TW202243830A - Substrate processing system and its working method wherein the operation stability of the process chamber in the substrate processing system is relatively good - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate processing system and its working method are provided, wherein the substrate processing system includes: a transfer chamber; a process chamber, the transfer chamber and the process chamber being arranged along a first direction, and a first base unit and a second base unit being arranged in the process chamber, wherein the first base unit and the second base unit are arranged along the first direction, the first base unit includes at least one first base, the second base unit includes at least one second base, the first base is used to carry the first substrate, and the second base is used to carry the second substrate; a manipulator device arranged in the transfer chamber and having a first working position and a second working position, wherein the manipulator device is used to transport the first substrate when it is in the first working position, the manipulator device is used to transport the second substrate when it is in the second working position, and the position of the first base and the second base does not change when the manipulator device is used to transport the first substrate and the second substrate. The operation stability of the process chamber in the substrate processing system is relatively good.

Description

Substrate processing system and working method thereof

The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductors, in particular to a substrate processing system and a working method thereof.

The existing substrate processing system is usually a vacuum cluster equipment (Cluster), and the vacuum cluster equipment includes a front-end module of the equipment, a vacuum lock (Load Lock), a transfer chamber, and a process chamber surrounding the transfer chamber. Wherein, a robotic arm (Robot) is installed in the transfer chamber, and the robotic arm is used to take the substrate out of the vacuum lock and place it in any process chamber. The surface is treated, and after the surface treatment of the substrate is completed, the robotic arm takes out the processed substrate from the process chamber, and transfers the processed substrate to the external atmosphere.

Usually, a plurality of substrates are arranged in the process chamber. In order to realize the transfer of each substrate, an additional drive device is required in the process chamber to rotate the transferred substrates to the vicinity of the manipulator. However, providing the driving device will complicate the design of the process chamber and result in poor running stability.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a substrate processing system and its working method, so that no complicated drive device is added in the process chamber, so that the stability of operation in the process chamber can be reduced, and the difficulty of design can be reduced.

In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a substrate processing system, comprising: a transfer chamber; a process chamber, the transfer chamber and the process chamber are arranged along a first direction, and a first base unit and a first base unit are arranged in the process chamber The second base unit, the first base unit and the second base unit are arranged along the first direction, the first base unit includes at least one first base, and the second base unit includes at least A second base, the first base is used to carry the first substrate, and the second base is used to carry the second substrate; the manipulator device is arranged in the transmission chamber and has a first working position and a second working position, the manipulator device is used to transport the first substrate at the first work position, and the manipulator device is used to transport the second substrate at the second work position, so The positions of the first base and the second base do not change when the robot device transports the first substrate and the second substrate.

Optionally, the manipulator device includes a first manipulator element and a second manipulator element, the first manipulator element is used to transport the first substrate, and the second manipulator element is used to transport the second substrate piece.

Optionally, when the first base unit includes one first base, or when the first base unit includes multiple first bases, and the multiple first bases are When arranged in one direction, the first manipulator element has a first manipulator; when the second base unit includes one second base, or, when the second base unit includes multiple a second base, and when multiple second bases are arranged along the first direction, the second manipulator element has a second manipulator.

Optionally, when the first base unit includes more than or equal to 2 first bases, and some of the first bases are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first manipulator unit The number of the first manipulators that the part has is the same as the number of the first bases in the second direction, and one of the first manipulators is used to transport a first substrate in the first direction; when the second The base unit includes more than or equal to 2 second bases, and when a part of the number of second bases is arranged along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the number of second manipulators of the second manipulator element The number is the same as the number of the second bases in the second direction, and one second manipulator is used to transport a second substrate in the first direction.

Optionally, along the second direction, the first base unit includes two first bases, and when the second base unit includes two second bases, the manipulator device includes: The first large arm, the second large arm, the first small arm, the second small arm, a pair of first manipulators, a pair of second manipulators and a rotating shaft, one end of the first and second large arms passes through A first movable shaft is overlappingly connected on the top of the rotating shaft, the first large arm and the second large arm can rotate along the first movable shaft, and the other end of the first large arm is connected by a second movable shaft One end of the first small arm, the other end of the first small arm is connected to the pair of first manipulators, the other end of the second large arm is connected to one end of the second small arm, the second The other end of the small arm is connected to the pair of second manipulators, the first small arm rotates along the second movable axis, so that the first manipulator and the second manipulator can be stacked up and down, and the first manipulator The manipulator and the second manipulator are located between the first small arm and the second small arm.

Optionally, the lengths of the first large arm and the first small arm are equal or unequal; the lengths of the second large arm and the second small arm are equal or unequal.

Optionally, it also includes: a driving mechanism, used to make the manipulator device be in the first working position or the second working position.

Optionally, the number of the manipulator device is one, and when the manipulator device switches between the first working position and the second working position, the driving device drives the manipulator device to move up and down.

Optionally, there are multiple process chambers, the multiple process chambers surround the transfer chamber, and each process chamber is provided with the first base and the second base.

Optionally, it also includes: a substrate loading and unloading machine, a front-end module of the equipment, and an air lock chamber, the two sides of the front-end module of the equipment are respectively connected with the substrate loading and unloading machine and the air lock chamber, The front-end module of the equipment is connected to the transmission cavity.

Correspondingly, the present invention also provides a working method of a substrate processing system, including: providing the substrate processing system described in any of the above aspects; setting the manipulator device at the first working position, using the manipulator The device transports the first substrate; the manipulator device is set at the second working position, and the second substrate is transported by the manipulator device.

Optionally, the method for placing the first substrate and the second substrate includes: setting the manipulator device at a second working position, using the manipulator device to place the second substrate; placing the second substrate After the substrate, the manipulator device is set at the first working position, and the first substrate is placed by the manipulator device.

Optionally, the method for taking out the substrate and the second substrate includes: setting the manipulator device at the first working position, using the manipulator device to take out the first substrate; taking out the first substrate Afterwards, the manipulator device is set at the second working position, and the second substrate is taken out by the manipulator device.

Compared with the prior art, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects: In the substrate processing system and its working method provided by the technical solution of the present invention, since the manipulator device has a first working position and a second working position, when the manipulator device is in the first working position, it is used to transport the first substrate sheet, the manipulator device is used to transport the second substrate in the second working position, therefore, the first substrate or the second substrate does not need to rotate the original position during the transmission process, so that the When the first substrate or the second substrate is close to the robot device, the transmission of the first substrate and the second substrate can be realized. Since no additional drive mechanism is required in the process chamber, the operation stability of the process chamber will not be affected by the drive mechanism, which is beneficial to improve the stability of the process chamber. Moreover, the design complexity of the process chamber can also be reduced.

As described in the prior art, the process chamber in the known substrate processing system has poor operational stability. In order to solve the technical problem, the technical solution of the present invention provides a substrate processing system. The manipulator device includes a first working position and In the second working position, the manipulator device is used to transport the first substrate when it is in the first work position, and the manipulator device is used to transport the second substrate when it is in the second work position, then the first substrate is transported The positions of the first pedestal and the second pedestal do not need to be changed during the process with the second substrate, so that no additional driving device is required in the process chamber, so it is beneficial to improve the operation of the process chamber in the substrate processing system stability.

In order to make the above objects, features and beneficial effects of the present invention more comprehensible, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a substrate processing system of the present invention in a waiting state.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the substrate processing system includes: a process chamber 100 , a transfer chamber 101 and an airlock chamber 102 , the process chamber 100 and the airlock chamber 102 surround the transfer chamber 101 .

The inside of the process chamber (Process Module, PM) 100 is a vacuum environment, which is used for semiconductor process treatment on the surface of the substrate.

In this embodiment, the low-pressure chemical vapor deposition process (LPCVD) is used to form tungsten deposition in the process chamber. There are four pedestals in one process chamber 100, and each pedestal is used to carry a substrate. There is no isolation between adjacent bases, and the same process is performed on the four substrates. In other embodiments, the processes performed in the process chamber may also be other processes.

The inside of the transfer chamber (Transfer Modul, TM) 101 is a vacuum environment, and the transfer chamber 101 has a robot for transferring the substrate in the transfer chamber 101 into one of the process chambers 100 . There are multiple process chambers 100 , and the multiple process chambers 100 surround the transfer chamber 101 .

The air lock chamber (Loadlock) 102 is used to switch between the atmospheric environment and the vacuum environment.

The substrate processing system further includes: an equipment front-end module (EFEM) 110 and a substrate loader (Loadport) 111, the equipment front-end module 110 is in an atmospheric environment, and the substrate loader 111 is used to load substrates .

Please continue to refer to FIG. 1, the transfer chamber 101 and the process chamber 100 are arranged along the first direction X, the process chamber 100 is provided with a first base unit 103 and a second base unit 104, the first base The seat unit 103 and the second base unit 104 are arranged along the first direction X, the first base unit 103 includes at least one first base 103a, and the second base unit 104 includes at least one second base 104a, the first base 103a is used to carry the first substrate, and the second base 104a is used to carry the second substrate; position and a second working position, the manipulator device 105 is used to transport the first substrate in the first work position, and the manipulator device 105 is used to transport the second substrate in the second work position , the positions of the first base 103a and the second base 104a do not change when the robot device 105 transports the first substrate and the second substrate.

In order to improve the processing efficiency of the substrate, usually a plurality of susceptors are arranged in the process chamber 100, and each susceptor is used to carry a substrate. Specifically, the first susceptor 103a and the second Two bases 104a. The first base 103a and the second base 104a are arranged along the first direction X, since the first base 103a is close to the robot device 105, it is easier to transfer the first substrate on the first base 103a , and the second base 104a is far away from the robot device 105, therefore, it is relatively difficult to transfer the second substrate on the second base 104a.

The substrate processing system further includes: a driving mechanism for switching the manipulator device 105 between the first working position and the second working position.

Since the manipulator 105 has a first working position and a second working position, there is no need to rotate the first base 103a or the second base 104a during the transfer of the first substrate or the second substrate. The original position, so that the first substrate or the second substrate is close to the robot device 105, can realize the transmission of the first substrate and the second substrate. Since no additional drive mechanism is required in the process chamber 100 , the running stability of the process chamber 100 will not be affected by the drive mechanism, which is beneficial to improve the stability of the process chamber 100 . Moreover, since no additional drive mechanism is required in the process chamber 100, the design complexity of the process chamber 100 can be reduced, the difficulty of debugging the process chamber 100 can be reduced, and the production cost of the process chamber 100 can be reduced, and the cost of the process chamber 100 can be saved. space.

In one embodiment, the manipulator device 105 includes a telescopic arm and a manipulator connected to the telescopic arm, and when the telescopic arm stretches to a first telescopic amount, the manipulator device 105 is in the first working position , at this time, the manipulator device 105 is used to transport the first substrate; when the stretching amount of the telescopic arm is the second stretching amount, and the second stretching amount is greater than the first stretching amount, the manipulator device 105 In the second working position, at this time, the manipulator device 105 is used to transport the second substrate.

In another embodiment, the manipulator device 105 includes a first manipulator element and a second manipulator element, the first manipulator element is used for transferring the first substrate, and the second manipulator element is used for Transfer the second substrate.

Specifically, in one embodiment, when the first base unit 103 includes one first base 103a, the first manipulator element has a first manipulator, and one of the first manipulators is Just can transfer the first substrate on the first base 103a when first working position; When described first base unit 103 comprises a plurality of first bases 103a, and a plurality of described first bases 103a along When arranged in one direction X, the first manipulator element may also have only one first manipulator, and one first manipulator transports a plurality of first substrates at a time. Similarly, when the second base unit 104 includes a second base 104a, the second manipulator element has a second manipulator, and the second manipulator is in the second working position. The second substrate on the second base 104a can be transported; when the second base unit 104 includes a plurality of second bases 104a, and the plurality of second bases 104a are arranged along the first direction X , the second manipulator element may also have only one second manipulator, and one second manipulator can transport a plurality of second substrates at one time.

In another embodiment, when the first base unit 103 includes two or more first bases 103a, part of the first bases 103a are arranged along a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X When deploying, the number of first manipulators of the first manipulator element is the same as the number of first bases 103a in the second direction Y, so that one first manipulator can transmit a first direction The first substrate on X, in other words, when the number of first substrates in the first direction X is multiple, one first manipulator can transport the first substrate in the first direction X at one time A plurality of first substrates; when the second base unit 104 includes more than or equal to 2 second bases 104a, part of the number of second bases 104a is arranged along the second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X , the number of second manipulators in the second manipulator element is the same as the number of second bases 104a in the second direction, so that one second manipulator can transport a In other words, when there are multiple second substrates in the first direction X, one second manipulator can transport multiple substrates in the first direction X at one time. second substrate.

In one embodiment, the number of the manipulator device is one, and when the manipulator device switches between the first working position and the second working position, the driving device drives the manipulator device to move up and down.

Hereinafter, a robot device is taken as an example to specifically describe how to realize the transmission of the first substrate and the second substrate under the condition that the first base 103 a and the second base 104 a do not rotate.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of a substrate processing system of the present invention when it is in a first working position.

Please refer to Fig. 2, described manipulator device 105 comprises: first large arm 200, second large arm 201, first small arm 202, second small arm 203, a pair of first manipulator 204, a pair of second mechanical arm Hand 205 and rotating shaft 206, one end of the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201 is overlapped and connected to the top of the rotating shaft 206 through a first movable shaft, and the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201 can be Rotate along the first movable axis, the other end of the first large arm 200 is connected to one end of the first small arm 202 through a second movable axis, and the other end of the first small arm 202 is connected to the first small arm 202 pair of first manipulators 204, the other end of the second large arm 201 is connected to one end of the second small arm 203, and the other end of the second small arm 203 is connected to the pair of second manipulators 205, the The second small arm 203 rotates along the second movable axis, so that the first manipulator 204 and the second manipulator 205 can be stacked up and down, and the first manipulator 204 and the second manipulator 205 are located at the first between the small arm 202 and the second small arm 203 .

Rotate the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201, the second large arm 201 drives the second small arm 203, the second small arm stretches out the second manipulator 205, the second machine The hand 205 is used to place or unload the second substrate on the second base 104a.

In one embodiment, the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201 can rotate along the first movable axis, and during the rotation, the included angle between the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201 As long as the first manipulator 204 rotates, the second manipulator 205 also rotates, and the first manipulator 204 and the second manipulator 205 can give way to each other.

In another embodiment, the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201 can rotate along the first movable axis, and during the rotation, the gap between the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201 The included angle is variable.

In addition, the lengths of the first large arm 200 and the first small arm 202 may be equal or unequal; similarly, the lengths of the second large arm 201 and the second small arm 203 may be equal or unequal.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a substrate processing system of the present invention when it is in a second working position.

Please refer to FIG. 3 , rotate the first large arm 200 and the second large arm 201, the first large arm 200 drives the first small arm 202, and the first small arm 202 stretches out the first manipulator 204 , the first manipulator 204 is used to place or unload the first substrate on the second base 104a.

Fig. 4 is a working flow chart of a substrate processing system of the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 4, step S1: provide the above-mentioned substrate processing system; step S2: set the manipulator device at the first working position, and the manipulator device is used to transport the first substrate; step S3: make the manipulator device The manipulator device is arranged at the second working position, and the manipulator device is used for transporting the second substrate.

In order to carry the first substrate and the second substrate on the first base 103a and the second base 104a, the illustrations of the various stages of the manipulator device 105 are shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 in sequence, and then return to to the position shown in Figure 1. The position shown in Figure 1 is the standby position.

Correspondingly, in order to pass out the first substrate and the second substrate placed on the first base 103a and the second base 104a, the illustrations of each stage of the manipulator device 105 are shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 and Fig. 2, and then return to Figure 1. The position shown in Figure 1 is the standby position.

It can be seen that no matter whether it is the transfer of the substrate or the transfer of the substrate, the positions of the first base 103a and the second base 104a are always the same. Switching the second working position can realize the pick-and-place of the first substrate on the first base 103a and the removal of the second substrate on the second base 104a. Since the process chamber 100 does not need an additional drive device to adjust the positions of the first base 103a and the second base 104a, the stability in the process chamber 100 will not be affected by the drive device, It is beneficial to improve the stability of the process chamber, and is beneficial to reduce the process cost and manufacturing complexity of the process chamber 100 , and save the space of the process chamber 100 .

Although the present invention is disclosed above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Anyone with ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present invention can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be based on the scope defined by the scope of the patent application.

100: process chamber 101: transmission cavity 102: air lock cavity 103: First base unit 103a: first base 104: Second base unit 104a: second base 105: Manipulator device 110:Equipment front-end module 111: Substrate loader 200: The first big arm 201: second largest arm 202: The first small arm 203: second small arm 204: The first manipulator 205: The second manipulator 206: shaft X: first direction Y: the second direction S1～S3: Steps

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a substrate processing system of the present invention when it is in a waiting state; 2 is a schematic structural view of a substrate processing system of the present invention when it is in the first working position; 3 is a schematic structural view of a substrate processing system of the present invention when it is in a second working position; and Fig. 4 is a working flow chart of a substrate processing system of the present invention.

100: process chamber

101: transmission cavity

102: air lock cavity

103: First base unit

103a: first base

104: Second base unit

104a: second base

105: Manipulator device

110:Equipment front-end module

111: Substrate loader

X: first direction

Y: the second direction

Claims (13)

A substrate processing system, comprising: a transmission cavity; A process chamber, the transfer chamber and the process chamber are arranged along a first direction, a first base unit and a second base unit are arranged in the process chamber, the first base unit and the second base The units are arranged along the first direction, the first base unit includes at least one first base, the second base unit includes at least one second base, and the first base is used to carry a first substrate , the second base is used to carry a second substrate; A manipulator device is arranged in the transfer cavity and has a first working position and a second working position. The manipulator device is used to transport the first substrate when the manipulator device is in the first work position. The manipulator device is in the The second working position is used to transport the second substrate, and the positions of the first base and the second base do not change when the robot device transports the first substrate and the second substrate. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manipulator device includes a first manipulator element and a second manipulator element, the first manipulator element is used to transfer the first substrate, the first manipulator element Two manipulator elements are used to transfer the second substrate. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the first base unit includes one first base, or when the first base unit includes a plurality of first bases, and multiple When the first bases are arranged along the first direction, the first manipulator element has a first manipulator; when the second base unit includes a second base, or, when the second The base unit includes a plurality of second bases, and when the plurality of second bases are arranged along the first direction, the second manipulator element has a second manipulator. The substrate processing system according to claim 2, wherein when the first base unit includes more than or equal to two of the first bases, part of the number of the first bases is along a direction perpendicular to the first direction When arranged in a second direction, the number of first manipulators of the first manipulator element is the same as the number of the first base in the second direction, and one of the first manipulators is used to transport a The first substrate in the first direction; when the second base unit includes more than or equal to two of the second bases, part of the second bases are along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction direction, the number of a second manipulator that the second manipulator element has is the same as the number of the second base in the second direction, and one second manipulator is used to transport a first direction of the second substrate. The substrate processing system according to claim 4, wherein, along the second direction, the first base unit includes two first bases, and the second base unit includes two second bases When, the manipulator device includes: a first large arm, a second large arm, a first small arm, a second small arm, a pair of first manipulators, a pair of second manipulators and a rotating shaft, the One end of the first large arm and the second large arm is overlapped and connected to the top of the rotating shaft through a first movable shaft, the first large arm and the second large arm can rotate along the first movable shaft, the first large arm The other end of the large arm is connected to one end of the first small arm through a second movable shaft, the other end of the first small arm is connected to the pair of first manipulators, and the other end of the second large arm is connected to the second One end of the small arm, the other end of the second small arm is connected to the pair of second manipulators, the first small arm rotates along the second movable axis, so that the first manipulator and the second manipulator can be stacked up and down put, and the first manipulator and the second manipulator are located between the first forearm and the second forearm. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lengths of the first large arm and the first small arm are equal or different; the lengths of the second large arm and the second small arm are equal or different. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a driving mechanism for making the manipulator device be in a first working position or a second working position. The substrate processing system according to claim 7, wherein the number of the manipulator device is one, and when the manipulator device switches between the first working position and the second working position, the driving device drives the manipulator The unit moves up and down. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the number of the process chambers is multiple, and the multiple process chambers surround the transfer chamber, and each of the process chambers is provided with the first base and the Second base. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a substrate loading and unloading machine, an equipment front-end module and an air lock chamber, the two sides of the equipment front-end module are respectively connected to the substrate loading and unloading machine and the The air lock chamber is connected, and the two sides of the air lock chamber are respectively connected with the front-end module of the equipment and the transmission chamber. A working method of a substrate processing system, comprising: Provide a substrate processing system as described in any one of claim 1 to claim 10; setting the manipulator device at the first working position, and using the manipulator device to transport the first substrate; The manipulator device is set at the second working position, and the second substrate is transported by the manipulator device. The working method of the substrate processing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the method for placing the first substrate and the second substrate includes: setting the manipulator device at the second working position, using the manipulator The device places the second substrate; after placing the second substrate, the manipulator device is set at the first working position, and the first substrate is placed by the manipulator device. The working method of the substrate processing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the method for taking out the first substrate and the second substrate includes: setting the manipulator device at the first working position, using the manipulator The device takes out the first substrate; after taking out the first substrate, the manipulator is set at the second working position, and the second substrate is taken out by the manipulator.

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