TWI753580B - Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. The apparatus for processing a substrate may include: a chamber having an inner space; a susceptor, the chamber supporting a substrate in the inner space; and an edge clamp that suppresses bending of the substrate supported by the susceptor; and The aforementioned edge clamp comprises: an annular main body; a plurality of protrusions extending from the aforementioned main body to the inner side thereof, and provided at a distance from each other along the circumferential direction of the aforementioned main body, when viewed from the upper portion, and the aforementioned base The edge upper portions of the supported substrates are provided overlapping.

Description

Substrate processing equipment and substrate processing method

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method.

In general, in order to manufacture semiconductor elements, display panels, etc., various processes such as etching, polishing, deposition, and cleaning are required for treating substrates with plasma.

During the general process of processing substrates, the phenomenon of substrate bending or twisting occurs. A bent or twisted substrate is called a substrate warpage. Warpage occurs when the substrate is heated at a high temperature during the process, and the expanded substrate material shrinks unevenly, or when the substrate thickness is thin.

When the plasma process is performed in a state where the substrate W is warped (warpage), or the substrate W is warped (warpage) during the execution of the plasma process, a gap is formed between the substrate W and the susceptor. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1 , localized plasma is generated in the gap. The localized plasma reduces the processing efficiency of the substrate W, or generates arc discharge to damage the substrate W.

In addition, in the process of performing the plasma process on the substrate W, in order to suppress the warpage (Warpage) of the substrate W, as shown in FIG. The method of holding the substrate W. However, at this time, the upper surface of the edge of the substrate W is not exposed to the plasma. Therefore, the plasma treatment on the upper edge of the substrate W cannot be properly performed. That is, when the substrate W is processed after clamping the edge region of the substrate W with the window clamp, the photoresist coated on the edge of the substrate W cannot be removed, resulting in poor coating.

[Technical problem to be solved]

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of efficiently processing a substrate.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can minimize the situation in which a process is performed in a state where the substrate is bent.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can minimize the reduction of substrate processing efficiency in a substrate edge region.

The object of the present invention is not limited to this, and other objects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Technical solutions]

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. The apparatus for processing a substrate may include: a chamber having an inner space; a susceptor in which the chamber supports the substrate; and an edge clamp that suppresses bending of the substrate supported by the susceptor; and The edge clamp includes: an annular main body; a plurality of protrusions extending from the main body to the inner side thereof, provided spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the main body, and viewed from the top, being different from those by the base The edge upper portion of the base plate supported by the seat is provided overlapping.

According to one embodiment, the protrusion may extend toward the center of the main body.

According to one embodiment, the protrusion may be provided spaced from an upper surface of the substrate supported by the base.

According to one embodiment, the lower surface of the protrusion may be provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate supported by the susceptor when the substrate supported by the susceptor is in a flat state.

According to one embodiment, the body may be provided staggered downwards from the center of the body viewed from above towards the outer side of the body in order to insert the edge region of the substrate supported by the base.

According to one embodiment, the apparatus may further comprise a guide ring surrounding the circumference of the base, the body may be supported by the guide ring.

According to one embodiment, the upper surface of the guide ring may include: an inner upper surface provided at a height equal to or lower than the base upper surface; and an outer upper surface provided at a height higher than the base upper surface; the main body may include: The inner lower surface supported by the inner upper surface; the outer lower surface supported by the outer upper surface.

According to one embodiment, the guide ring may further include an upwardly inclined portion inclined upwardly in a direction from the inner upper surface toward the outer upper surface, and the main body may further include a downwardly inclined portion along the direction of the outer upper surface. It is provided in a shape corresponding to the upwardly inclined portion while being inclined downward in a direction from the outer lower surface to the inner lower surface.

According to one embodiment, the apparatus may further include a plasma excitation part that generates plasma and supplies the inner space.

According to one embodiment, the protrusions may be provided in contact with the upper surface of the substrate supported by the susceptor during the process.

In addition, the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. The apparatus for processing substrates may include: a device front-end module; and a processing module for processing substrates; the device front-end module may include: a loading port for placement of a container containing the substrate; and a transfer frame, the transfer frame An indexing robot for transferring substrates between the loading port and the processing module is provided; the processing module may include: a clamping buffer disposed adjacent to the device front-end module; a process chamber, the A process chamber performs a processing process on a substrate; a transfer chamber having a transfer robot for transferring substrates between the process chamber and the clamping buffer; the clamping buffer may include: a substrate support member, the a substrate support member supporting a substrate; and an edge clamp support member having a support end supporting the edge clamp; the process chamber may include: a chamber having an interior space; a pedestal on the The inner space supports a substrate; the edge clamp suppresses bending of the substrate supported by the base; and the edge clamp may include: an annular body; a plurality of protrusions extending from the body It extends inwardly, and is provided to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the main body, and is provided to overlap with the upper part of the edge of the substrate supported by the base when viewed from above.

According to one embodiment, the protrusion may extend toward the center of the main body.

According to one embodiment, the protrusion may be provided spaced from an upper surface of the substrate supported by the base.

According to one embodiment, the lower surface of the protrusion may be provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate supported by the susceptor when the substrate supported by the susceptor is in a flat state.

According to one embodiment, the body may be provided staggered downwards from the center of the body viewed from above towards the outer side of the body in order to insert the edge region of the substrate supported by the base.

According to one embodiment, the apparatus may further comprise a guide ring surrounding the circumference of the base, the body may be supported by the guide ring.

According to one embodiment, the upper surface of the guide ring may include: an inner upper surface provided at a height equal to or lower than the base upper surface; and an outer upper surface provided at a height higher than the base upper surface; the main body may include: The inner lower surface supported by the inner upper surface; the outer lower surface supported by the outer upper surface.

According to one embodiment, the guide ring may further include an upwardly inclined portion inclined upwardly in a direction from the inner upper surface toward the outer upper surface; the main body may further include a downwardly inclined portion along the direction of the outer upper surface. It is provided in a shape corresponding to the upwardly inclined portion while being inclined downward in a direction from the outer lower surface to the inner lower surface.

According to one embodiment, the protrusion may be in contact with the upper surface of the substrate supported by the base during the process.

In addition, the present invention provides a method of processing a substrate. The method of processing a substrate using an apparatus for processing substrates may include: the steps of positioning the edge fixture at the support end of the clamping buffer; the step of carrying the substrate before processing into the clamping buffer; and the edge fixture and the step of transferring the substrate from the clamping buffer to the process chamber.

According to one embodiment, the method may include: the steps of supporting the substrate on the susceptor; and the step of treating the substrate with a plasma in the process chamber; and the edge fixture during execution of the step of treating the substrate A plurality of the protrusions are located on the upper part of the edge of the substrate, which can restrain the bending of the substrate. [Beneficial effect]

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate can be efficiently processed.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to minimize the situation in which the process is performed in a state where the substrate is bent.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to minimize the reduction of substrate processing efficiency in the substrate edge region.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the invention configuration described in the description of the present invention or the claims.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention can be modified into various forms, and it should not be construed that the scope of the present invention is limited to the following embodiments. This embodiment is provided to more fully illustrate the present invention to those of ordinary skill in the industry. Accordingly, the shapes of elements in the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

3 is a top view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes an equipment front end module (EFEM) 20 and a process processing unit 30 . The device front end module 20 and the process processing unit 30 are arranged in one direction. Hereinafter, the direction in which the device front end module 20 and the process processing unit 30 are arranged is referred to as the first direction 11 , and the direction perpendicular to the first direction 11 when viewed from above is referred to as the second direction 12 .

The device front-end module 20 has a load port 10 and a transfer frame 21 . The loading port 10 is disposed in front of the device front-end module 20 along the first direction 11 . The loading port 10 has a plurality of supporting parts 6 . Each support portion 6 is arranged in a row along the second direction 12 , and houses a carrier 4 (eg, cassette, FOUP, etc.) for accommodating the substrates W to be supplied to the process and the substrates W processed by the process. The substrates W to be supplied to the process and the substrates W that have been processed in the process are accommodated in the carrier 4 . The transfer frame 21 is disposed between the load port 10 and the process processing unit 30 . The transfer frame 21 includes an index robot 25 disposed therein and transferring the substrate W between the loading port 10 and the process processing unit 30 . The index robot 25 moves along the transfer rail 27 provided in the second direction 12 to transfer the substrate W between the carrier 4 and the process section 30 .

The process processing unit 30 includes a buffer unit 40 , a transfer chamber 50 , a plurality of process chambers 60 and a controller 70 .

The buffer unit 40 is arranged adjacent to the transfer frame 21 . As an example, the buffer unit 40 may be disposed between the transfer chamber 50 and the device front-end module 20 . The buffer unit 40 provides a space for waiting for the substrate W provided to the process before being transferred to the process chamber 60 or the substrate W after the process is transferred to the device front end module 20 .

The transfer chamber 50 is arranged adjacent to the buffer unit 40 . The transfer chamber 50 has a polygonal body when viewed from above. Outside the main body, the buffer unit 40 and the plurality of process chambers 60 are arranged along the outer periphery of the main body. Each side wall of the main body is formed with a passage (not shown in the figure) for the substrate W to enter and exit, and the passage connects the transfer chamber 50 with the buffer unit 40 or the process chamber 60 . A door (not shown in the figure) that opens and closes the passage is provided in each passage to seal the interior. In the inner space of the transfer chamber 50 , a transfer robot 53 that transfers the substrate W between the buffer unit 40 and the process chamber 60 is arranged. The transfer robot 53 transfers the unprocessed substrate W waiting in the buffer unit 40 to the process chamber 60 , or transfers the process-processed substrate W to the buffer unit 40 . Also, in order to sequentially or simultaneously supply the substrates W to the plurality of process chambers 60 , the substrates W are transferred between the process chambers 60 .

The process chamber 60 may be disposed along the periphery of the transfer chamber 50 . Multiple process chambers 60 may be provided. In each of the process chambers 60 , the process processing of the substrate W is performed. The process chamber 60 receives the transfer substrate W from the transfer robot 53 , performs a process process, and supplies the substrate W after the process process to the transfer robot 53 . The process processing performed in the various process chambers 60 may vary from one another. The process performed by the process chamber 60 may be one of the processes in which the substrate W is used to produce a semiconductor device or a display panel.

The controller 70 can control each configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 including the buffer unit 40 .

The substrate W processed by the substrate processing apparatus 1 is a general concept including semiconductor elements or flat panel displays (FPDs) and other substrates used for manufacturing objects having circuit patterns formed on thin films. As examples of such a substrate W, there are silicon wafers, glass substrates, organic substrates, and the like.

4 is a plan view of a transfer robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the transfer robot 53 has two hands 53a and 53b of the shape of two hands. Both hands 53a, 53b share one drive 54 and are driven simultaneously. The two-handed transfer robot 53 is only an example, and the scope of rights is not limited to the two-handed transfer robot that is simultaneously driven by one driver.

FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating a buffer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5 , the buffer unit 40 includes housings 110 a and 110 b and a substrate support member 130 .

The housings 110a, 110b are frames that protect the buffer unit 40 . The housings 110a and 110b have internal spaces in which the substrates W are accommodated. Inside the casings 110a and 110b are formed passages 112a and 114a for the substrates W to enter and exit between the inner spaces of the casings 110a and 110b and the transfer frame 21, which are adjacent to the transfer frame 21 and are arranged in parallel. The passages 112b, 114b in and out between the inner space and the transfer chamber 50. Doors 116a, 116b, 117a, and 117b that open and close the passages to seal the interior spaces of the casings 110a, 110b from the outside are attached to the side walls where the passages 112a, 112b, 114a, and 114b are formed, respectively. On one side of the casings 110a, 110b, a gas supply line 181 for supplying purge gas to the inner spaces of the casings 110a, 110b is installed. The first casing 110a and the second casing 110b are arranged in parallel along the first direction 11 . Each of the housings 110a and 110b may be selectively provided with a clamp buffer 41 or a conduction buffer 42 .

FIG. 6 is a side view schematically illustrating the inside of the housing of the buffer unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 6 is a side view schematically illustrating the inside of either the first housing 110a or the second housing 110b. Hereinafter, for the first housing 110a or the second housing 110a, the housing 110 is represented. The housing 110 is provided by stacking the clamp buffer 41 and the conduction buffer 42 on top of each other.

The clamp buffer 41 forms a first buffer area 41a. The first buffer area 41 a includes a substrate support member 130 , a push rod 140 , and an edge clamp support member 150 . The turn-on buffer 42 forms a second buffer region 42a. The second buffer area 42 a includes the substrate support member 130 and the push rod 140 .

The board|substrate support member 130 supports the board|substrate W carried in by the buffer area|region 41a, 42a. The substrate support member 130 supports the bottom surface of the substrate W. The substrate support member 130 is located at the lower part of the buffer regions 41a, 42a. The substrate support member 130 is provided in a shape that does not interfere with the entry of the index robot 25 or the transfer robot 53 when the index robot 25 or the transfer robot 53 carries the substrate W in and out. As an example, the substrate supporting member 130 is provided in a rod shape, supporting the bottom surface of the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

The pusher 140 is located outside the substrate W supported by the substrate support member 130 . The lifters 140 line up the loaded substrates W. The pusher 140 is provided so that the portion facing the side surface of the substrate W can move in the direction toward the substrate W. As shown in FIG. A plurality of push rods 140 may be provided facing each other with the substrate W as a reference. As an example, the push rods 140 may be based on the substrate W, and two are provided opposite to each other, or four are provided in a direction crossing each other.

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating an operating state of the clamp buffer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7 , the clamp buffer 41 includes a substrate support member 130 and an edge clamp support member 150 .

The edge clamp support member 150 supports the edge clamp 160 . The edge jig supporting member 150 is located outside the edge of the substrate W supported by the substrate supporting member 130 .

The edge clamp support member 150 includes a support end 151 located at a second position h2 higher than the first position h1 which is the upper height of the substrate support member 130 . The support end 151 supports the edge clamp 160 . The support end 151 is connected to the drive part 152, which drives the support end 151 so that the second position h2 and the third position h3 are possible with respect to the second position h2 and the third position h3 which is higher than the second position h2 move between.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate is carried into the clamp buffer from the device front-end module. Referring to FIG. 8 , the edge jig 160 is located on the edge jig support member 150 before the substrate W is loaded into the buffer unit 40 from the device front end module 20 . The edge holder 160 is in a circular or quadrangular ring shape corresponding to the outer periphery of the substrate W, and is provided with a ceramic material.

In the ready state of the edge gripper 160 , the indexing robot 25 carries the substrate W to be processed into the clamping buffer 41 . The controller 70 controls the indexing robot 25 so that the substrate W is carried in to the height h4 which is spaced apart by a set distance above the height to be supported by the substrate supporting member 130 . Then, after the substrate W is aligned up and down with the position to be supported by the substrate supporting member 130 , the indexing robot 25 moves downward so that the substrate W is positioned on the substrate supporting member 130 .

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the pusher corrects the position of the substrate and the transfer robot enters. Referring to FIG. 9 , after the substrate W is loaded from the device front-end module 20 , the position of the substrate W can be corrected by the push rod 140 . The indexing robot 25 (refer to FIG. 8 ) is installed so that the substrate W is located at the installation position. However, in the process of positioning the substrate W on the substrate supporting member 130 , the position of the substrate W and the installation position are different. The controller 70 moves the push rod 140 in the direction of the substrate W by a set distance, and pushes the substrate W to the correct position. Then, the push rod 140 is kept away from the substrate W to prevent interference with other components. After the positioning of the substrate W is completed, the transfer robot 53 enters so as to be positioned on the lower side of the substrate.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate is picked up by the transfer robot and the edge jig is positioned on the substrate. Referring to FIG. 10 , the transfer robot 53 ascends the setting height further above the second position h2 (see FIG. 7 ) and picks up the substrate W (the setting height is lower than the third height h3 ). The edge gripper 160 is positioned on the substrate W while the transfer robot 53 is ascending to pick up the substrate W. As shown in FIG. After the pickup of the substrate W is completed, the transfer robot 53 retreats from the clamp buffer 41 in the direction of the transfer chamber 50 .

11 is a diagram showing a process chamber with a substrate placed on a susceptor. Referring to FIG. 11 , the process chamber 60 includes a chamber 2100 , a susceptor 2200 , a baffle 2300 and a plasma excitation part 2400 .

The chamber 2100 has an interior space where process processing is performed. The chamber 2100 may include: a processing chamber 2110 having an inner space for processing the substrate W; and a diffusion chamber 2120 for diffusing the plasma generated by the plasma excitation part 2400 . The diffusion chamber 2120 may have a diffusion space 2121 for plasma diffusion.

The susceptor 2200 may support the substrate W in the inner space of the chamber 2100 . The susceptor 2200 may be provided in the inner space of the chamber 2100 . The base 2200 may be provided in aluminum material. Inside the susceptor 2200, a cooling flow path (not shown in the figure) through which the cooling fluid circulates may be formed. The cooling fluid circulates along the cooling flow path to cool the susceptor 2200 . In susceptor 2200, in order to adjust the degree of plasma-based substrate W processing, power may be applied from a bias power supply (not shown in the figure). The power applied by the bias power supply may be a radio frequency (RF) power supply. The susceptor 2200 forms a sheath layer by means of the power applied by the bias power supply, and a high-density plasma is formed in this area, which can improve the process capability.

Inside the base 2200, a heating member 2220 may be provided. According to one example, the heating member 2220 may be provided by a heating wire. The heating member 2220 heats the substrate W to a preset temperature. The base 2200 may include lift pins (not shown in the figure), and when the substrate W is loaded into the process chamber 60 , the lift pins of the base 2200 may be raised. Around the base 2200, a guide ring 2230 surrounding the base 2200 is provided. The guide ring 2230 may be provided in a ceramic material.

The baffle 2300 is electrically connected to the upper wall of the processing chamber 2110. The baffle 2300 may be in the shape of a circular plate, and is arranged in parallel with the upper surface of the base 2200 . The baffle 2300 may be provided with an aluminum material with surface oxidation treatment. Dispensing holes 2310 are formed on the baffle plate 2300 . The distribution holes 2310 may be formed at predetermined intervals on a concentric circumference for uniform supply of radicals. The plasma diffused in the diffusion space 2121 flows into the distribution hole 2310 . At this time, charged particles such as electrons or ions are trapped by the baffle 2300 , while uncharged neutral particles such as oxygen radicals are supplied to the substrate W through the distribution holes 2310 . In addition, the baffle 2300 can be grounded to form a path for electrons or ions to move.

The plasma excitation unit 2400 generates plasma and supplies it to the chamber 2100 . The plasma excitation part 2400 may be provided at the upper portion of the chamber 2100 . The plasma excitation part 2400 includes an oscillator 2410 , a waveguide 2420 , a dielectric tube 2430 and a process gas supply part 2440 . The oscillator 2410 generates electromagnetic waves. The waveguide 2420 connects the oscillator 2410 and the dielectric tube 2430 , and provides a passage for the electromagnetic wave generated by the oscillator 2410 to transmit to the inside of the dielectric tube 2430 . The process gas supply part 2440 supplies the process gas to the upper part of the chamber 2100 . The process gas is selected according to the progress of the process. The process gas supplied inside the dielectric tube 2430 is excited into a plasma state by means of electromagnetic waves. The plasma flows into the diffusion space 2121 through the dielectric tube 2430 . The above-mentioned plasma excitation part 2400 takes the case of using electromagnetic waves as an example, but as another embodiment, the plasma excitation part 2400 can also be provided with an inductively coupled plasma excitation part and a capacitively coupled plasma excitation part.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the substrate W loaded into the process chamber 60 may be provided in a state where the upper edge of the substrate W is covered by the edge fixture 160 when viewed from above. The edge clamp 160 may suppress warpage of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 . Additionally, the edge clamp 160 may be supported by the guide ring 2230 . For example, the main body 161 of the edge clamp 160 described later may be supported by the guide ring 2230 .

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the edge clamp of FIG. 11 , and FIG. 13 is an enlarged view showing the portion “A” of FIG. 11 . Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13 , the edge clamp 160 may include a main body 161 and a protrusion 162 .

The body 161 may have a ring shape. The body 161 may have a circular or quadrangular ring shape. The shape of the body 161 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the processed substrate W. For example, when the shape of the substrate W is circular, the edge jig 160 including the body 161 having the shape of a circular ring may be used. Unlike this, when the shape of the substrate W is a quadrangle, the edge jig 160 including the main body 161 having the quadrangular ring shape may be used.

In addition, the main body 161 may present a staggered layer from the center of the main body 161 viewed from the upper side toward the outer side of the main body 161 so as to be inserted in the edge region of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 . For example, the main body 161 may be provided in a staggered manner downward from the center of the main body 161 viewed from the upper side toward the outer direction of the main body 161 so that the edge region of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 is inserted. Even if the edge clamp 160 is slightly not placed at the exact position of the guide ring 2230, the downwardly staggered portion of the main body 161 slides on the edge of the substrate W, so that the edge clamp 160 can be positioned at the exact position.

A plurality of protrusions 162 may be provided. The protrusions 162 may extend from the main body 161 to the inside thereof when viewed from above. The protrusion 162 may extend from the main body 161 toward the center of the main body 161 when viewed from above. In addition, the protrusions 162 may be provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the main body 161 . The protrusions 162 may be provided at the same interval from each other along the circumferential direction of the main body 161 .

After the edge jig 160 is supported by the guide ring 2230 , when viewed from above, the protrusion 162 of the edge jig 160 can be arranged so as to overlap the upper edge of the edge of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 . When viewed from above, the upper portion of the edge of the substrate W that does not overlap the protrusions 162 may be exposed to the plasma generated by the plasma excitation portion 2400 . That is, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of protrusions 162 are provided separately from each other along the circumferential direction of the main body 161, so that the surface of the substrate W can not be removed due to the fact that the upper edge of the substrate W is not exposed to the plasma and the photoresist cannot be removed. Poorly handled problems are minimized.

In addition, the lower surface of the protrusion 162 may be provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. For example, after the edge clamp 160 is supported on the guide ring 2230 , the lower surface of the protrusion 162 may be provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 . In addition, the lower surface of the protrusion 162 may be provided to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate W when the substrate W supported by the base 2200 is in a flat state. Therefore, the edge region of the substrate W may be exposed to the plasma generated by the plasma excitation part 2400 .

The upper surface of the guide ring 2230 may include an inner upper surface 2232 and an outer upper surface 2234. The inner upper surface 2232 may be provided at the same height as the upper surface of the base 2200. Unlike this, the inner upper surface 2232 may be provided at a lower level than the upper surface of the base 2200 . The outer upper surface 2234 may be provided at a height higher than the upper surface of the base 2200 . In addition, the upper surface of the guide ring 2230 may include an upwardly inclined portion 2236 that is upwardly inclined in a direction from the inner upper surface 2232 toward the outer upper surface 2234 .

Looking again at the edge clamp 160 , the body 161 of the edge clamp 160 can include an inner lower surface 164 supported by an inner upper surface 2232 of the guide ring 2230 . Additionally, the body 161 of the edge clamp 160 may include an outer lower surface 166 supported by an outer upper surface 2234 of the guide ring 2230 . The inner underside 164 may be provided at a height lower than the underside of the protrusions 162 . Outer underside 166 may be provided at a height lower than the underside of protrusion 162 . Outer underside 166 may be provided at a higher height than inner underside 164 . In addition, the main body 161 of the edge clamp 160 may further include a downward slope 168 that slopes downward in a direction from the outer lower surface 166 toward the inner lower surface 164 . The downward sloping portion 168 may have a shape corresponding to the upward sloping portion 2236 . After the edge clamp 160 is supported by the guide ring 2230 , the inner lower surface 164 of the edge clamp 160 can be in contact with the inner upper surface 2232 of the guide ring 2230 . After the edge clamp 160 is supported by the guide ring 2230 , the outer lower surface 166 of the edge clamp 160 can be in contact with the outer upper surface 2234 of the guide ring 2230 .

Generally speaking, in the process of processing the substrate W, in particular, in the process of supplying plasma to the substrate W to process the substrate, the substrate W will bend. Therefore, in order to suppress the bending phenomenon of the substrate W, a method of clamping the substrate W with respect to the edge region of the substrate W using a window clamp may be considered. However, this method cannot properly perform plasma processing in the edge region of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. Specifically, when a window clamp is used to clamp (clamping) the edge region of the substrate W, the upper part of the edge of the substrate W is not exposed to the plasma supplied to the substrate W. Therefore, in the edge region of the substrate W, the photoresist coated on the substrate W cannot be properly removed, which leads to poor surface treatment (Poor Coating).

However, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the edge clamp 160 has a plurality of protrusions 162 . Therefore, when viewed from above, a part of the edge region of the substrate W overlaps with the plurality of protrusions 162 . That is, a region of the edge region of the substrate W that does not overlap with the protrusion 162 is exposed to the plasma when viewed from above. Therefore, in the edge region of the substrate W, the occurrence of poor coating can be minimized. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the substrate W supported by the base 2200 is in a flat state, the lower surface of the protrusion 162 is provided to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. Therefore, the plasma flows into the space between the lower surface of the protrusion 162 and the upper surface of the edge of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. That is, the upper surface of the edge of the substrate W is exposed to the plasma, so that the occurrence of poor coating in the edge region of the substrate W can be minimized. In addition, as shown in FIG. 14 , when the substrate W is bent, even if the upper surface of the substrate W is in contact with the lower surface of the protrusions 162 , poor surface treatment (Poor Coating) may occur compared with the case of using a common window splint. achieve minimization. Specifically, a common window clamp (Window Clamp) is in surface contact with the upper edge of the substrate W. However, the protrusions 162 of the edge clamp 160 according to one embodiment of the present invention are provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. In addition, even if the substrate W is bent, the upper surface of the substrate W and the lower surface of the protrusions 162 are in line contact. That is, the area of the substrate W in contact with the edge jig 160 is reduced as compared with the case of using a common window clamp. Therefore, the occurrence of poor coating in the edge region of the substrate W can be minimized.

15 is a sequence diagram of a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 15, the edge clamp 160 is positioned at the support end 151 of the clamp buffer 41 (step S10).

The index robot 25 transfers the substrate W before the process processing to each first buffer area 41a of the clamp buffer 41, S20. One embodiment provides a state in which the substrate W is carried into one of the first buffer regions 41 a from the clamp buffer 41 , while the other first buffer region 41 a is not carried into the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

After the substrates W are aligned by the push rods 140 and the support end 151 of the clamp buffer without the substrate W is raised and lowered, the hands 53a and 53b of the transfer robot 53 simultaneously enter the clamp buffer unit (step S30).

When the entered hands 53a, 53b reach the position where the clamping buffer unit is provided, the hands 53a, 53b rise above the support end 151 and pick up the substrate W (step S40). The substrate W is picked up, and the edge clamp 160 is picked up at the same time.

The transfer robot 53 that has finished picking up the substrate W and the edge gripper 160 retreats in the direction of the transfer chamber 50 and unloads the substrate W from the clamp buffer unit (step S50 ).

The substrate and edge fixture 160 transferred to the transfer chamber 50 are transferred to the process chamber 60 (step S60).

The substrate W transferred to the process chamber 60 is placed on the susceptor 2200 supporting the substrate W in the chamber 2100 (step S70). That is, the substrate W is supported by the base 2200 . At this time, the substrate W is transferred to the edge jig 160 of the process chamber 60 and supported by the guide ring 2230 surrounding the susceptor 2200 .

After the substrate W is placed on the base 2200 , the plasma excitation unit 2400 generates plasma. The plasma generated by the plasma excitation unit 2400 is diffused through the diffusion space 2121 . The plasma diffused in the diffusion space 2121 is transferred to the substrate W through the distribution holes 2310 of the baffle 2300 . The plasma transferred to the substrate W processes the substrate W (step S80). The plasma transferred to the substrate W can remove the photoresist (Photoresist) coated on the substrate W. In addition, the edge jig 160 is located on the upper part of the edge of the substrate W during the time when the plasma is transferred to the substrate W and the substrate W is processed, and the bending phenomenon of the substrate W can be suppressed. As an example, the plurality of protrusions 162 of the edge clamp 160 are located on the upper part of the edge of the substrate W, which can suppress the bending of the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

In the above-mentioned example, the case where the lower surface of the protrusion 162 is provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate W has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 16 , the lower surface of the protrusion 162 may be provided in contact with the upper surface of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 . For example, the protrusions 162 may also be provided in contact with the upper surface of the substrate W supported by the base 2200 during the process.

The above detailed description is for the purpose of exemplifying the present invention. In addition, the foregoing description shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, which may be used in various different combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, changes or revisions can be made within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, the scope equivalent to the foregoing disclosure, and/or the scope of technology or knowledge in the industry. The foregoing embodiments illustrate the optimum state required for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and various modifications required by the specific application fields and uses of the present invention can also be made. Therefore, the above summary of the invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the disclosed embodiments. In addition, it should be construed that the scope of the appended claims also includes other embodiments.

1: Substrate processing equipment 4: Carrier 6: Support part 10: Load port 11: The first direction 12: Second direction 20: Device front-end module 21: Transfer the frame 25: Index Robot 27: Transfer track 30: Process Processing Department 40: Buffer unit 41: Clamping buffer 41a: first buffer area 42: turn-on buffer 42a: Second buffer area 50: Transfer chamber 53: Transfer Robot 53a: both hands 53b: both hands 54: Drive 60: Process chamber 70: Controller 110: Shell 110a: Shell 110b: Shell 112a: Access 112b: Access 114a: Access 114b: Access 116a: Door 116b: Door 117a: Door 117b: Door 130: substrate support member 140: putter 150: Edge Clamp Support Member 151: support end 152: Drive Department 160: Edge Fixture 161: Subject 162: Raised 164: Inside Below 166: Outside Below 168: Downward slope 181: Gas supply line 2100: Chamber Chamber 2110: Processing Chamber 2120: Diffusion Chamber 2121: Diffusion Space 2200: Pedestal 2220: Heating components 2230: Guide Ring 2232: Inside Top 2234: Outside top 2236: Slope Up 2300: Baffle 2310: Distribution hole 2400: Plasma Excitation Department 2410: Oscillator 2420: still-pipe 2430: Dielectric Tube 2440: Process Gas Supply Department W: substrate S10-S80: Steps

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a substrate is warped and a gap is formed between the substrate and the base. FIG. 2 is a view showing how a window clamp is used to clamp the edge region of the substrate in order to suppress warpage of the substrate. 3 is a top view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a plan view of a transfer robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating a buffer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side view schematically illustrating the inside of the housing of the buffer unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a side view illustrating an operating state of the clamp buffer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate is carried into the clamp buffer from the device front-end module. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the pusher corrects the position of the substrate and the transfer robot enters. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate is picked up by the transfer robot and the edge gripper is positioned on the substrate. 11 is a diagram showing a process chamber with a substrate mounted on a susceptor. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the edge clamp of FIG. 11 . FIG. 13 is an enlarged view showing the portion "A" of FIG. 11 . FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which a bending phenomenon occurs in the substrate during processing of the substrate. 15 is a sequence diagram of a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an edge clamp according to another embodiment of the present invention.

160: Edge Fixture

161: Subject

162: Raised

Claims (16)

A substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber having an inner space; a susceptor that supports a substrate in the inner space; and a plasma excitation section that generates plasma and supplies the inner space and an edge clamp that suppresses bending of a substrate supported by the base; the edge clamp comprises: an annular body; a plurality of protrusions extending from the body to the inside thereof, along the The main body is provided at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction, and is provided so as to overlap with the upper part of the edge of the substrate supported by the base when viewed from above, wherein the lower surface of the protrusion is in a flat state when the substrate supported by the base is in a flat state. The aforementioned protrusions are provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate supported by the aforementioned base, and wherein the edge region of the aforementioned substrate is exposed to the plasma generated by the aforementioned plasma excitation portion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion extends toward the center of the main body. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main body is provided in a staggered manner downward from the center of the main body viewed from above toward the outer side of the main body so as to be inserted into the edge region of the substrate supported by the base. . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the substrate processing apparatus further includes a guide ring surrounding the periphery of the base, and the main body is supported by the guide ring. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the upper surface of the guide ring includes: an inner upper surface provided at a height equal to or lower than the upper surface of the base; and An outer upper surface provided at a height higher than the aforementioned base upper surface; the aforementioned main body includes: an inner lower surface supported by the aforementioned inner upper surface; an outer lower surface supported by the aforementioned outer upper surface. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the guide ring further includes an upwardly inclined portion, the upwardly inclined portion is inclined upwardly in a direction from the inner upper surface to the outer upper surface, and the main body further includes a downwardly inclined portion, The aforementioned downwardly inclined portion is inclined downwardly in a direction from the aforementioned outer lower surface toward the aforementioned inner lower surface, and is provided in a shape corresponding to the aforementioned upwardly inclined portion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are provided in contact with the upper surface of the substrate supported by the base during the process. A substrate processing equipment includes: a device front-end module; and a processing module for processing a substrate; the device front-end module includes: a loading port, the loading port is used for placing a container accommodating the substrate; and a transfer frame, the transfer frame provides An indexing robot for transferring substrates between the loading port and the processing module; the processing module includes: a clamping buffer, the clamping buffer is arranged adjacent to the front-end module of the device; a process chamber, the process chamber a chamber for processing a substrate; a transfer chamber having a transfer robot for transferring substrates between the process chamber and the clamping buffer; the clamping buffer comprising: a substrate supporting member, the substrate supporting member a support substrate; and an edge clamp support member, the edge clamp support member has a support end for supporting the edge clamp; the process chamber includes: a chamber, the chamber has an interior space; a base, the base supports a substrate in the interior space; plasma excitation part, the plasma excitation part generates plasma and supplies it to the inner space; the edge clamp, the edge clamp suppresses the bending of the substrate supported by the base; the edge clamp includes: a ring-shaped body; a plurality of protrusions, A plurality of the projections extend from the main body to the inside thereof, are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the main body, and are provided to overlap the upper portion of the edge of the substrate supported by the base when viewed from above, wherein the projections When the substrate supported by the susceptor is in a flat state, the projections are provided spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate supported by the susceptor, and the edge region of the substrate is exposed to the electricity generated by the plasma excitation part. pulp. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion extends toward the center of the main body. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the main body is provided in a staggered manner downward from the center of the main body viewed from above toward the outer side of the main body so as to be inserted into the edge region of the substrate supported by the base. . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the substrate processing apparatus further includes a guide ring surrounding the periphery of the base, and the main body is supported by the guide ring. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the upper surface of the guide ring includes: An inner upper surface provided at a height equal to or lower than the aforementioned base upper surface; and an outer upper surface provided at a height higher than the aforementioned base upper surface; the aforementioned main body comprises: an inner lower surface supported by the aforementioned inner upper surface; supported by the aforementioned outer upper surface outside below. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the guide ring further includes an upwardly inclined portion, and the upwardly inclined portion is inclined upwardly in a direction from the inner upper surface to the outer upper surface, and the main body further includes a downwardly inclined portion, The aforementioned downwardly inclined portion is inclined downwardly in a direction from the aforementioned outer lower surface toward the aforementioned inner lower surface, and is provided in a shape corresponding to the aforementioned upwardly inclined portion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the protrusions are provided in contact with the upper surface of the substrate supported by the base during the process. A substrate processing method, wherein the method utilizes the substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 or 9 to process a substrate, comprising the following steps: the step of positioning the edge clamp at the support end of the clamping buffer; carrying the substrate before the process treatment into the substrate the step of clamping the buffer; and the step of transferring the edge clamp and the substrate from the clamping buffer to the process chamber. The substrate processing method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: supporting the substrate on the susceptor; and processing the substrate with plasma in the process chamber; and processing the substrate During the execution of the step of , a plurality of the protrusions of the edge clamp are located on the upper part of the edge of the substrate to restrain the bending of the substrate.

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