JPH1084030A - Vacuum processor and semiconductor substrate processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the yield of substrates thereby cutting down the processing time by a method wherein in order to parallel processing the substrates aligned with orientation flat, the substrates are carried to respective vacuum processing chambers through the intermediary of vacuum carrier spaces so as to process respective carried substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chambers. SOLUTION: The vacuum processing chambers 20 in a vacuum processor assumed as one module are continuously connected exceeding three modules through the intermediary of a vacuum opening and closing means 40, 41 so that the substrates 30 aligned with orientation flat may be parallel carried to vacuum processing chambers 20 in the front and middle stages through the intermediary of vacuum carrier spaces corresponding to the substrate processing mode. Next, the substrates 30 carried to respective vacuum processing chambers 20 are processed one by one in respective vacuum processing chambers 20. Through these procedures, the yield of the substrates 30 can be increased thereby enabling the processing time to be cut down.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus and a semiconductor substrate processing method suitable for a semiconductor manufacturing process such as an etching apparatus, a plasma CVD apparatus, and a sputtering apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent advances in semiconductor manufacturing process technology have been remarkable, and a model for processing a 1 μm pattern has appeared in a dry etching apparatus, and has been receiving attention. As such miniaturization progresses, the substrate becomes larger in diameter, and accordingly, the throughput per occupied floor area of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (the number of processed substrates per time) is improved and the manufacturing process technology is diversified. Is a major issue.

In order to solve such demands, it is necessary to reduce the size of the apparatus and perform multipurpose processing using a plurality of vacuum processing chambers. A vacuum processing module that can configure or organize a system by freely changing the number of chambers has been required. On the other hand, in a conventional type in which a module in which a vacuum processing chamber and a substrate transfer line in the atmosphere can be added as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-128929, can be added, the air quality is poor. Since the substrate is transported to the next vacuum processing chamber through the inside, it is not suitable for application to a process step in which processing is transferred to the next vacuum processing chamber during processing.

Further, in a type in which a substrate is transported between several vacuum processing chambers and one buffer chamber and continuously processed as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-39430. There is a problem that the number of vacuum processing chambers is fixed, and there is no freedom to change the number of vacuum processing chambers in response to a process change or a line change, making it difficult to use.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum processing apparatus and a semiconductor substrate processing method capable of improving the yield of substrates in semiconductor manufacturing, shortening the processing time, and improving the throughput.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A vacuum processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a required chamber is connected through a vacuum transfer space and a predetermined processing is performed on the substrate, and the substrate is placed in a evacuated space. Means for carrying in one by one, means for aligning the orientation flat of the substrate carried into the evacuated space in the evacuated space, and means for aligning the substrate fitted with the orientation flat in accordance with the substrate processing mode. When processing the substrate in parallel, the substrate is transferred to each of the vacuum processing chambers through the vacuum transfer space, and when the substrates are processed in series, the substrate is transferred through the vacuum transfer space. It is provided with a means for transferring the substrate into the vacuum processing chamber, and a means for processing the transferred substrate one by one in the vacuum processing chamber.

According to the vacuum processing apparatus of the present invention, the alignment of the substrate is carried out in the evacuated space.
Accumulation and adhesion of dust to the surface to be processed of the substrate are suppressed as compared with the orientation flat in the air. For this reason, the yield in semiconductor manufacturing can be improved.

The semiconductor substrate processing method of the present invention is characterized in that a substrate is taken out of a cassette and the taken-out substrate is transferred to a space for transferring the taken-out substrate under vacuum, and the orientation flat of the transferred substrate is placed in the space. And transferring the substrate with the orientation flat into a vacuum processing chamber communicating with the space in a vacuum state; processing the transferred substrate in the vacuum processing chamber; and A step of exhausting the gas generated in the step outside the vacuum processing chamber without passing through the space, and a step of collecting the processed substrate into a cassette via the space.

According to the semiconductor manufacturing method of the present invention, while the substrate is being processed in the vacuum processing chamber, the orientation flat of the substrate is performed in the evacuated space, so that the processing time can be shortened and the throughput is improved. I can do it.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, a vacuum processing apparatus includes a buffer chamber 10 capable of evacuating, and a vacuum processing chamber 2 provided in the buffer chamber 10.
0 and the buffer chamber 1 capable of transporting the substrate 30 in the direction of arrow A.
0, and a vacuum opening / closing means 4 such as a gate valve and a partitioning tool provided on the side wall of the buffer chamber 10 corresponding to both ends of the first substrate transfer means.
0, 41, and in this case, a gate valve provided on the side wall corresponding to the vacuum processing chamber 20 at right angles to the side wall on which the vacuum opening / closing means 40, 41 are provided and sandwiching the first substrate transfer means. Of the buffer chamber 10 through the vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51
The second substrate transporting means (which transports the substrate 30 in the directions of arrows B and C via the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51 between the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 provided in the first substrate transporting means and the first substrate transporting means ( A substrate transfer means (not shown) provided on the substrate transfer path of the first substrate transfer means and corresponding to the vacuum processing chamber 20, and a connection between the substrate transfer means and the vacuum processing chamber 20. And a third substrate transporting means (not shown) for transporting the substrate 30 in the direction of arrow D therebetween. In this case, a cassette table (not shown) of a cassette elevating device (not shown) for driving the substrate cassettes 70 and 71 up and down corresponds to the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 and 51 in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 so as to be able to go up and down. It is installed inside.

The first to third substrate transfer means, substrate delivery means and the like will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the first substrate transfer means is a belt transfer device 80. The belt transfer device 80 is entirely composed of an elevating device, for example, a cylinder 8
1, the belt 83 is driven to rotate by the motor 82.

The second substrate transfer means includes belt transfer devices 90 and 100 provided in the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 and belt transfer devices 110 provided in the buffer chamber 10 with other vacuum opening and closing means 50 and 51 interposed therebetween. 120. The pulleys 91 and 92 of the belt conveying device 90 and the belt 93 wound around the pulleys 91 and 92 endlessly correspond to the cassette table 131 of the cassette elevating device 130, and the cassette table 131 is raised to the highest position. It is arranged so that it is located above it even at the point of time.

The belt 93 is driven to rotate by a motor 94. The belt conveying device 110 uses the motor 111 to drive the belt 11
In this case, the end of the belt conveying device 110 on the side of the belt conveying device 80 is bent into a V-shape so as not to hinder the up-and-down movement of one of the belts 83 of the belt conveying device 80. The pulley 113 is connected to the belt conveying device 80
Are provided between the belts 83. The belt 93 of the belt conveyance device 90 and the belt 112 of the belt conveyance device 110 are at the same level, and the interval between the belt conveyance device 90 and the other end of the belt opening / closing means 50 on the side of the vacuum conveyance means 50 It is a size that does not hinder delivery.

The pulleys 101, 1 of the belt conveying device 100
02 and the belt 103 wound around the pulleys 101 and 102 endlessly are disposed in the same manner as the belt conveying device 90,
The belt 103 is driven to rotate by a motor 104. The belt conveying device 120 is driven to rotate the belt 122 by the motor 121, and the end of the belt conveying device 120 on the side of the belt conveying device 80 is moved up and down by one of the belts 83 of the belt conveying device 80 similarly to the belt conveying device 110. The pulley 123 is bent in a V-shape so as not to obstruct the position, and is provided so as to be located between the belts 83 of the belt conveying device 80.

The belt 10 of the belt conveying device 100
3 and the belt 122 of the belt conveying device 120 are at the same level, and the belt conveying device 100 and the belt conveying device 12
The distance between the other end of the vacuum opening / closing means 51 and 0 is a size that does not hinder delivery of the substrate 30. The distance between the pulleys 113 of the belt transport device 110 and the pulleys 114 corresponding to the pulleys 113 is large enough to prevent the substrate 30 from dropping and to be satisfactorily delivered.
The distance between the pulley 123 corresponding to the zero pulley 123 and the corresponding pulley 124 is the same size. The belt conveying device 80 is driven to move up and down so that the level of the belt 83 is equal to or lower than the level of the belts 112 and 122 of the belt conveying devices 110 and 120.

The substrate delivery means 140 is provided in the belt conveying device 8.
Substrate table 141 smaller than the dimension between belts 83
And an elevating device, for example, a cylinder 142. The substrate table 141 is provided at a position corresponding to the vacuum processing chamber 20, in this case, at a position between the belt transfer devices 110 and 120, so as to pass between the belts 83 of the belt transfer device 80 and to be able to move up and down by the cylinder 142. I have.

The third substrate transfer means includes an arm transfer device 1
50 and 160. The arm transfer device 150 includes a board scooping tool 151, an arm 152, and a rotation device, for example, a pulse motor 153. Pulse motor 15
3 is between the belt transfer device 80 and the vacuum processing chamber 20,
The pulse motor 15 is provided on one side (the left side in FIG. 2) of a line connecting the center of the substrate table 141 of the substrate delivery means 140 and the center of the substrate electrode 21 of the vacuum processing chamber 20.
3 is provided with one end of an arm 152. A board scooping tool 151 is provided at the other end of the arm 152. Further, the arm transfer device 160 is provided with the board rake tool 16.
1, an arm 162 and a rotating device, for example, the pulse motor 1
63. The pulse motor 163 is connected to the other side of the line connecting the center of the substrate table 141 of the substrate transfer means 140 and the center of the substrate electrode 21 of the vacuum processing chamber 20 between the belt transfer device 80 and the vacuum processing chamber 20. (Figure 2
, And the pulse motor 163 is provided with one end of an arm 162. At the other end of the arm 162, a board scooping tool 161 is provided. In this case, the board scooping tools 151, 161 and the arms 152, 16
When the substrate 30 is placed on the substrate table 141 and the substrate electrode 21, the dimension 2 is a dimension that allows the substrate 30 to be scooped by the board scooping tools 151 and 161.

The arms 152 and 162 are provided with a pulse motor 153 so that the substrate 30 can be transported between the substrate table 141 and the substrate electrode 21 by the substrate scooping tools 151 and 161.
At 163, each is partially rotated. In this case, the operation plane of the arms 152 and 162 is such that the arm 152 has an upper surface,
The arm 162 is different from the lower surface. For example, the substrate 30 is moved from the substrate table 141 to the substrate electrode 2 by the arm transfer device 150.
When the substrate 30 is transferred to the substrate table 141, the transfer of the substrate 30 from the substrate electrode 21 to the substrate table 141 by the arm transfer device 160 is not hindered.

The cassette elevating device 130 includes a cassette table 131, an elevating rod 132 which is suspended from the cassette table 131 and has a screw formed at a lower end, and a motor 13.
3 and a gear 135 meshed with the gear 134 and having a lower end of the lifting rod 132 screwed into the gear 134. The substrate electrode 21 is driven up and down by rotation of a motor 23 via a rack and pinion mechanism 22. Further, a claw 24 for supporting the substrate is provided at the center of the substrate electrode 21 so as to be able to move up and down by a lifting device, for example, a cylinder 25. The position of the claw 24 is equal to or less than the surface of the substrate electrode 21 and the position of the arm transfer device 15.
The board 30 is driven up and down between the board scooping tools 151 and 161 and the position where the board 30 can be transferred.

In the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
The following substrate processing can be performed.

First, the cassette table 131 corresponding to the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 is lowered to the lowermost position, and the cassette table (not shown) corresponding to the other vacuum opening / closing means 51 is raised to the uppermost position. Other vacuum switching means 5
For example, the cylinders 52 and 53 are closed by driving the cylinders 52 and 53, and the communication between the buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 is air-tightly cut off, and the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41 are closed or partitioned to close the buffer chamber 10 Communication with the outside is also airtightly shut off. In this state, the buffer chamber 10 is evacuated to a predetermined pressure by operating a vacuum exhaust device (not shown).

On the other hand, when the outside is on the atmospheric side, a predetermined number of substrates 30 are opened by opening an atmospheric vacuum opening / closing means (not shown) such as a door provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60. Loaded with a substrate cassette (hereinafter abbreviated as a supply cassette) 70 and an empty substrate cassette (hereinafter, abbreviated as a substrate cassette) for collecting a substrate.
A collection cassette 71 is carried in, and the supply cassette 70 is placed on a cassette table 131 corresponding to the other vacuum opening / closing means 50, and the collection cassette 71 is placed in another vacuum opening / closing means 51.
Are placed on the cassette tables corresponding to.

Thereafter, the atmospheric vacuum opening / closing means is closed, and the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 is evacuated to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the buffer chamber 10 by a vacuum evacuation device (not shown). Thereafter, the other vacuum opening / closing means 50 is opened by driving the cylinder 52, whereby the buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 are opened.
Becomes a communication state. In this state, the motor 133 is driven to lower the cassette table 131 by one pitch, whereby the substrate 30 loaded at the lowermost part of the supply cassette 70 in this case, is placed on the belt 93.

Thereafter, the substrate 30 placed by rotating the belt 93 by the motor 94 is conveyed to the other vacuum opening and closing means 50 side, and the other vacuum opening and closing means is rotated by the belt 112 driven by the motor 111. Passed through 50. The substrate 30 transferred to the belt 112 is transported to the belt transport device 80 side. At this time, the entire belt conveying device 80 is lowered by the cylinder 81 so that the level of the belt 83 is lower than the level of the belt 112.

After that, the substrate 30 is moved to the pulleys 113 and 114.
The entire belt transporting device 80 is raised by the cylinder 81 so that the level of the belt 83 becomes equal to or higher than the level of the belt 112 when the substrate 30 is transported to such an extent that the substrate 30 is transferred from the belt 112 to the belt 83. . The substrate 30 transferred to the belt 83 is conveyed to a position corresponding to the substrate table 141 by driving of the motor 82, and then received by the substrate table 141 by lifting the substrate table 141 by the cylinder 142. The substrate 30 received on the substrate table 141 is aligned with the orientation flat by, for example, an orientation flat alignment device 170.

Thereafter, the substrate 30 is transferred to, for example, a substrate holder 151, and the arm 152 is rotated toward the vacuum processing chamber 20 by a pulse motor 153, whereby the buffer chamber 10 is rotated.
Is transported above the substrate electrode 21 in the vacuum processing chamber 20. Thereafter, the claw 24 is raised by the cylinder 25, so that the substrate 30 of the substrate placing tool 151 is received by the claw 24. After that, the substrate placing tool 15 with the substrate 30 passed over the nail 24
1 is retracted to the buffer chamber 10 outside the vacuum processing chamber 20. Thereafter, the claw 24 is lowered by the cylinder 25 so that the surface thereof is lower than the surface of the substrate electrode 21.
The substrate 30 is passed from the nail 24 to the substrate electrode 21 and placed thereon.

Thereafter, it is composed of a partitioning flange 180, a bellows 181 laid over the back surface of the flange 180 and the bottom wall of the buffer chamber 10, and an elevating device for driving the flange 180 up and down, for example, a cylinder 182. The buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 20 are partitioned by the partitioning means 183. In this state, first, the electrode interval between the substrate electrode 20 and a counter electrode (not shown) provided above the substrate electrode 30 in the vacuum processing chamber 20 so as to oppose the substrate electrode 30 is adjusted to an appropriate interval by driving the motor 23. Adjusted. Thereafter, the process gas is introduced into the vacuum processing chamber 20 at a controlled flow rate, and the pressure of the vacuum processing chamber 20 is adjusted to the processing pressure by driving a vacuum exhaust device (not shown).

Thereafter, a high frequency power is applied to the substrate electrode 21 from a power supply connected to the substrate electrode 21, for example, a high frequency power supply (not shown), so that a glow is applied between the counter electrode and the substrate electrode 21. Discharge occurs and the process gas turns the process gas into plasma. The substrate 30 placed on the substrate electrode 21 by this plasma is subjected to a predetermined process such as an etching process. During this time, the substrate 30 is taken out of the supply cassette 70 by the above-described operation, transported by the belt transport devices 110 and 80, transferred to the substrate table 141, aligned with the orientation flat, and then transferred to the substrate placing tool 151.

After the processing in the vacuum processing chamber 20 is completed, the buffer chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 20 are separated by the partitioning means 183.
Is released, and the vacuum processing chamber 20 becomes the buffer chamber 10
Is again communicated with. Thereafter, the substrate electrode 21 is lowered to a predetermined position, and the claw 24 is raised by the cylinder 25, whereby the processed substrate 30 is removed from the substrate electrode 21 and passed to the claw 24. Then, the substrate mounting tool 161
Is rotated to a position corresponding to the back surface of the substrate 30 transferred to the claw 24, and then the claw 24 is lowered by the cylinder 25, whereby the processed substrate 30 is transferred to the substrate placing tool 161.

Thereafter, the substrate 30 transferred to the substrate holder 151 is transferred from the substrate table 141 to the substrate electrode 21, and the processed substrate 30 transferred to the substrate holder 161 is transferred from the substrate electrode 21 to the substrate table 141. Each is transported. The substrate 30 transported to the substrate electrode 21 is subjected to predetermined processing by the above-described operation. During this time, the substrate table 14
The processed substrate 30 transported to the substrate table 1
41 is lowered by the cylinder 142 to be transferred to the belt 83 of the belt conveying device 80.
It is conveyed to the other vacuum opening / closing means 51 side by the rotation drive of the 22 motors 82 and 121. The delivery of the processed substrate 30 from the belt 83 to the belt 122 is performed by the belt 1
The transfer of the substrate 30 from the belt 12 to the belt 12 is performed in a reverse operation. The other vacuum opening / closing means 51 is opened by the driving of the cylinder 53, and the processed substrate 30 conveyed to the other vacuum opening / closing means 51 is driven by rotating the belt 103 by the motor 104. The cassette cassette is carried into the pre-vacuum chamber 60 via the storage unit 51, and then the cassette table is raised by one pitch to thereby collect the collection cassette 71.
Will be collected.

Further, the substrate 30 is taken out from the supply cassette 70 by the above-described operation, and the belt transport device 110,
After being conveyed at 80 and transferred to the substrate table 141 and aligned with the orientation flat, it is transferred to the substrate holder 151.

By repeating the above operations, the substrates 30 are taken out of the supply cassette 70 one by one, transferred from the pre-vacuum chamber 60 to the vacuum processing chamber 20 via the buffer chamber 10, and then transferred to the vacuum processing chamber 20. Each sheet is processed at 20,
The processed substrate 30 is conveyed from the vacuum processing chamber 20 to the pre-vacuum chamber 60 via the buffer chamber 10 and is collected one by one in the collection cassette 71.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided as one module and two modules are continuously connected via vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41. Note that all the components in FIG. 3 are the same as those in FIG. 2, and thus description of the configuration, operation, and the like is omitted. FIG.
4 (a) to 4 (c)
Can be performed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, series processing of the substrate 30 in the two vacuum processing chambers 20 of the vacuum processing apparatus connected in series is performed, or as shown in FIG.
4 may be processed in parallel in the two vacuum processing chambers 20 of the vacuum processing apparatus connected in series, or as shown in FIG.
Can be processed in parallel.

In such a substrate processing mode, FIG.
In the case of the substrate processing modes shown in (a) and (b), at least one supply cassette (not shown) is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus, and the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 of the subsequent vacuum processing apparatus is set. At least one collection cassette (not shown) is set. In the case of the substrate processing mode shown in FIG. 4C, one supply cassette (not shown) and one recovery cassette (not shown) are set in the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 of each vacuum processing apparatus.

When two vacuum processing apparatuses shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are connected as one module via vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41, the substrate 30 in each vacuum processing apparatus is transferred through the buffer chamber 10. It is done by going through.

Further, when the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is connected as one module and three or more modules are connected via the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41, in addition to the substrate processing mode shown in FIG. Substrate processing as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B can be performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, the vacuum processing chamber 20 of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus of the vacuum processing apparatus in which the substrate 30 is continuously provided, and in this case, the vacuum processing chamber 20 of the middle vacuum processing apparatus. First, parallel processing is performed, and then series processing is performed in a vacuum processing chamber 20 of a subsequent vacuum processing apparatus. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. Series processing in the vacuum processing chamber 20 of the vacuum processing apparatus described above, and series processing in the vacuum processing chamber 20 of the preceding and subsequent vacuum processing apparatuses.

In the case of such a substrate processing mode,
Two supply cassettes (not shown) are set in the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus, and two collection cassettes (not shown) are set in the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 of the subsequent vacuum processing apparatus.

When series processing of the substrate 30 is performed in the vacuum processing chamber 20 of each vacuum processing apparatus, one supply cassette is set in the vacuum preparatory chamber 60 of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus, and the vacuum of the subsequent vacuum processing apparatus is set. One collection cassette is set in the spare room.

When the substrates 30 are processed in parallel in the vacuum processing chambers of the respective vacuum processing apparatuses, at least one supply cassette is set in the vacuum preliminary chamber of the preceding vacuum processing apparatus, and the vacuum preliminary chamber of the subsequent vacuum processing apparatus is set. , At least one collection cassette is set.

When the vacuum processing apparatuses are made independent and the substrates are processed in parallel in the respective vacuum processing chambers, one supply cassette and one recovery cassette are set in the vacuum preparatory chamber of each vacuum processing apparatus. . Further, even when three or more modules are connected to each other via the vacuum opening / closing means 40 and 41 as one module of the vacuum processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, transfer of the substrate 30 in each vacuum processing apparatus is performed in the buffer chamber 10. It is done by going through.

The following effects can be obtained with the vacuum processing apparatus of this embodiment. (1) The system configuration or organization can be changed by freely changing the number of vacuum processing chambers in response to process changes and line changes. (2) Since the substrate is conveyed to the next vacuum processing chamber via the evacuated buffer chamber, it can be applied to a process step in which processing is transferred to the next vacuum processing chamber during processing without any problem. (3) The horizontal width of the front surface of the vacuum processing apparatus can be reduced by making the second substrate transfer means and the third substrate transfer means parallel, which facilitates a multi-module configuration. (4) Since the pre-vacuum chamber is a cassette chamber capable of evacuating the vacuum, the depth of the vacuum processing apparatus can be reduced, and in a multi-module system, two cassettes can be set in one module. The cassette setting time interval at the time of improvement can be lengthened. (5) Since the arm transfer device having a different operation plane is used as the third substrate transfer means, the transfer of the substrate into and out of the vacuum processing chamber can be performed simultaneously, so that the throughput can be improved. (6) Since series processing or parallel processing by multiple modules can be performed, the throughput per floor area can be improved together with downsizing of the vacuum processing apparatus. (7) The opening area of the vacuum opening / closing means provided in the buffer chamber only needs to be an area through which one substrate can pass. Therefore, in the case of a multi-module, mixing of the residual process gas between vacuum processing apparatuses hardly occurs. Therefore, independence from the process gas in each vacuum processing apparatus can be ensured.

When the depth of the vacuum processing apparatus is to be reduced and continuous continuous processing with other apparatuses is intended,
As shown in FIG. 6, a vacuum preparatory chamber 60 'is provided in the buffer chamber 10 via the vacuum opening / closing means 40, for example.
A second substrate transfer device (not shown), which is a first substrate transfer means for transferring the substrate 30 in the direction of arrow A, is capable of transferring the substrate 30 in the direction of arrow E via the vacuum opening / closing means 40.
A belt transfer device (not shown) as a substrate transfer means is provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber 60 '. In this case, no other vacuum opening / closing means is required.

In the embodiment described above, the vacuum preparatory chamber is a vacuum preparatory chamber in which the supply cassette and the recovery cassette are loaded and set from the outside, but it is particularly necessary to limit the vacuum preparatory chamber to such a vacuum preparatory chamber. There is no. For example, a supply cassette and a collection cassette are fixedly set in a vacuum preparatory chamber, a predetermined number of substrates are loaded into the supply cassette from outside, and the substrates collected in the collection cassette are taken out of the collection cassette and carried out. May be.

Further, the first substrate transport means may be any as long as it transports the substrate between the belt transport device and the vacuum opening / closing means provided in the buffer chamber. Also, the second
In addition to the belt transfer device, for example, an arm transfer device in which the arm moves straight, an arm transfer device in which the arm rotates, or the like may be used as the substrate transfer means.

[0046]

According to the vacuum processing apparatus of the present invention, since the alignment flat of the substrate is performed in the evacuated space, the dust on the surface to be processed of the substrate is compared with the alignment flat in the air. Accumulation and adhesion are suppressed. For this reason, the yield in semiconductor manufacturing can be improved.

According to the semiconductor manufacturing method of the present invention,
While the substrate is being processed in the vacuum processing chamber, the orientation flat of the substrate is performed in the evacuated space, so that the processing time can be reduced and the throughput can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a vacuum processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective configuration diagram of a substrate transfer unit of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate transfer means of a vacuum processing apparatus in which two modules of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG. 1 are connected in series.

4A to 4C are substrate processing mode diagrams in a two-module vacuum processing apparatus.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are other substrate processing mode diagrams in a three-module vacuum processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the vacuum processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: buffer chamber, 20: vacuum processing chamber, 30: substrate, 4
0, 41: Vacuum opening / closing means, 50, 51: Other vacuum opening / closing means, 60, 60 ': Vacuum spare chamber, 80 to 120: Belt transfer device, 140: Substrate delivery means, 150, 160
… Arm transfer device

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Fumio Shibata 794, Higashi-Toyoi, Kazamatsu, Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Inside the Kasado Plant of Hitachi, Ltd. Kasado Factory (72) Inventor Keno Kanai Kanamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture 794, Higashi Toyoi, Hitachi Kasado Factory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum processing chamber connected to a required chamber via a vacuum transfer space and performing a predetermined process on a substrate; a unit for loading the substrates one by one into a evacuated space; Means for aligning the orientation flat of the substrate carried into the evacuated space in the evacuated space, and processing the substrate in parallel with the orientation flat in accordance with the substrate processing mode. Means for transferring the substrate to each of the vacuum processing chambers via the vacuum transfer space, and, when processing the substrates in series, transferring the substrate into the vacuum processing chamber via the vacuum transfer space; Means for processing the conveyed substrates one by one in the vacuum processing chamber. 2. A step of taking out a substrate from a cassette and transferring the taken-out substrate to a space for transferring the taken-out substrate under vacuum; a step of aligning an orienting flat of the transferred substrate in the space; Transporting the substrate into a vacuum processing chamber communicating with the space in a vacuum state, processing the transported substrate in the vacuum processing chamber, and removing the gas generated in the processing step without passing through the space. A method for processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising: evacuating the vacuum processing chamber; and collecting the processed substrate in a cassette via the space.