KR20040106045A - Method and apparatus for wafer bake apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A substrate bake apparatus and a baking method thereof are provided to reduce a time for transferring a substrate by performing a heating process and a cooling process within a single unit. CONSTITUTION: A substrate gate(112) is formed on one side of a case(110). A cooling unit(120) is installed in the inside of the case. A substrate is loaded on the cooling unit through the substrate gate. A heating unit(130) is installed nearly to the cooling unit. The substrate is loaded on the heating unit. A carrier mechanism(150) is installed between the cooling unit and the heating unit in order to transfer the substrate between the cooling unit and the heating unit.

Description

Substrate Bake Apparatus and Method therefor {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WAFER BAKE APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a substrate baking apparatus.

Some steps during the semiconductor fabrication step require baking a semiconductor substrate material, such as a substrate, and subsequently cooling it. For example, photoresist processing processes in semiconductor manufacturing require baking and cooling, or thermal cycling. In order to produce a high quality substrate suitable for the field of integrated circuits according to the invention, the temperature of the substrate during thermal cycling must be precisely controlled with respect to the temporal temperature profile of the bake and cooling cycles and the uniformity of the temperature across the substrate. .

In general, a method for baking and cooling a substrate in a photoresist processing process first bakes the substrate at a temperature between 70 degrees and 250 degrees for a time between 30 seconds and 90 seconds. After baking the substrate, the substrate is mechanically moved to a cooling plate that is cooled to room temperature (temperature between 0 degrees and 30 degrees).

However, the above mentioned installation has some disadvantages.

First, baking units (HP (heating plate), CP (cooling plate)) which individually perform heating and cooling treatments in a photoresist processing facility are arranged up and down according to the process progress conditions, and the substrate loading and unloading for each unit is carried out. Is carried out by a transport robot installed in the transport passage. Therefore, it is difficult to manage the tact time due to the heavy load on the transport robot, and the process throughput is lowered because the limit is reached even when the speed of the robot is increased.

Second, it is preferable that the substrate heated in the heating plate is cooled quickly and at a constant time. However, since the heating plate and the heating plate are provided as separate units, it takes time to take out the substrate from the heating plate and carry it into the cooling plate. As the pattern is further refined, the movement time between units, which has not been a problem in the past, may cause pattern deformation, deterioration of reproducibility, etc., and there is a need for improvement in this regard as well.

Third, another problem is that when the transport robot transports the substrate at room temperature immediately after transporting the substrate at a high temperature, a nonuniform temperature change is caused to the substrate at this temperature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object thereof is to provide a new type of substrate baking apparatus capable of performing heating and cooling of a substrate in a single unit. Another object of the present invention relates to a semiconductor substrate baking apparatus for shortening the process time and stabilizing the process. Still another object is to provide a new type of substrate baking apparatus capable of minimizing the effect of temperature on the robot drive region (substrate conveyance passage).

1 is a perspective view for explaining a device configuration of the present invention;

2 is a plan view for explaining the device configuration of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view as seen in the a-a line direction shown in FIG. 2; FIG.

4 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention;

5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of the transport mechanism;

7 is a flowchart of the substrate heating / cooling method in the substrate baking apparatus according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

110: case

112: substrate entrance

120: substrate cooling unit

130: substrate heating unit

150: conveyance mechanism

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the substrate baking apparatus includes a case having a substrate entrance and exit on one surface, a substrate cooling unit which is placed inside the case and the substrate is carried in and out through the substrate entrance, A substrate heating unit disposed adjacent to the substrate heating unit and on which the substrate is placed, and a transport mechanism for transferring the substrate between the substrate cooling unit and the substrate heating unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate cooling unit and the substrate heating unit are disposed in a straight line with respect to the loading direction of the substrate. The substrate cooling unit is disposed adjacent to the substrate entrance and exit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the transfer mechanism may simultaneously transfer the substrate located in the substrate cooling unit to the substrate heating unit and the substrate located in the substrate heating unit to the substrate cooling unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the conveying mechanism is one of the conveyance of the substrate located in the substrate cooling unit to the substrate heating unit, the other is to convey the substrate located in the substrate heating unit to the substrate cooling unit And a pair of first and second arms. The first arm and the second arm are alternately linearly moved with each other. The conveying mechanism further includes a moving part for alternately moving the first arm and the second arm.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the moving unit and the motor; A timing belt rotated by the motor; And an upper bracket and a lower bracket to which the first swing arm and the second swing arm are respectively coupled and installed in the timing belt so as to linearly move in opposite directions as the timing belt rotates.

In the present invention, the moving part further includes a guide rail for guiding the linear movement of the upper and lower brackets. In the present invention, the conveying mechanism further includes a moving part for rotating the first arm and the second arm in opposite directions. In the present invention, the moving unit and the motor; It includes a rotating shaft connected to the motor. In the present invention, the first arm and the second arm is a substrate baking apparatus, characterized in that moved at different heights.

According to another feature of the invention, a substrate heating / cooling method in a substrate baking apparatus comprises the steps of heating a substrate in a heating plate; Transferring the heated substrate to the cooling plate, and simultaneously transferring the substrate waiting in the cooling plate to the heating plate; Heating the substrate transferred to the heating plate; During the heat treatment, the substrate transferred to the cooling plate is cooled, then taken out, and a new substrate is brought in and waited on the cooling plate.

According to another feature of the invention, the substrate heating / cooling method comprises the steps of waiting for the substrate loaded from the outside in a cooling plate; Transferring the substrate to a heating plate; Heating a substrate in the heating plate; Importing the substrate from the outside and dashing the substrate into the empty cooling plate; Transferring the heated substrate to the cooling plate, and simultaneously transferring the substrate waiting in the cooling plate to the heating plate; Cooling the heat treated substrate in the cooling plate; Carrying out the cooled substrate to the outside, and waiting the substrate to be brought in from the outside in the cooling plate.

The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. These examples are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape of the elements in the drawings and the like are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are denoted together for components that perform the same function.

1 and 2, Figure 1 is a perspective view for showing the device configuration of the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view. 3 is a side view as seen in the a-a line direction shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention.

The substrate bake unit 100 of the present invention can be mainly applied to substrate baking and cooling in a photoresist processing process even during a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Looking at the configuration of the present invention with reference to Figures 1 to 4, the case 110 having a substrate entrance 112 to one side, the substrate heating unit 130 and the substrate cooling unit 120 installed inside the case 110 And a transfer mechanism 150 for transferring the substrate between the substrate heating unit 130 and the substrate cooling unit 120.

The substrate cooling unit 120 is disposed adjacent to the substrate entrance 112 of the case 110. The substrate cooling unit 120 includes a cooling plate 122 configured to place a substrate w on the substrate and cool the glass to a predetermined temperature, and a cover 124 positioned above the cooling plate 122 and movable up and down (Fig. 2). Shown). Reference numeral 125 is a lifting unit for moving the cover 124 up and down. The cover 124 covers the cooling plate 122 to prevent the heat atmosphere from spreading around. The reason why the substrate cooling unit 120 is disposed adjacent to the substrate entrance and exit in the apparatus is that the cooled substrate can be quickly taken out, and the substrate to be processed next can be quickly brought in and waited for. to be.

Meanwhile, three through holes are formed in the cooling plate 122. Lift pins 126 supporting the back surface of the substrate are inserted in the respective through holes. These three lift pins are moved up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The substrate w is up (unloading position for exchanging the substrate; indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2) / down (loading position for cooling the substrate; indicated in solid lines in FIG. 2) by the lift pins.

The substrate heating unit 130 and the substrate cooling unit 120 are disposed in a straight line with respect to the loading direction of the substrate. That is, the substrate heating unit 130 is disposed at the rear end (back side) of the substrate cooling unit 120 when viewed from the substrate entrance and exit 112. As such, since the substrate heating unit 130 is disposed far away from the substrate entrance 112, heat is released through the substrate entrance 112, thereby minimizing the influence on the surrounding environment.

The substrate heating unit 130 has a heating plate 132 configured to place a substrate and heat-process at a predetermined temperature, and a cover 134 that is positioned above the heating plate 132 and moves up and down. The cover of the substrate heating part has the same configuration as the cover of the substrate cooling part shown in FIG. Reference numeral 135 is a lifting unit for moving the cover 134 up and down. The cover covers the heating plate to prevent the thermal atmosphere from stabilizing the substrate w quickly and to prevent heat therein from spreading around.

Meanwhile, three through holes are formed in the heating plate 132. Lift pins 136 supporting the back surface of the substrate are inserted in each through hole. These three lift pins 136 are moved up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The substrate is lifted up (unloading position for exchanging substrate) / down (loading position for heating the substrate) by the lift pins 136.

The transfer mechanism 150 simultaneously fits the substrates positioned on the substrate cooling unit 120 to the substrate heating unit 130 and the substrates positioned on the substrate heating unit 130 to the substrate cooling unit 120. It is to change.

The conveying mechanism 150 includes a first arm 152, a second arm 154, and a moving part 156. The conveying mechanism 150 includes the first arm 152 and the first to convey the substrate. Since only the linear movement of the two arms 154 is provided, the configuration is simple and the implementation is simple.

When one of the first arm 152 and the second arm 154 transfers the substrate positioned on the substrate cooling unit 120 to the substrate heating unit 130, the other of the first arm 152 and the second arm 154 is the substrate heating unit 130. The substrate located at) is transferred to the substrate cooling unit 120. As such, the first arm 152 and the second arm 154 are linearly moved in opposite directions.

The moving part 156 is used to linearly move the first arm 152 and the second arm 154 in opposite directions, and includes a motor 158, two belt pulleys 160, and the belt pulley 160. And a belt 162 wound around the belt 162, an upper bracket 164 and a lower bracket 166, and a guide rail 168.

The belt 162 is wound around the two belt pulleys 160, and a shaft of the motor 158 is connected to one belt pulley 160 so as to receive a rotational force from the motor 158 to be rotated forward and reverse. The upper bracket 164 and the lower bracket 166 are coupled to the upper and lower portions of the belt 162, respectively. Thus, when the belt 162 is rotated, these brackets 164 and 166 are moved in opposite directions. The second arm 154 is coupled to the upper bracket 164, and the first arm 152 is coupled to the lower bracket 166, respectively. And these brackets (164, 166) are guided by the guide rail 168 during linear movement.

The motor of the driving unit 150 is driven in the forward and reverse directions. The motor has a first position through which the brackets (or arms coupled to the brackets) can exchange substrates from the lift pins 126 of the substrate cooling unit 120, and the lift pins of the substrate heating unit. It is driven to reciprocate between the second positions that can exchange the substrate from.

When the first arm 152 and the second arm 154 intersect with each other, the first arm 152 and the second arm 154 may have the upper bracket 164 at different heights. ) And the lower bracket 166, respectively.

5 and 6 show another embodiment of a conveying mechanism.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the transfer mechanism 170 may include a substrate located on the substrate cooling unit 120 as the substrate heating unit 130, and a substrate located on the substrate heating unit 130. The cooling unit 120 is to exchange with each other at the same time.

The conveying mechanism 170 includes a first arm 172, a second arm 174, and a moving part 176, which conveys the first arm 172 and the first arm 172 to transfer the substrate. The configuration is very simple because it only provides rotational movement of the two arms 174.

When one of the first arm 172 and the second arm 174 transfers the substrate located at the substrate cooling unit 120 to the substrate heating unit 130, the other of the first arm 172 and the second arm 174 is the substrate heating unit 130. The substrate located at) is transferred to the substrate cooling unit. As such, the first arm 172 and the second arm 174 are rotated in opposite directions.

The moving part 176 is used to rotate the first arm 172 and the second arm 174 in opposite directions, and includes a motor 178 and rotation shafts 180.

As such, the substrate baking apparatus 100 according to the present invention may be applied to a spinner facility for a photolithography process. When the device is applied to the spinner facility, the substrate transfer operation of the transfer robot installed in the transfer passage is reduced by half compared to the conventional one, thereby making it easy to manage the tact time and improve the process throughput.

In other words, the process flow step is reduced from 4 steps to 2 steps on the basis of HP / CP and the remaining 2 steps are simultaneously transported by the transfer mechanism inside the baking apparatus, thereby reducing the transfer load of the transfer robot by half.

On the other hand, the substrate baking apparatus can be set in various ways according to the purpose of processing. For example, the baking device may be a prebake, which is a heat treatment after application of a photosensitive liquid, a device for subsequent cooling treatment, a postbake that is a heat treatment after exposure, and a device for subsequent cooling treatment. It can be used as a device for hardbrad bake, which is a heat treatment after development, and for a subsequent cooling treatment. In this embodiment, the baking apparatus used after application | coating of a photosensitive liquid is demonstrated to an example.

The substrate processing procedure in the substrate baking apparatus for this embodiment is as follows.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 8, the substrate after the exposure process is carried in by the transfer robot 200 through the substrate entrance and exit 112 of the case.

The loaded substrate W1 is placed on a cooling plate. (S14) Subsequently, the substrate W1 is transferred to the substrate heating unit 130 by the first arm 152 of the transfer mechanism. (S16) The substrate heating The cover of the unit 130 is lifted up, and the lift pins 136 support the rear surface of the substrate W1. When the first arm 152 of the transport mechanism is moved to the standby position, the lift pins 136 are down and the substrate W1 is placed on the heating plate 132. The substrate W1 is heated in the heating plate (S18). The heat atmosphere on the heating plate is stabilized quickly by the cover and the heat does not diffuse into the case.

Meanwhile, since the cooling plate 122 is empty while the substrate W1 is heated in the heating plate, the substrate W2 is loaded and placed on the cooling plate 122 after finishing the exposure process (S20). After that, when a predetermined time (for example, 80 seconds) elapses and the heat treatment of the substrate W1 ends, the first arm 152 of the transfer mechanism receives the substrate W1 from the substrate heating unit 130. The substrate cooler 120 is transferred to the substrate cooling unit 120, and the second arm 154 takes over the substrate W2 that is waiting in the substrate cooling unit 120 and transfers the substrate W2 to the substrate heating unit 130 (S22).

The substrate heating unit 130 heats the newly conveyed substrate W2 for a predetermined time (S23). In this way, while the substrate W2 is heat treated, the substrate W1 conveyed to the substrate cooling unit is cooled for a predetermined time (for example, 40 seconds) (S24), and the substrate W1 that has finished the cooling process is a transfer robot. The substrate W3 to be carried out to the outside by the 200 (S26), which is to be processed next, is brought in by the transfer robot, and is waited on the cooling plate 122. (S28) Then, the substrate W2 ) Is completed, the first arm 152 of the transfer mechanism takes over the substrate W2 from the substrate heating unit 130 and transfers the substrate W2 to the substrate cooling unit 120, and the second arm 154 The substrate cooling unit 120 takes over the waiting substrate W3 and transfers the substrate W3 to the substrate heating unit 130 (S22). In this apparatus, the heating / cooling process of the substrate is performed while repeating this process.

As described above, in the present apparatus, the substrate is cooled in the substrate heating unit, and then the substrate is cooled in the substrate cooling unit and then taken out, and a new substrate is brought in, thereby improving continuous production yield. We can plan. In addition, in this apparatus, the substrate transfer between the substrate heating unit and the substrate cooling unit is simultaneously performed, so that the time required for the substrate transfer can be shortened.

In particular, in the case of using a chemically amplified resist sensitive to temperature change, after the post exposure bake (PEB), which is a heat treatment after the exposure treatment, it is necessary to cool the substrate quickly and at a constant time to a temperature at which the resist reaction does not proceed. When present, the device can be treated with cooling of the substrate faster and more consistently than the existing device, thereby preventing deformation of the pattern and deterioration of reproducibility.

In the above, the configuration and operation of the apparatus according to the present invention is shown in accordance with the above description and drawings, but this is merely an example, and various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. .

According to the present invention, heating and cooling of the substrate are performed in a single unit, thereby shortening the process time and stabilizing the process. By carrying out the transfer process at the same time, the time required for transferring the substrate can be reduced. The influence of temperature on the robot driving region (substrate conveying passage) can be minimized.

Claims (16)

In the substrate baking apparatus: A case having a substrate entrance on one surface; A substrate cooling unit installed inside the case and having a substrate loaded / exported through the substrate entrance and exit; A substrate heating part disposed adjacent to the substrate heating part and on which the substrate is placed; And a conveying mechanism for conveying the substrate between the substrate cooling portion and the substrate heating portion. The method of claim 1, And the substrate cooling unit and the substrate heating unit are disposed in a straight line with respect to the carrying direction of the substrate. The method of claim 1, And the substrate cooling unit is disposed adjacent to the substrate entrance and exit. The method of claim 1, The conveying mechanism And substrates positioned at the substrate cooling unit to the substrate heating unit and substrates positioned at the substrate heating unit to the substrate cooling unit at the same time. The method of claim 1, The conveying mechanism When one conveys the substrate located in the substrate cooling unit to the substrate heating unit, the other includes a pair of first and second arms for conveying the substrate located in the substrate heating unit to the substrate cooling unit. The substrate baking apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The method of claim 5, And the first arm and the second arm are moved linearly alternately with each other. The method of claim 5, The conveying mechanism And a moving unit for alternately moving the first arm and the second arm with each other. The method of claim 7, wherein The moving part A motor; A timing belt rotated by the motor; And an upper bracket and a lower bracket to which the first swing arm and the second swing arm are respectively coupled and installed on the timing belt so as to linearly move in opposite directions as the timing belt rotates. . The method of claim 8, The moving part And a guide rail for guiding linear movement of the upper and lower brackets. The method of claim 5, The conveying mechanism And a moving unit for rotating the first arm and the second arm in directions opposite to each other. The method of claim 10, The moving part A motor; And a rotation shaft connected to the motor. The method of claim 5, And the first arm and the second arm are moved at different heights. The method of claim 1, The substrate cooling unit A cooling plate; A cover for covering an upper portion of the cooling plate; And lift pins for loading / unloading the substrate from the cooling plate. The method of claim 1, The substrate heating unit A heating plate; A cover for covering an upper portion of the heating plate; And lift pins for loading / unloading the substrate from the heating plate. In a substrate heating / cooling method in a substrate baking apparatus: Heating the substrate in a heating plate; Transferring the heated substrate to the cooling plate, and simultaneously transferring the substrate waiting in the cooling plate to the heating plate; Heating the substrate transferred to the heating plate; During the heat treatment, after cooling the substrate transferred to the cooling plate, taking it out, receiving a new substrate and waiting in the cooling plate. In a substrate heating / cooling method in a substrate baking apparatus: Waiting for the substrate loaded from the outside in a cooling plate; Transferring the substrate to a heating plate; Heating a substrate in the heating plate; Importing the substrate from the outside and dashing the substrate into the empty cooling plate; Transferring the heated substrate to the cooling plate, and simultaneously transferring the substrate waiting in the cooling plate to the heating plate; Cooling the heat treated substrate in the cooling plate; Removing the cooled substrate to the outside, and waiting the substrate to be brought in from the outside in the cooling plate.