrate between processing units included in the heat treatment unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein