TWI844367B - Substrate treating apparatus and substrate treating method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method using the same, which can control the warp of the substrate by the adsorption force and/or lifting of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins when the bottom surface of the substrate is adsorbed by a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins. The substrate processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a support portion configured to support the substrate; a sensing portion configured to predict or measure the bending and deformation state of the substrate according to the process recipe of the substrate; and a pin warp control device, including a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins arranged on the support portion in a manner capable of lifting. The warp control device is configured to vacuum adsorb the bottom surface of the substrate by at least one of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins according to the measured bending and deformation state of the substrate to control the bending and deformation of the substrate.

Description

Substrate processing device and substrate processing method using the same

The present invention relates to a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method, and more particularly, to a substrate processing device having a vacuum adsorption pin capable of controlling warp and a substrate processing method using the device.

Semiconductor integrated circuits are generally very small and thin silicon chips, but they are composed of a variety of electronic components. In order to produce a semiconductor chip, it must go through a variety of manufacturing processes such as lithography, etching, evaporation, reflow, and packaging. As various substances are evaporated on semiconductor substrates such as wafers, the semiconductor substrate may bend and deform (warp) due to factors such as different thermal expansion coefficients. This warping phenomenon may show different phenomena depending on the material of the wafer (for example, silicon, glass, etc.).

As mentioned above, if plasma processing is performed while the wafer is bent and deformed, local plasma will occur on the lower surface of the wafer, which may cause damage to the wafer and accessories. In order to prevent these problems from occurring, a clamping ring called a window clamp can be placed on the periphery of the wafer to apply a clamping load to the periphery of the wafer to prevent the wafer from bending and deforming.

However, the conventional clamping ring has the following limitations: when the edge of the substrate warps and forms a concave warpage shape, the substrate warpage can be suppressed, but when the center of the substrate warps and forms a convex warpage shape, the substrate warpage cannot be controlled. In addition, since the edge of the substrate needs to be pressurized by the clamping ring, there is a disadvantage that the effective area of the substrate that can be used for semiconductor manufacturing is reduced, and the area equivalent to the contact portion with the clamping ring is reduced.

[Problem the invention is intended to solve]

The present invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned conventional substrate warp control technical problems, and is used to provide a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method using the same, which can control the warp of the substrate by the adsorption force and/or lifting control of the multiple vacuum adsorption pins when the bottom surface of the substrate is adsorbed by multiple vacuum adsorption pins.

In addition, the present invention is used to provide a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method using the same, which can not only effectively suppress the concave warp phenomenon in which the substrate is bent in a concave shape, but also effectively suppress the convex warp phenomenon in which the substrate is bent in a convex shape, and effectively control the warp according to the warp shape and warp curvature of the substrate.

In addition, the present invention is used to provide a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method using the same. When the substrate is not tightly attached to the supporting chuck or the substrate straddles the guide ring due to position error, resulting in an increase in the distance between the vacuum adsorption pin and the substrate, it can send out an alarm by sensing the increase in vacuum pressure, thereby stopping the process before performing an abnormal process to prevent damage to the substrate.

In addition, the present invention is used to provide a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method using the same, which can increase the effective area of the substrate and perform uniform processing on the entire area of the substrate by vacuum adsorbing a thin rod-shaped vacuum adsorption pin to the bottom of the substrate without providing a clamping ring on the periphery of the substrate to minimize the thermal impact on the substrate while controlling the warp. [Means for solving the problem]

The substrate processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises: a support part configured to support a substrate; a sensing part configured to predict or measure the bending deformation state of the substrate according to the process recipe of the substrate; and a warp control device, comprising a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins arranged on the support part in a manner capable of being raised and lowered. The warp control device is configured to: vacuum adsorb the bottom surface of the substrate by at least one of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins according to the measured bending deformation state of the substrate to control the bending deformation of the substrate.

The plurality of vacuum adsorption pins may include: a central vacuum adsorption pin, which is arranged in a central area of the support portion to vacuum adsorb the central portion of the substrate; and a plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins, which are configured to be arranged in an outer area of the central area in a spaced manner and adsorb the edge area of the substrate.

The bending deformation state may include at least one of a concave curling state in which an edge region of the substrate curls and a convex curling state in which a central region of the substrate curls.

The warp control device can be configured as follows: when the sensing portion senses the concave warp state, the warp of the substrate is controlled only by operating the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins among the multiple vacuum adsorption pins; and when the sensing portion senses the convex warp state, the warp of the substrate is controlled only by operating the central vacuum adsorption pin among the multiple vacuum adsorption pins.

The warp control device can be configured as follows: determining a lifting height corresponding to a rising distance of each of the central vacuum adsorption pins and each of the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the warp state of the substrate, and lifting and lowering the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the determined lifting height; lowering the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins to a height the same as the lifting height when the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate; and maintaining the substrate in a flat plate shape without warp by at least one vacuum adsorption pin when the driving of at least one of the central vacuum adsorption pins and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins is interrupted.

The vacuum adsorption pin may include: a vacuum pad, which contacts the bottom surface of the substrate and has a vacuum hole in the center; and a vacuum pipeline, which is configured to communicate with the vacuum hole and form a vacuum in the space between the bottom surface of the substrate and the vacuum pad. The sensing part may include a sensor part, which is configured to measure the pressure of the vacuum pipeline to determine whether the bottom surface of the substrate is tightly attached to the vacuum pad. The substrate processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention may also include: an alarm part, which determines whether the substrate is warped according to whether the substrate is tightly attached to the vacuum pad to issue a warp alarm.

The warp control device can be configured to: determine one or more first vacuum adsorption pins among the multiple vacuum adsorption pins corresponding to the substrate area that is warped due to warping when the substrate warps; raise the first vacuum adsorption pin when one or more second vacuum adsorption pins other than the first vacuum adsorption pin among the multiple vacuum adsorption pins are in a stationary state; after the first vacuum adsorption pin rises to contact with the bottom surface of the substrate, vacuum adsorption is performed on the bottom surface of the substrate by the first vacuum adsorption pin; and when the substrate is in a vacuum adsorption state, the first vacuum adsorption pin is lowered to the height of the second vacuum adsorption pin.

The process recipe may include at least one of a process type for the substrate, a substrate type, a physical property of the substrate, or a target bending deformation state.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing method may include: a step of predicting or measuring the bending deformation state of the substrate by a sensing part according to the process recipe of the substrate; and a step of controlling the bending deformation of the substrate by a warp control device by vacuum adsorbing the bottom surface of the substrate by at least one of a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins according to the bending deformation state of the substrate, wherein the warp control device includes the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins arranged on a supporting part for supporting the substrate in a manner that can be raised and lowered.

The step of controlling the bending deformation of the substrate may include: determining a lifting height corresponding to a rising distance of each of the central vacuum adsorption pins and each of the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the warping state of the substrate; driving the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins to lift and lower according to the determined lifting height; lowering the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins to a height equal to the lifting height when the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate; and maintaining the substrate in a flat shape and without warping by at least one vacuum adsorption pin while interrupting the driving of at least one of the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins.

The step of controlling the bending deformation of the substrate may include: determining one or more first vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins corresponding to the substrate area that is warped due to warping when the substrate warps; raising the first vacuum adsorption pins when one or more second vacuum adsorption pins other than the first vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in a stationary state; after the first vacuum adsorption pins are raised to contact the bottom surface of the substrate, vacuum adsorption of the bottom surface of the substrate by the first vacuum adsorption pins; and lowering the first vacuum adsorption pins to the height of the second vacuum adsorption pins when the substrate is in a vacuum adsorption state. [Effect of the invention]

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing device and a substrate processing method using the same are provided, wherein when a bottom surface of a substrate is adsorbed by a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins, the warp of the substrate can be controlled by the adsorption force and/or lifting control of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, not only the concave warp phenomenon in which the substrate is bent in a concave shape can be effectively suppressed, but also the convex warp phenomenon in which the substrate is bent in a convex shape can be effectively suppressed, and the warp can be effectively controlled according to the warp shape and warp curvature of the substrate.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the substrate is not tightly attached to the support chuck, or when the distance between the vacuum adsorption pin and the substrate increases due to a position error that causes the substrate to cross the guide ring, an alarm can be issued by sensing the increase in vacuum pressure, thereby stopping the process before performing an abnormal process to prevent damage to the substrate.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, a thin rod-shaped vacuum adsorption pin can be vacuum adsorbed to the bottom of the substrate without providing a clamping ring on the periphery of the substrate to minimize the thermal impact on the substrate and control the warp, thereby increasing the effective area of the substrate and performing uniform treatment on the entire area of the substrate.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the following embodiments. The present embodiments are provided to enable those skilled in the art to more completely explain the present invention. Therefore, the shapes of the elements in the drawings may be slightly exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

According to the substrate processing device with vacuum adsorption pins capable of controlling warping and the substrate processing method using the same according to the embodiments of the present invention, the bending and deformation state of the substrate can be predicted or measured by a sensing unit based on the process recipe of the substrate, and the bottom surface of the substrate can be vacuum adsorbed by a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins which are liftably arranged on a supporting unit for supporting the substrate to control the bending and deformation of the substrate.

Fig. 1a is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1a, a substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for performing a processing process of a substrate 10. The substrate processing apparatus 100 may be a variety of apparatuses for performing a process on the substrate 10.

The substrate processing device 100 may be a device for performing, for example, a plasma process, a packaging process, a reflow process, an etching process, a evaporation process, a lithography process, or a thermal treatment process. The substrate 10 processed in the substrate processing device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be a semiconductor wafer, a mask, a glass substrate, or a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, but is not limited thereto.

The substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a support chuck 110, a processing portion 120, and a warp control device 200 provided in a chamber 100a. The chamber 100a has a processing space therein for processing a substrate 10. Various accessories required for processing the substrate 10 may be provided inside the chamber 100a according to the type of substrate processing process performed by the substrate processing apparatus 100.

For example, when the substrate processing device 100 is provided as a device for processing the substrate 10 using plasma, a structure for providing a process gas for generating plasma, a structure for converting the process gas into plasma (for example, a high-frequency generator, etc.), process gas inside the processing space, and accessories for exhausting plasma, etc. can be provided in the processing space of the chamber 100a.

The support chuck 110 is equivalent to a support portion provided for supporting the substrate 10. As an example, the support chuck 110 may be provided as an electrostatic chuck for supporting the bottom surface (lower surface) of the substrate 10, but is not limited thereto. A guide ring 111 for guiding the substrate 10 may be provided around the support chuck 110. The support chuck 110 may be insulated by an insulator 112.

An exhaust ring 113 for uniformly discharging process gas may be provided in the chamber 100a. The processing unit 120 is a structure for performing a substrate processing process on the substrate 10, and may include, for example, a high frequency generator for generating and controlling plasma, a high frequency controller, a heater for heating the substrate 10, and the like.

FIG1b is a block diagram showing a warp control device constituting a substrate processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG1a and FIG1b, the warp control device 200 may include: a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210, which are arranged on the support chuck 110 in a liftable manner to control the warp of the substrate 10; a drive control unit 220, which is used to control the vacuum adsorption force and lift drive of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 to control the warp of the substrate 10; a sensing unit 230, which is configured to predict or measure the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 according to the process recipe set on the substrate 10; and an alarm unit 240, which issues an alarm when warp is sensed.

The sensing unit 230 can sense the bending deformation state according to the process recipe, wherein the process recipe includes: a process type for the substrate, a substrate type, physical properties of the substrate and a target bending deformation state, and the bending deformation state includes: at least one of a concave curvature state of a curled edge region of the substrate 10 and a convex curvature state of a curled center region of the substrate 10.

The control forces of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 on the substrate 10 can be controlled to have different magnitudes. With this configuration, the substrate processing apparatus 100 can control the warp of the substrate 10 by more finely adjusting the shape of the substrate 10 so that the substrate 10 changes into a plurality of bending and deformation states.

The sensing part 230 can predict, measure or obtain various variables related to the bending deformation state of the substrate 10. For example, the sensing part 230 can be installed on one side of each vacuum adsorption pin 210 (for example, the upper end of the vacuum adsorption pin) to measure the distance from the substrate 10, thereby measuring the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 in each area, and measuring the curvature of the substrate 10 and related values.

As another example, the sensing unit 230 may also sense the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 by means of an image sensor, or predict the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 according to a process recipe such as a process type for the substrate 10 (type of process gas, supply amount of process gas, timing supply mode of process gas, timing pressure control mode, timing temperature control mode, timing supply mode of radio frequency (RF) plasma, etc.), substrate type, physical properties of the substrate, and target bending deformation state.

The target bending deformation state refers to the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 as a basis for the process recipe when the process recipe set for the substrate 10 is set based on the state in which bending occurs. In this case, the warp control device 200 can control the warp (bending deformation) of the substrate so that the substrate 10 becomes the target bending deformation state. The target bending deformation state may include a flat substrate state, a concave shape bending deformation state, a convex shape bending deformation state, and bending deformation rate information.

The drive control unit 220 may include: a vacuum adsorption control unit 222, which is used to control the vacuum adsorption force of at least one of the multiple vacuum adsorption pins 210 according to the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 sensed by the sensing unit 230; and a lifting drive control unit 224, which is used to control the lifting and lowering drive of at least one of the multiple vacuum adsorption pins 210 according to the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 sensed by the sensing unit 230.

The warp control device 200 can control the bending deformation of the substrate 10 by vacuum adsorbing the bottom surface of the substrate 10 through at least one of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210. The plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 may include: a central vacuum adsorption pin 212, which is disposed in the central area of the support chuck 110 and vacuum adsorbs the central part of the substrate 10; and a plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214, which are separated from the outer area of the central area of the support chuck 110 and adsorb the edge area of the substrate 10.

In addition to being able to perform the function of controlling the warping of the substrate 10, the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 can also perform the following functions: after the substrate 10 is transferred into the chamber 100a through the entrance 100b by the end effector hand (not shown) of the substrate transport robot, it is lowered onto the support chuck 110, and the substrate 10 that has been processed is lifted from the support chuck 110 and transferred to the end effector hand of the substrate transport robot.

When the sensing portion 230 senses the concave warp state, the warp control device 200 can control the warp of the substrate 10 by operating only the edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210. In contrast, when the sensing portion 230 senses the convex warp state, the warp control device 200 can control the warp of the substrate 10 by operating only the center vacuum adsorption pins of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210.

In order to lift and lower the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210, a plurality of lifting grooves may be formed in the support chuck 110 in the vertical direction. The vacuum adsorption pins 210 may be lifted and lowered by the drive control unit 220 through the lifting grooves provided in the support chuck 110. The vacuum adsorption pins 210 may be lifted and lowered between a height lower than the upper surface of the support chuck 110 at the upper end and a height higher than the upper surface of the support chuck 110.

The lifting drive control unit 224 may include a driving motor for lifting and driving the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210, a driving cylinder driven by the driving motor, etc. The lifting drive control unit 224 may be implemented as driving the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 in a linked manner or driving each of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 individually.

Fig. 2 is a top view showing a portion of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a vacuum adsorption pin constituting the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figs. 1a to 3, the vacuum adsorption pin 210 may include a vacuum pad 210a and a vacuum line 210c.

The vacuum pad 210a can be provided at the end of the lifting pin 210b with the coupling portion 210d as a medium, so that it can be lifted and lowered by the lifting drive control unit 224 and contact the bottom surface of the substrate 10, and the vacuum pad 210a can be provided with a vacuum hole in the center. The vacuum pipeline 210c is connected to the vacuum hole provided in the vacuum pad 210a, and can be provided in the up and down direction along the lifting pin 210b, and the lifting pin 210b is configured to form a vacuum in the space between the bottom surface of the substrate 10 and the vacuum pad 210a. The vacuum adsorption control unit 222 can suck air from the vacuum pipeline 210c and vacuum adsorb and support the bottom surface of the substrate 10.

The sensing unit 230 may include: a sensor unit 232, which determines whether the bottom surface of the substrate 10 and the vacuum pad 210a (i.e., 212a, 214a) are in close contact with each other by measuring the pressure of the vacuum line; and a warp sensing unit 234, which determines whether the substrate 10 is warped according to whether the substrate 10 is in close contact with the vacuum pad 210a (i.e., 212a, 214a). The alarm unit 240 may issue an alarm to inform whether the substrate is warped or not by various means such as a warning sound or a warning display.

The sensing part 230 may sense the occurrence of substrate warp based on the vacuum pressure of the vacuum line sensed by the sensor part 232. When the vacuum pressure between the vacuum adsorption pins 210 and the substrate 10 exceeds a set vacuum range, the sensing part 230 may sense the occurrence of substrate warp. The vacuum range set for sensing warp may have a first vacuum pressure value as its lower limit and a second vacuum pressure value as its upper limit.

When the vacuum pressure of the vacuum adsorption pin 210 sensed by the sensing unit 230 is lower than the first vacuum pressure value, the increase in process cost due to over-adsorption can be prevented by reducing the vacuum adsorption strength. When the vacuum pressure of the vacuum adsorption pin 210 sensed by the sensing unit 230 is greater than the second vacuum pressure, the sensing unit 230 can issue a warning of the risk of warping.

The sensing unit 230 can determine whether the vacuum pressure of the vacuum adsorption pins 210 is within a boundary range set in the vacuum range. When the sensing unit 230 determines that the measured vacuum pressure is within the set boundary range, the vacuum adsorption force of the vacuum adsorption pins 210 can be increased to suppress the warping of the substrate 10.

When the lower limit of the vacuum range for sensing the risk of warping is set to the first vacuum pressure value, and the upper limit of the vacuum range is set to the second vacuum pressure value, the lower limit of the boundary range can be set to the third vacuum pressure value, and the upper limit of the boundary range can be set to the second vacuum pressure value. At this time, the third vacuum pressure value can be set as a value between the first vacuum pressure value and the second vacuum pressure value, and is set to a vacuum pressure value that is closer to the second vacuum pressure value than the first vacuum pressure value.

According to this embodiment, the vacuum suction force (target vacuum pressure) of the vacuum suction pin 210 is set according to the difference between the vacuum pressure sensed by the sensing portion 230 and the third vacuum pressure value and/or the second vacuum pressure value, thereby preventing the occurrence of warping without applying unnecessary and excessive vacuum suction force.

4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the action of controlling the warp of a substrate that senses a concave warp state according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1a, FIG. 1b, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in order to control the warp of the substrate 10 in the concave warp state, as shown in FIG. 4, the warp control device 200 can drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 upward, so that the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 contact the bottom surface of the substrate 10 in the concave warp state.

That is, the warp control device 200 can raise the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to a height as high as the first height H1, and raise the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to a height as high as the second height H2, and the second height H2 is higher than the first height H1 by a height corresponding to the amount of warp. The amount of warp can be determined according to the concave warp state. The difference between the second height H2 and the first height H1 can be determined to be the same as the following value: according to the warp of the substrate 10, based on the height of the central area of the substrate 10, the height of the outer side area of the bottom surface of the substrate 10 that can be in contact with the edge vacuum adsorption pin 214 to bend and rise.

In one embodiment, the warp control device 200 can determine the lifting height corresponding to the rising distance of each central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and each of the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 according to the warp state of the substrate 10, and drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to rise and fall according to the determined lifting height.

As another embodiment, the warp control device 200 may also separately drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to move up and down until the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 respectively contact the bottom surface of the central region and the bottom surface of the edge region of the substrate 10. To this end, a distance sensor for sensing the distance between the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 and the bottom surface of the substrate 10 may be provided on the upper end side.

When the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate 10, the warp control device 200 can use the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to lower the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to the same height as the first height H1 and the second height H2 respectively when the substrate 10 is vacuum adsorbed.

5, the substrate 10 can be processed while the substrate 10 is kept in a flat plate shape without warping by the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210. During the processing of the substrate 10, the vacuum adsorption drive of the central vacuum adsorption pins 212 can also be stopped. In this case, the substrate 10 can be processed while the edge area of the substrate 10 is vacuum adsorbed by the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to control the warping.

Alternatively, during the process of processing the substrate 10, the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 can also be vacuum-driven together with multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214. At this time, by setting the vacuum adsorption force of each edge vacuum adsorption pin 214 to be higher than the vacuum adsorption force of the central vacuum adsorption pin 212, the processing of the substrate 10 can be performed while controlling the warping of the substrate 10.

On the other hand, when excessive vacuum suction is required during the process of processing the substrate 10 in order to control the warp of the substrate 10 when the substrate 10 is completely flattened by multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214, the center portion of the substrate 10 can be mechanically lifted by protruding the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to a height higher than the edge vacuum adsorption pin 214 (for example, several mm from the upper surface of the support chuck), thereby effectively controlling the warp of the substrate 10.

FIG6 is a diagram for explaining the action of controlling the warping of a substrate that senses a concave warping state according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG1a, FIG1b and FIG6, if the substrate 10 is in a concave warping state before or during the process of the substrate 10, the warping control device 200 can drive the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 upward to contact the bottom surface of the substrate 10 in the concave warping state.

That is, the warp control device 200 can make the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 rise to a height equal to the amount of warp generation while interrupting the driving of the center vacuum adsorption pins 212. The amount of warp generation can be determined according to the concave warp state of the substrate 10, and is determined to be the same as the following value: according to the warp of the substrate 10, the height of the outer side area A of the bottom surface of the substrate 10 that can contact the edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 is bent and raised based on the height of the central area of the substrate 10.

In one embodiment, the warp control device 200 can determine the lifting distance of the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 according to the warp state of the substrate 10, and respectively lift and lower the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 according to the determined lifting distance. Alternatively, the warp control device 200 can also lift and lower the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 until the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 respectively contact the bottom surface of the edge region of the substrate 10.

When the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate 10, the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 can vacuum adsorb the substrate 10 while the vacuum adsorption action of the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 is stopped, and then the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 are lowered to the preset original position. Afterwards, the substrate 10 can be processed while the substrate 10 is kept in a flat plate shape without warping by the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214. At this time, the vacuum adsorption drive of the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 can also be stopped during the process of processing the substrate 10, and the substrate 10 can be processed while the edge area of the substrate 10 is vacuum adsorbed by the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to control the warping.

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the action of controlling the warp of a substrate in a convex warp state according to an embodiment of the present invention. The following description is made with reference to Fig. 1a, Fig. 1b and Fig. 7. In order to control the warp of a substrate 10 in a convex warp state, as shown in Fig. 7, the warp control device 200 can drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 upward, so that the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate 10 in a convex warp state.

That is, the warp control device 200 can raise the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to a height as high as the first lifting height H3, and raise the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to a height as high as the second lifting height H4, and the second lifting height H4 is lower than the first lifting height H3 by a height corresponding to the amount of warp. The amount of warp can be determined according to the convex warp state. The difference between the second lifting height H4 and the first lifting height H3 can be determined to be the same as the following value: according to the warp of the substrate 10, the height of the outer side area of the bottom surface of the substrate 10 that can be in contact with the edge vacuum adsorption pin 214 can be bent and lowered based on the height of the central area of the substrate 10.

In one embodiment, the warp control device 200 can determine the lifting height (H3, H4) corresponding to the rising distance of each central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and each of the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 according to the warp state of the substrate 10, and drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to rise and fall according to the determined lifting height (H3, H4).

As another embodiment, the warp control device 200 can also lift and lower the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 respectively until the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 contact the bottom surface of the central area and the bottom surface of the edge area of the substrate 10 respectively.

When the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate 10, the warp control device 200 can use the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to respectively lower the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 and the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to the same height as the first lifting height H3 and the second lifting height H4 when the substrate 10 is vacuum adsorbed.

Afterwards, the substrate 10 can be processed while the substrate 10 is maintained in a flat plate shape without warping by the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210. During the processing of the substrate 10, the vacuum adsorption drive of the edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 can also be stopped. In this case, the substrate 10 can be processed while the central vacuum adsorption pins 212 vacuum adsorb the central area of the substrate 10 to control the warping.

FIG8 is a diagram for explaining the action of controlling the warping of a substrate that senses a convex warping state according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG1a, FIG1b and FIG8, if the substrate 10 is in a convex warping state before or during the process of the substrate 10, the warping control device 200 can drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 upward to contact the bottom surface of the substrate 10 in the convex warping state.

That is, the warp control device 200 can make the center vacuum adsorption pin 212 rise by the same height as the warp generation amount while interrupting the driving of the edge vacuum adsorption pin 214. The warp generation amount can be determined based on the convex warp state of the substrate 10, and based on the warp of the substrate 10, the height of the outermost edge in the edge region B of the substrate 10 is determined to have the same value as the height of the center region of the substrate 10 that is bent and raised.

FIG9 is a flow chart showing a process of controlling the warp of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG1a, FIG1b, FIG8 and FIG9, the warp control device 200 can determine the rising distance (lifting height) of the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 according to the warp state of the substrate 10, and drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to rise and fall according to the determined rising distance (S12, S14). Alternatively, the warp control device 200 can also drive the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to rise and fall until the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 contacts the bottom surface of the edge area of the substrate 10 respectively.

When the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 contacts the bottom surface of the substrate 10, the warp control device 200 can lower the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to a preset original position after vacuum adsorption of the substrate 10 by the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 while the vacuum adsorption action of the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 is stopped (S16).

Afterwards, the substrate 10 can be processed while the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 holds the substrate 10 in a flat plate shape without warping. At this time, the vacuum adsorption drive of the edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 can be stopped during the processing of the substrate 10, and the substrate 10 can be processed while the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 vacuum adsorbs the edge area of the substrate 10 to control the warping.

Alternatively, during the process of processing the substrate 10, the vacuum adsorption drive of multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 can also be performed together with the central vacuum adsorption pin 212. At this time, by setting the vacuum adsorption force of the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 to be higher than the vacuum adsorption force of each of the multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214, the processing of the substrate 10 can be performed while controlling the warping of the substrate 10.

On the other hand, when excessive vacuum suction is required in order to control the warp of the substrate 10 when the substrate 10 is completely flattened by the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 during the process of processing the substrate 10, the edge portion of the substrate 10 can be mechanically lifted by protruding multiple edge vacuum adsorption pins 214 to a height higher than the central vacuum adsorption pin 212 (for example, a few mm from the upper surface of the support chuck), thereby effectively controlling the warp of the substrate 10.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart showing a process of controlling the warping of a substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1a, Fig. 1b and Fig. 10, the warping control device 200 determines one or more first vacuum adsorption pins (edge vacuum adsorption pins in the concave warping state, center vacuum adsorption pins in the convex warping state) corresponding to the substrate area that is warped when the substrate 10 warps when the warping occurs among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 (S22), and drives the first vacuum adsorption pins upward when one or more second vacuum adsorption pins (center vacuum adsorption pins in the concave warping state, edge vacuum adsorption pins in the convex warping state) other than the first vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 are in a stationary state (S24).

After the vacuum pad (212a or 214a) of the first vacuum adsorption pin rises to contact the bottom surface of the substrate 10, the warp control device 200 can vacuum adsorb the bottom surface of the substrate 10 through the first vacuum adsorption pin, and when the substrate 10 is in a vacuum adsorption state, the vacuum pad height of the first vacuum adsorption pin is lowered to the vacuum pad height of the second vacuum adsorption pin, thereby controlling the warp of the substrate 10 (S26).

As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the warping of the substrate 10 can be controlled by the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins 210 so that no gap is generated between the support chuck 110 and the substrate 10, thereby preventing damage to the substrate caused by local plasma.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, not only the concave warp phenomenon in which the substrate bends in a concave shape can be suppressed, but also the convex warp phenomenon in which the substrate bends in a convex shape can be suppressed, and the vacuum adsorption force and/or lifting height of the vacuum adsorption pin 210 can be controlled according to the warp shape and warp curvature of the substrate, thereby effectively controlling the warp of the substrate.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the substrate 10 is not tightly attached to the support chuck 110, or when the substrate straddles the guide ring due to position error, causing the distance between the vacuum adsorption pin 210 and the substrate 10 to increase, an alarm can be issued by sensing the increase in vacuum pressure, thereby stopping the process before performing an abnormal process to prevent damage to the substrate 10.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to set a clamping ring on the periphery of the substrate 10. Instead, a thin rod-shaped vacuum adsorption pin 210 is vacuum adsorbed to the bottom of the substrate 10 to control the warp, thereby increasing the effective area of the substrate 10, and by minimizing the area of the warp control device 200 in contact with the substrate 10 to minimize the thermal impact on the substrate 10, the entire area of the substrate 10 can be uniformly processed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the sensing portion 230 can measure, for example, the distance to the bottom surface of the substrate 10, or measure a value related to the curvature of the substrate 10 or a variable related to the bending deformation state of the substrate 10. The sensing portion 230 can be located at the upper end of the vacuum adsorption pin, but can also be located at the upper or side area of the substrate 10, the wall of the chamber, or the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck.

According to one embodiment, a control unit (not shown) may be connected to the substrate processing device in a wireless and/or wired manner and receive data and/or signals from the substrate processing device. The control unit may refer to a separate system and/or at least one processor of a user terminal configured to control the substrate processing device. For another example, the control unit may also refer to an internal processor installed in the substrate processing device to control the substrate processing device.

According to one embodiment, the control unit may generate a control signal for controlling the operation of the substrate processing device based on the data and/or signal received from the substrate processing device and transmit the control signal to the substrate processing device. The data and/or signal may refer to the data and/or signal received from the substrate processing device. In this case, the substrate processing device may control the drive of the warp control device 200 based on the data and/or signal received from the sensing unit 230.

According to one embodiment, the control unit can calculate data for controlling the action of the substrate processing device based on data related to the substrate 10, and control the action of the substrate processing device based on the data. The data related to the substrate 10 may include: data related to the process type, substrate type, physical properties and/or target bending deformation state. The process type may refer to: plasma process, packaging process, reflow process, etching process, evaporation process, lithography process, thermal treatment process and other classification codes indicating the type of process, and the substrate type may refer to: semiconductor wafer, mask, glass substrate or liquid crystal display and other classification codes indicating the type of substrate 10. In addition, the physical properties of the substrate 10 may include: the material, size, thickness, rigidity/strength, etc. of the substrate 10.

According to an embodiment, the control unit can calculate data for controlling the action of the substrate processing device based on data related to the substrate 10 and the substrate processing process, and control the action of the warp control device 200 based on the data. When a clamping ring for pressurizing the peripheral portion of the substrate 10 is additionally provided in order to further prevent warping, the data related to the substrate 10 and the substrate processing process may include additional data, wherein the additional data may include additional data such as the load of the clamping ring placed on the peripheral portion of the substrate 10 and pressurizing the peripheral portion of the substrate 10 by its own weight or the number of clamping rings. Therefore, the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 can be changed in a shape suitable for a specific process to increase the process efficiency of the substrate 10.

According to one embodiment, when the distance to the central area of the substrate 10 measured by the sensing unit 230 is above a reference distance (a critical distance predetermined by a user), the lower surface of the substrate 10 can be adsorbed by operating the central vacuum adsorption pin of the warp control device 200 into a vacuum state. The warp control device 200 can apply a downward force to the central area of the substrate 10 by means of a vacuum adsorption pin, thereby changing the bending deformation state of the substrate 10 from a crying face state (a state in which the peripheral portion of the substrate is convex in a manner that the curvature is lower than the center portion) to a flat state (a state in which the peripheral portion and the center portion of the substrate are at the same height) or a smiling face state (a state in which the peripheral portion of the substrate is concave in a manner that the curvature is higher than the center portion), or the bending deformation state can be transformed into a baseline bending deformation state set to comply with the substrate processing process in a manner such as alleviating the crying face state.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a flexible component (not shown) may be provided at the upper end of the vacuum adsorption pin. As an example, a vacuum pad may be provided as the flexible component. The flexible component may be made of an elastic material such as rubber, Teflon or elastic plastic. When the vacuum adsorption pin moves in a vertical direction and adsorbs to the substrate 10, the shape of the flexible component may be deformed into a shape corresponding to the bending deformation state of the substrate 10. For example, when the substrate 10 is in a smiling face state or a crying face state, the flexible component may be adsorbed to the substrate 10 in a concave or convex shape, respectively. For another example, when the substrate 10 is in a flat state, the flexible component may be adsorbed to the substrate 10 in a flat shape. With this structure, even when the vacuum adsorption pins are moved in the vertical direction to change the bending deformation state of the substrate 10, the adsorption force of the vacuum adsorption pins on the substrate 10 can be stably maintained.

The "unit" in the control unit, etc. used in this specification is a unit that processes at least one function or action, and may refer to, for example, software, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a hardware component of a processor. The functions provided by the "unit" may be performed by multiple components alone or integrated with other additional components. The "unit" in this specification is not necessarily limited to software or hardware, and may be configured in an addressable storage medium or configured to reproduce one or more processors.

The above detailed description is an example of the present invention. In addition, the above content represents and illustrates the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in many different combinations, changes and environments. That is, the present invention can be changed or modified within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, the scope of the above disclosure, and/or within the scope of the technology or knowledge in this field.

The above embodiments illustrate the best state of the present invention to realize the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes required in the specific application field and use of the present invention are also possible. Therefore, the above detailed description of the present invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the disclosed embodiments. In addition, the attached patent application scope should also be interpreted as covering other embodiments.

10: substrate 100: substrate processing device 100a: chamber 100b: entrance and exit 110: support chuck 111: guide ring 112: insulator 113: exhaust ring 120: processing unit 200: warp control device 210: vacuum adsorption pin 210a: vacuum pad 210b: lifting pin 210c: vacuum pipeline 210d: joint 212: center vacuum adsorption pin 212a: vacuum pad 214: edge vacuum adsorption pin 214a: vacuum pad 220: drive control unit 222: vacuum adsorption control unit 224: lifting drive control unit 230: sensing unit 232: sensor part 234: warp sensing part 240: alarm part A: outer area of the bottom surface B: edge area H1: first height H2: second height H3: first lifting height H4: second lifting height S12, S14, S16, S22, S24, S26: steps

FIG. 1a is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1b is a structural diagram showing a warp control device constituting a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view showing a portion of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing vacuum adsorption pins constituting the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining an operation of controlling the warp of a substrate in which a concave warp state is sensed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an operation of controlling the warp of a substrate in which a concave warp state is sensed according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an operation of controlling the warp of a substrate that senses a convex warp state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an operation of controlling the warp of a substrate that senses a convex warp state according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a process of controlling the warp of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a process of controlling the warp of a substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

10: Substrate

100: Substrate processing device

110: Support chuck

210: Vacuum adsorption pin

212: Center vacuum adsorption pin

212a: Vacuum pad

214:Edge vacuum pin

214a: Vacuum pad

B: Marginal area

Claims (11)

A substrate processing device comprises: a support portion configured to support a substrate; a sensing portion configured to predict or measure a bending deformation state of the substrate according to a process recipe of the substrate; and a warp control device comprising a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins arranged on the support portion in a manner capable of being raised and lowered, wherein the warp control device is configured to perform vacuum adsorption on a bottom surface of the substrate by at least one of the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins according to the measured bending deformation state of the substrate. The vacuum adsorption pins are configured to control the bending deformation of the substrate by vacuum adsorption, and the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins include: a vacuum pad, which contacts the bottom surface of the substrate and has a vacuum hole in the center; and a vacuum pipeline, which is configured to communicate with the vacuum hole and form a vacuum in the space between the bottom surface of the substrate and the vacuum pad. The vacuum pad includes: a flexible part, which is configured to be deformed into a shape corresponding to the bending deformation state of the substrate when adsorbed to the lower surface of the substrate. The substrate processing device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins further include: a central vacuum adsorption pin disposed in the central area of the support portion to vacuum adsorb the central portion of the substrate; and a plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins disposed in a spaced manner in the outer area of the central area to adsorb the edge area of the substrate. The substrate processing device as described in claim 2, wherein the bending deformation state includes: at least one of a concave curvature state in which the edge region of the substrate is curled and a convex curvature state in which the center region of the substrate is curled. The substrate processing device as described in claim 3, wherein the warp control device is configured to: when the sensing portion senses the concave warp state, control the warp of the substrate only by operating the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins; and when the sensing portion senses the convex warp state, control the warp of the substrate only by operating the central vacuum adsorption pin among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins. The substrate processing device as described in claim 2, wherein the warp control device is configured to: determine the lifting height corresponding to the rising distance of each of the central vacuum adsorption pins and each of the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the warp state of the substrate, and lift and lower the central vacuum adsorption pins and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the determined lifting height; when the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate, lower the central vacuum adsorption pins and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins to a height equal to the lifting height; and when the driving of at least one of the central vacuum adsorption pins and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins is interrupted, the substrate is kept in a flat plate shape without warp by at least one vacuum adsorption pin. The substrate processing device as described in claim 1, wherein the sensing unit includes: a sensor unit, the sensor unit is configured to measure the pressure of the vacuum pipeline to determine whether the bottom surface of the substrate is in close contact with the vacuum pad, and the substrate processing device further includes: an alarm unit, which determines whether the substrate is warped according to whether the substrate is in close contact with the vacuum pad to issue a warp alarm. The substrate processing device as described in claim 1, wherein the warp control device is configured to: determine one or more first vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins corresponding to the substrate area that is warped due to warp when the substrate warps; raise the first vacuum adsorption pin when one or more second vacuum adsorption pins other than the first vacuum adsorption pin among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in a stationary state; after the first vacuum adsorption pin is raised to contact with the bottom surface of the substrate, vacuum adsorption is performed on the bottom surface of the substrate by the first vacuum adsorption pin; and when the substrate is in a vacuum adsorption state, lower the first vacuum adsorption pin to the height of the second vacuum adsorption pin. A substrate processing device as described in claim 1, wherein the process recipe includes at least one of the process type, substrate type, physical properties of the substrate, or target bending deformation state of the substrate. A substrate processing method comprises the following steps: predicting or measuring the bending deformation state of the substrate by a sensing unit according to a process recipe of the substrate; and controlling the bending deformation of the substrate by a warp control device using at least one of a plurality of vacuum adsorption pins to vacuum adsorb the bottom surface of the substrate according to the bending deformation state of the substrate, wherein the warp control device comprises a support provided on the substrate in a manner capable of being raised and lowered. The plurality of vacuum adsorption pins of the supporting portion of the plate, the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins include: a vacuum pad, which contacts the bottom surface of the substrate and has a vacuum hole in the center; and a vacuum pipeline, which is configured to communicate with the vacuum hole and form a vacuum in the space between the bottom surface of the substrate and the vacuum pad, and the vacuum pad includes: a flexible part, which is configured to be deformed into a shape corresponding to the bending deformation state of the substrate when adsorbed to the lower surface of the substrate. The substrate processing method as described in claim 9, wherein the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins further include: a central vacuum adsorption pin, which is arranged in the central area of the support portion to vacuum adsorb the central part of the substrate; and a plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins, which are arranged in a spaced manner outside the central area and adsorb the edge area of the substrate, and the step of controlling the bending deformation of the substrate includes the following steps: determining the rising distance of each of the central vacuum adsorption pins and each of the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the warping state of the substrate; The step of determining the corresponding lifting height; the step of lifting and lowering the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins according to the determined lifting height; the step of lowering the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins to a height equal to the lifting height when the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate; and the step of keeping the substrate in a flat plate shape without warping by at least one vacuum adsorption pin while interrupting the driving of at least one of the central vacuum adsorption pin and the plurality of edge vacuum adsorption pins. The substrate processing method as described in claim 9, wherein the step of controlling the bending deformation of the substrate comprises the following steps: determining one or more first vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins corresponding to the substrate region that is warped due to warping when the substrate warps; raising the first vacuum adsorption pins when one or more second vacuum adsorption pins other than the first vacuum adsorption pins among the plurality of vacuum adsorption pins are in a stationary state; after the first vacuum adsorption pins are raised to contact the bottom surface of the substrate, vacuum adsorption is performed on the bottom surface of the substrate by the first vacuum adsorption pins; and when the substrate is in a vacuum adsorption state, lowering the first vacuum adsorption pins to the height of the second vacuum adsorption pins.