KR20100058916A - Method of processing substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A substrate treating method is provided to reduce the processing time by treating while distinguishing according to a congestion step and a normal step. CONSTITUTION: The transfer state of a substrate is distinguished into the normal step or the congestion step. The substrate is transferred between the first and second process units using a first transfer robot(350) and a second transfer robot(400). The substrate aligned along a first direction in the first process unit is returned using the first transfer robot. The returned substrate is offered to a buffer side using the first transfer robot. The substrate is transferred to the second unit side using the second transfer robot.

Description

Substrate Processing Method {METHOD OF PROCESSING SUBSTRATE}

The present invention relates to a substrate processing method, and more particularly, to a method for transferring a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of processing units.

In general, a semiconductor substrate manufacturing process is performed by repeatedly depositing an insulating film and a conductive material, etching, coating a photo resist, coating, developing, and ashing processes. To form a pattern consisting of thin films.

A spinner device is one of semiconductor manufacturing devices, and is a device for applying and developing photoresist on a substrate. The spinner device includes an index robot, a buffer unit, processing units, a first transfer robot, and a second transfer robot from one side. The index robot transports the substrates provided to the processing units. In addition, the first transfer robot transfers the substrate between the buffer unit and the process units and transfers the substrate between the process units. In addition, the second transfer robot may move in a vertical direction with respect to the ground so that the substrate may be transferred between the process units stacked vertically.

On the other hand, when the substrate transfer is delayed between the process units by the first transfer robot may occur. In this case, the input of the substrate waiting to be transferred to the process units may be delayed, which may act as a factor of lowering the yield of semiconductor substrate manufacturing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing method which can facilitate substrate transfer into a substrate processing apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, the substrate processing method according to the present invention is as follows. The central control unit divides the transfer state of the substrate into a normal step or stagnation step, and uses the first and second transfer robots to transfer the substrate between the first and second processing units according to the normal step or the stagnation step. Transfer.

In the case of the stagnation step, the step of transferring the substrate is as follows. Exporting the substrate aligned in the first direction in the first processing unit using the first transfer robot, providing the exported substrate to the buffer side using the first transfer robot, and using a second transfer robot. The substrate is transported from the buffer side to the second processing unit, and the substrate transferred to the second processing unit is aligned in the same direction as the first direction.

According to the substrate processing method according to the present invention, the substrate transfer is processed according to the stagnation step and the normal step. As a result, during the stagnation step, it is possible to minimize the time that the substrate waiting to be processed is delayed to the process unit side. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the processing time and delay the introduction of the process unit side can minimize the decrease in the production yield of the semiconductor substrate.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The objects, features and effects of the present invention described above will be readily understood through embodiments related to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be applied and modified in various forms. Rather, the following embodiments are provided to clarify the technical spirit disclosed by the present invention, and furthermore, to fully convey the technical spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art having an average knowledge in the field to which the present invention belongs. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as limited by the embodiments described below. On the other hand, the drawings presented in conjunction with the following examples are somewhat simplified or exaggerated for clarity, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same components.

1 is a perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus used in a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a substrate processing apparatus using a substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows a procedure. Prior to the description of the substrate processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus used in the substrate processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 is a device for performing a photolithography process on a substrate, and the substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes an index unit 100, a process processing unit 500, and a substrate. And a sending unit 700 and an exposure unit 800.

The index unit 100 includes a plurality of load ports 110, an index robot 200, and a first buffer unit 300. The load port 110 accommodates a substrate, and the substrate accommodated in the load port 110 is transferred to the first buffer unit 300 by the index robot 200. The index robot 200 moves along the first transport rail 811 extending horizontally with respect to the ground.

The process processor 500 includes a plurality of units that perform a predetermined process on the substrate and a first transfer robot 350 which transfers the substrate between the units. The processing unit 500 includes coating units 70 performing a coating process for coating a photoresist such as photoresist on a substrate. In addition, the processing unit 500 includes developing units 80 which perform a developing process on a substrate on which an exposure process is completed. In addition, the process processor 500 includes baking units 50 that perform a baking process on a substrate.

Meanwhile, the developing units 80 and the coating units 70 support a spin head 71 that rotates while supporting the substrate, and a nozzle 72 that discharges the chemical liquid to the side of the substrate supported on the spin head 71. Have Accordingly, the developing units 80 support the substrate on the spin head 71, and then provide a developer to the substrate to develop the substrate. The coating units 70 perform the development of the spin head. After supporting the substrate on the substrate 71, a photoresist may be provided to the substrate to proceed the coating process on the substrate.

In addition, each of the baking units 50 includes a baking plate 610 and a cooling plate 620. The bake plate 610 heats the substrate, and the cooling plate 620 cools the substrate heated in the bake plate 610 to an appropriate temperature.

The process processor 20 may be divided into a first process chamber 20a and a second process chamber 20b. The first processing chamber 20a and the second processing chamber 20b are stacked on top of each other so that the first processing chamber 20a is disposed above the second processing chamber 20b. The first processing chamber 20a is provided with coating units 70 performing the above-described coating process, and the developing unit 80 performing the above-described developing process is provided in the second processing chamber 20b. Is provided. That is, the coating units 70 and the baking units 50 are provided in the first processing chamber 20a, and the developing units 80 and the baking units 50 are provided in the second processing chamber 20b.

The first transfer robot 300 receives a substrate from the first buffer unit 300 and transfers the substrate to the units constituting the process processor 500. The first transfer robot 300 extends horizontally with respect to the ground but moves along a second transfer rail 812 extending in a direction perpendicular to the first transfer rail 811.

The substrate transfer part 700 includes a second buffer part 301 and a second transfer robot 400. The second buffer unit 301 is positioned at the same height as the first processing chamber 20a and serves as a buffer of the first processing chamber 20a. In addition, although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 1, a third buffer unit (not shown) is provided at the same height as the second processing chamber 20a. That is, the third buffer unit is positioned below the second buffer unit 301 to serve as a buffer of the second processing chamber 20b.

The second transfer robot 400 transfers along the third transfer rail 813 extending in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the ground. Accordingly, the second transfer robot 400 may move in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the ground, and as a result, may transfer the substrate between the second buffer unit 301 and the third buffer unit.

On the other hand, as described above, the substrate may be transferred between the baking unit 50 and the coating unit 70 by the first transfer robot 350, by the first transfer robot 350 The substrate may be transferred between the baking unit 50 and the developing unit 80. However, not only the substrate may be introduced by the first transfer robot 350 to the outermost bake unit 50, which is closest to the second transfer robot 400, but also the outermost bake unit 50. The substrate may be input by the second transfer robot 400.

The exposure unit 800 includes a plurality of exposure units (not shown) that perform an exposure process on the substrate on which the photoresist film is formed by the coating unit 70. The exposure unit 800 includes an interface unit 850, and substrates loaded on the second buffer unit 301 after the coating process is completed may be transferred to the exposure units by the interface unit 850. have.

The substrate on which the exposure unit 800 is exposed is transferred to the second buffer unit 301 by the interface robot 850, and the substrate provided to the second buffer unit 301 is the bake unit 50. ) To the side and baked. The substrate on which the exposure process transferred to the second buffer unit 301 is completed may be provided to the baking unit 50 by two routes.

The first of the two routes is a normal step, and the transfer order of the substrate in the normal step will be described with reference to the transfer step symbols S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5 shown in FIG. do. First, when a substrate on which an exposure process is completed by the exposure unit 800 is provided to the second buffer unit 301 according to the first transfer step S1, the substrate is moved along the second transfer step S2. The substrate is carried out from the second buffer unit 301 by the first transfer robot 350, and the substrate is moved to the bake unit 50 by the first transfer robot 350 according to the third transfer step S3. Transferred.

When the baking process is completed in the baking unit 50, the substrate is taken out of the baking unit 50 by the first transfer robot 350 along the fourth transfer step S4. Is provided to the developing unit 70 by the first transfer robot 350 along the fifth transfer step S5.

The second route of the two routes is a stagnation step, and the stagnation step includes the baking unit 50 and the developing unit as shown in the normal step, in which the exposure process is completed by the exposure unit 800. 70) The step proceeds sequentially. However, unlike the normal step, the stagnation step is a case where the substrate transfer of the first transfer robot 350 is not smooth because the operation of the first transfer robot 350 is delayed. A more detailed description of the transfer order of the substrate in the case of the stagnation step will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a transfer order of a substrate when the substrate is processed according to the normal step using the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, when the substrate processing apparatus 1000 performs the photolithography process on the substrate, in the case of the stagnation step described above with reference to FIG. 2, the transfer order of the substrates may include the transfer step symbols S1, S2, This is explained with reference to S3, S4, S5, and S6).

First, when the substrate on which the exposure process is completed by the interface robot 850 is provided to the second buffer unit 301 according to the first transfer step S1, the substrate is transferred to the second transfer unit according to the second transfer step S2. The substrate is removed from the second buffer unit 301 by the robot 400, and the substrate is provided to the baking unit 50 by the second transfer robot 400 according to the third transfer step S3. .

When the baking process for the substrate is completed in the baking unit 50, the substrate is taken out of the baking unit 50 by the first transfer robot 350 according to a fourth transfer step S4. According to the transfer step S5, the substrate is provided to the developing unit 70 by the first transfer robot 350.

On the other hand, when the substrate is transferred in accordance with the first to fifth transfer steps according to the stagnation step, unlike the case of the normal step, as described above, the second transfer robot 400 is the second transfer step. The substrate loaded in the buffer unit 301 is transferred to the baking unit 50. When transferring the substrate according to the stagnation step in the above manner, the second transfer robot 400 can replace the function of the first transfer robot 350, so that the substrate transfer during the stagnation step more effectively can do. In particular, since the baking process is rapidly required for the substrate on which the exposure process is completed in the exposure unit 800, the exposed substrate is followed by the first to fifth transfer steps S1-S5 during the stagnation step. The baking unit 50 can be added more quickly.

On the other hand, in the semiconductor substrate manufacturing process, in general, it is common for the substrates to be consistently aligned to allow uniformity of processing or position recognition in the equipment before being introduced into the plurality of processing units. Thus, the semiconductor substrate has a notch formed on the outer circumferential surface, and typically, in the process units, the semiconductor substrate is aligned so that the notch always lies in a constant direction.

In the embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the alignment of the substrate may be changed as the second transfer robot 400 is partially involved in the transfer of the substrate during the stagnation step. However, after the substrate is transferred to the developing unit 70 along the fifth transfer step S5, the spin head 71 is moved before the developing process is performed on the substrate in the developing unit 70. Can be used to align the misaligned substrate back to the original position. For example, when the substrate is twisted by 90 degrees in the second and third transfer steps S2 and S3 in which the second transfer robot 400 transfers the substrate, the spin head in the developing unit 70 When 71) rotates the substrate by -90 degrees, the substrate can be aligned in its original state.

Meanwhile, when the exposure process, the bake process, and the development process are sequentially performed on the substrate, the normal step and the stagnation step described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 detect the operating state of the substrate processing apparatus 1000 in real time. Can be determined by the control unit. Therefore, when the transfer state of the current substrate is divided into a normal step or a stagnation step by the control unit, the control unit may include process modules (not shown) that substantially control operations of units included in the process processing unit 500. By controlling, as a result, the process modules control the units so that the substrate can be transferred in accordance with the normal and stagnation steps described above.

Although described with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can be variously modified and changed within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below. I can understand.

1 is a perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus used in a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a transfer order of a substrate when the substrate is processed according to the stagnation step using the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a transfer order of a substrate when the substrate is processed according to the normal step using the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

50-Bake Unit 70-Dispensing Unit

80-Developing unit 100-Index unit

350-1st transfer robot 400-2nd transfer robot

500-Process Processing Unit 700-Substrate Transfer Unit

800-exposed part 1000-substrate processing equipment

Claims (7)

Dividing the transfer state of the substrate into a normal step or stagnation step by the central controller; And Transferring the substrate between the first and second processing units using first and second transfer robots according to the normal step or the stagnation step; In the case of the stagnation step, the step of transferring the substrate, Taking out the substrate aligned in a first direction in the first processing unit using the first transfer robot; Providing the taken-out substrate to a buffer side using the first transfer robot; Transporting the substrate from the buffer side to the second process unit using a second transfer robot; And And aligning the substrate transferred to the second processing unit in the same direction as the first direction. The method of claim 1, And in the case of the normal step, the substrate is transferred from the first processing unit to the second processing unit by the first transfer robot. The method of claim 1, wherein the second processing unit has a spin head that rotates while supporting the substrate. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate transferred to the second processing unit is aligned in the same direction as the first direction by the rotation of the spin head. The method of claim 3, wherein the first processing unit performs a bake treatment on the substrate. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the first process unit and the second process unit face each other, and the first transfer robot moves in a horizontal direction between the first process unit and the second process unit. Treatment method. The method of claim 6, wherein the second transfer robot moves in a vertical direction.

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