Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
  • H01L21/67739—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber
  • H01L21/67745—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber characterized by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67242—Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking
  • H01L21/67276—Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput
• • H10P72/0604—
• • H10P72/0612—
• • H10P72/3304—
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
  • G03F7/16—Coating processes; Apparatus therefor
  • G03F7/162—Coating on a rotating support, e.g. using a whirler or a spinner
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
  • G03F7/26—Processing photosensitive materials; Apparatus therefor
  • G03F7/30—Imagewise removal using liquid means
  • G03F7/3021—Imagewise removal using liquid means from a wafer supported on a rotating chuck

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for controlling a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus.
• a photolithography process of a substrate in a semiconductor device manufacturing process is usually performed using a coating and developing treatment apparatus.
• the coating / development processing unit is provided in the main body, adjacent to the loader / unloader unit for loading and unloading substrates, a processing unit for performing a series of multiple processes such as resist coating, development, and heat treatment.
• An interface unit for transferring substrates to and from the exposed exposure equipment is provided, and each of these units is provided with a transport unit that transports the substrate within each unit or between adjacent units.
• the control of the flow of the substrate processing performed by the coating and developing apparatus is performed by, for example, a control unit in the coating and developing apparatus.
• the control unit of the conventional coating and developing equipment such as the inspection unit described above, has a loader / unloader unit that transports the loaded substrate to the processing unit, processes it, and returns the processed substrate to the loader / unloader unit.
• Such a flow was set.
• the control unit of the coating and developing system equipped with the inspection unit described above incorporates the inspection flow of the inspection unit in the conventional flow, that is, the substrate loaded from the loader / unloader unit is transported to the processing unit and processed.
• the inspection unit inspects the substrate selected from the processed substrates, and then returns all substrates to the loader / unloader unit. For this reason, when the substrate processed by the coating and developing apparatus is carried into the loader / unloader section, it is always transported to the processing section and processed, and then selectively inspected by the inspection section! , Was.
• each processing unit in the processing section is operated. It is necessary to perform adjustment work to adjust various settings and evaluation work to evaluate the accuracy of the inspection unit.
• the adjustment work of the processing unit and the evaluation work of the inspection unit must be performed independently to eliminate external factors.
• the substrate processing flow when the substrate processing flow is executed, the substrate always passes through the processing unit, and as a result, disturbance is applied to the substrate. I was unable to carry out the evaluation work.
• a dedicated evaluation unit equipped with a mechanism for directly loading and unloading the substrate from and to the inspection unit is separately adjacent to the inspection unit, and the evaluation unit sends the inspection unit to the inspection unit. This has been done by loading and unloading substrates. Therefore, a dedicated evaluation unit is required to start up the coating and developing equipment. For example, the cost of purchasing and maintaining the evaluation unit is burdensome for a substrate manufacturer, and the equipment manufacturer and the For the test equipment manufacturer, the development cost and development effort of the evaluation unit were burdensome.
• the inspection of the substrate is often performed at a ratio of one to a predetermined number of sheets, and the inspection unit is often empty. No. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the operation rate of the inspection unit and to use the inspection unit efficiently.
• Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-223401
• the present invention has been made in view of the power, and in a substrate processing apparatus such as a coating and developing processing apparatus having an inspection section, the time required for starting up the apparatus is reduced, and the cost is reduced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus control method and a substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing the number of inspections and further improving the operation rate of an inspection unit.
• the present invention has a loading / unloading unit for loading / unloading a substrate, a processing unit for processing a substrate, and an inspection unit for inspecting the substrate.
• a method for controlling a substrate processing apparatus configured to transfer substrates between substrates comprising: a substrate processing flow for transporting a substrate loaded into the loading / unloading unit to the processing unit and processing the substrate; It is characterized in that the board carried into the output section is transported to the inspection section and the inspection flow of the board to be inspected is executed independently.
• the substrate processing flow and the inspection flow are executed independently, so that, for example, when the substrate processing apparatus is started, the substrate inspection flow is executed,
• the substrate can be directly sent to the inspection unit to execute the inspection. Since the inspection unit can be evaluated based on the results of this inspection, a conventional dedicated evaluation unit is not required, and the cost for this evaluation unit can be reduced.
• the inspection flow of the substrate and the processing flow can be performed simultaneously, and the evaluation work of the inspection unit and the adjustment work of the processing unit can be performed simultaneously, the time required to start up the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced.
• the availability of the inspection unit that is free can be used to improve the operation rate of the inspection unit.
• the substrate for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed is returned to the loading / unloading section, and the inspection flow of the substrate is performed on the substrate when another inspection is not performed by the inspection section. You may do so.
• the substrate whose processing flow has been completed is returned to the loading / unloading section, so that there is no need to provide a buffer or the like for holding the substrate on standby in, for example, an inspection section.
• the footprint of the inspection section can be reduced, and the size of the entire apparatus can be reduced.
• Inspection of the substrate for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed is performed by the inspection unit.
• the inspection of the substrate is performed with respect to an external substrate loaded into the loading / unloading unit from outside the substrate processing apparatus. May be executed.
• the external substrate is loaded into the loading / unloading section of the substrate processing apparatus only for inspection purposes, and has already been processed by another processing apparatus, for example.
• inspection of a substrate processed by another processing apparatus can be performed, so that, for example, the number of inspection units in the entire factory where substrate manufacturing is performed can be reduced, and cost can be reduced.
• the operating rate of the inspection department And the processing efficiency of the entire factory can be improved.
• the substrate processing flow and the substrate inspection flow are executed for each substrate lot, and the substrate inspection flow is executed for the lot for which the substrate processing flow has been completed.
• the substrate inspection flow may be executed for an external lot carried into the loading / unloading section so as not to overlap with the execution period of the substrate inspection flow.
• the inspection flow of the substrate for the lot for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed may be prioritized over the inspection flow of the substrate for the external lot. In such a case, the inspection of the lot processed by the substrate processing apparatus is prioritized, so that the flow of the substrate in the substrate processing apparatus is not interrupted. Processing efficiency can be maintained.
• the inspection flow of the substrate for the external port may be prioritized over the inspection flow of the substrate for the lot for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed.
• a predetermined inspection unit may be selected from a plurality of inspection units provided in the inspection unit, and the inspection flow of the substrate in the selected inspection unit may be performed on the substrate. In such a case, for example, necessary inspections can be freely selected and performed for each substrate or each lot.
• the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention has a loading / unloading unit for loading / unloading a substrate, a processing unit for processing the substrate, and an inspection unit for inspecting the substrate, and transports the substrate between these units.
• a substrate processing apparatus configured to be capable of carrying a substrate loaded into the loading / unloading unit to the processing unit and processing the substrate loaded into the loading / unloading unit. It has a control unit that can execute the inspection flow of the board to be transported to the inspection unit and inspected independently.
• the substrate processing flow and the inspection flow can be executed independently, so that, for example, when the substrate processing apparatus is started, the substrate inspection flow is executed and the substrate inspection flow is transferred to the loading / unloading section.
• the substrate can be directly sent to the inspection unit to execute the inspection. Since the inspection unit can be evaluated based on the results of this inspection, a conventional dedicated evaluation unit is not required, and the cost for this evaluation unit can be reduced.
• the board inspection flow and the processing flow are executed simultaneously, and the inspection part evaluation work and the processing part adjustment work are simultaneously performed. Since the processing can be performed in rows, the time required for starting up the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced. In addition, since only the inspection unit of the substrate processing apparatus can be used alone, the availability of the available inspection unit can be used to improve the operating rate of the inspection unit.
• the control unit returns the substrate, for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed, to the loading / unloading unit, and when the inspection unit does not inspect another substrate, the control unit sends the substrate to the loading / unloading unit.
• the board inspection flow may be executed. In such a case, the substrate whose processing flow has been completed is returned to the loading / unloading section, so there is no need to provide a buffer for holding the substrate in the inspection section, for example, and the footprint of the inspection section is reduced.
• the entire device can be downsized.
• the control unit may control the external substrate loaded from the outside of the substrate processing apparatus into the loading / unloading unit.
• the board inspection flow may be executed. In such a case, the operation rate of the inspection unit can be improved by executing the board inspection flow for the external board.
• the control unit can execute the substrate processing flow and the substrate inspection flow for each substrate lot, and execute the substrate inspection flow for the lot that has completed the substrate processing flow.
• the above-described board inspection flow can be executed for an external lot carried into the loading / unloading section from outside the substrate processing apparatus, so that the execution time of the board inspection flow for the lot does not overlap with the execution period of the board inspection flow. You may do so.
• the control unit may be able to give priority to the inspection flow of the substrate for the lot for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed, over the inspection flow of the substrate for the external port. In such a case, the inspection of the substrate processed in the substrate processing apparatus is given priority, so that the flow of the substrate in the substrate processing apparatus is not interrupted. Efficiency can be maintained.
• the control unit may be capable of giving priority to the inspection flow of the substrate for the external lot over the inspection flow of the substrate for the lot for which the processing flow of the substrate has been completed. Further, the control unit may be configured to determine an inspection flow of the substrate for the lot for which the processing flow of the substrate is completed and an inspection flow of the substrate for the external lot. V, it may be possible to switch whether to give priority to the deviation.
• the inspection unit is provided with a plurality of inspection units, and the control unit selects a predetermined inspection unit from the plurality of inspection units, and performs an inspection flow of the substrate in the selected inspection unit. May be performed on a substrate. In such a case, for example, necessary inspections can be freely selected and performed for each substrate or each lot.
• FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a configuration of a coating and developing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
• FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating and developing apparatus of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a rear view of the coating and developing apparatus of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing flow and an inspection flow set in the coating and developing apparatus.
• FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing execution timings of a processing flow and an inspection flow.
• FIG. 6 This is a flowchart when an inspection flow is executed for a lot that has been brought in by an external force.
• FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an execution timing of an inspection flow for a lot to which external force has also been carried.
• FIG. 8 This is a flowchart when an inspection flow is executed for a lot that has been brought in by an external force.
• FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a coating and developing processing apparatus 1 in which a photolithography process of a wafer as a substrate is performed.
• FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating and developing processing apparatus 1.
• 3 is a rear view of the coating and developing apparatus 1.
• the coating / developing apparatus 1 carries, for example, 25 wafers W into and out of the coating / developing apparatus 1 in cassette units, and carries wafers W into / from the cassette C.
• a cassette station 2 as a loading / unloading unit for unloading, an inspection station 3 as an inspection unit for inspecting ueno and W, and various processing units that perform predetermined processing in the coating and developing process in a single-wafer manner are arranged in multiple stages.
• a processing station 4 serving as a processing unit and an interface unit 5 for transferring a wafer W between the processing station 4 and an exposure apparatus (not shown) provided adjacent to the processing station 4 are integrally connected. have.
• a plurality of, for example, five cassettes C can be placed at predetermined positions on the cassette mounting table 6 in a line along the X direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1).
• the cassette station 2 is provided with a wafer carrier 8 that is movable on the carrier path 7 in the X direction.
• the wafer carrier 8 is also movable in the vertical direction, and can selectively access the wafers W arranged in the cassette C in the vertical direction.
• the wafer carrier 8 is rotatable in the ⁇ direction around the vertical axis, and can also access a transfer section 10 on the inspection station 3 side described later.
• the inspection station 3 adjacent to the cassette station 2 includes, for example, an inspection unit group K in which a plurality of inspection units are arranged in multiple stages.
• the inspection station 3 includes a transfer unit 10 for transferring the wafer W to and from the cassette station 2.
• the transfer section 10 is provided with a mounting section 10a on which, for example, a wafer W is mounted.
• the inspection station 3 has a wafer transfer device that moves on a transfer path 11 extending in the X direction, for example. 12 is provided.
• the wafer transfer device 12 is movable, for example, in the vertical direction and is also rotatable in the zero direction.
• Each of the inspection units in the inspection unit group K described later, the transfer unit 10 and the third processing unit It is possible to access each processing unit described later in the group G3.
• the inspection unit group K includes, for example, a film thickness / line width inspection unit 20 for measuring the thickness of a film formed on the wafer W and a line width of a pattern as shown in FIG.
• a macro-defect inspection unit 21 for detecting a shift and an overlay inspection unit 22 for detecting a shift in the overlay of exposure are also sequentially stacked in three stages with downward force.
• the processing station 4 adjacent to the inspection station 3 includes, for example, five processing unit groups G1 to G5 in which a plurality of processing units are arranged in multiple stages as shown in FIG.
• the first processing unit group G1 and the second processing unit group G2 are arranged in order from the inspection station 3 side in the negative X direction (downward in FIG. 1) of the processing station 4.
• the third processing unit group G3, the fourth processing unit group G4, and the fifth processing unit group G5 are arranged on the inspection station 3 side. They are arranged in order.
• a first transfer unit 30 is provided between the third processing unit group G3 and the fourth processing unit group G4.
• the first transfer unit 30 can selectively access the first processing unit group G1, the third processing unit group G3, and the fourth processing unit group G4 to transfer the wafer W.
• a second transfer unit 31 is provided between the fourth processing unit group G4 and the fifth processing unit group G5. The second transfer unit 31 can transfer the wafer W by selectively accessing the second processing unit group G2, the fourth processing unit group G4, and the fifth processing unit group G5.
• the first processing unit group G 1 includes a liquid processing unit for supplying a predetermined liquid to the wafer and the W to perform processing, for example, a resist coating unit for applying a resist liquid to the wafer W. Cuts 40, 41, 42, and bottom coating units 43, 44, which form an anti-reflection film for preventing light reflection during exposure processing, are sequentially stacked in five stages with lower forces.
• liquid processing units for example, development processing units 50 to 54 for developing the wafer W are sequentially stacked in five stages with a lower pressure.
• the liquid processing units in each of the processing unit groups G1 and G2 are provided. Chemical chambers 60 and 61 for supplying a seed treatment liquid are provided, respectively.
• the third processing unit group G3 includes a temperature control unit 70, a transition unit 71 for transferring the wafer W, and a heating process for the wafer W under high-precision temperature control.
• the high-precision temperature control units 72-74 and the high-temperature heat treatment units 75-78 for heating the W at a high temperature are also superimposed in nine stages in descending order.
• a high-precision temperature control unit 80 for example, a high-precision temperature control unit 80, a pre-baking unit 81-84 for performing a kneading heat treatment on the wafer W after the resist coating process, and a heating process for the wafer W after the developing process are performed.
• Post-baking units 85-89 are stacked in 10 steps from the bottom.
• a plurality of heat treatment units for heat-treating the wafer W for example, a high-precision temperature control unit 90-93, and a post-exposure baking unit 94-1 for heating the exposed wafer W 99 are stacked in 10 steps from the bottom.
• a plurality of processing units are disposed on the positive side in the X direction of the first transfer unit 30, and for example, as shown in FIG.
• Adhesion units 100 and 101 and heating units 102 and 103 for heating the wafer W are sequentially stacked in four stages from the bottom.
• a peripheral exposure unit 104 for selectively exposing only the edge portion of the wafer W is disposed on the X direction positive direction side of the second transfer unit 31.
• the interface section 5 is provided with a wafer carrier 111 moving on a carrier path 110 extending in the X direction, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, and a knocker cassette 112.
• the wafer carrier 111 is movable in the Z direction and is also rotatable in the ⁇ direction.
• the exposure device (not shown) adjacent to the interface section 5 includes the exposure cassette, the buffer cassette 112 and the fifth processing unit.
• the wafer group W can be transferred by accessing the group of units G5.
• the control of the coating and developing treatment apparatus 1 configured as described above is performed by a control unit 120 as a control unit provided on the side of the cassette station 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for example. ing.
• the control unit 120 stores a control program P.
• the control unit 120 controls the operation of the processing unit, the inspection unit and the transport unit in the coating and developing processing apparatus 1 according to the control program P, and performs the coating.
• Development processing The wafer processing process in the apparatus 1 can be controlled.
• the control program P transfers the wafer W from the cassette station 2 to the processing station 4 through the inspection station 3 and executes the processing at the processing station 4 and the exposure apparatus. 3 and the processing flow F of the wafer W to be returned to the cassette station 2 and the wafer W from the cassette station 2 to the inspection station 3 where the wafer W is returned to the cassette station 2 after the specified inspection.
• Inspection flow F can be executed independently
• the control unit 120 executes the processing flow F and the inspection flow F of the control program P. For example, evaluation
• the wafer W for evaluation is transferred to the transfer unit 10 by the wafer transfer unit 7, and the transfer unit 10 transfers the wafer W from the transfer unit 10.
• the wafer is transferred to each inspection unit 20-22 by the inspection unit 12, and when the inspection is completed in each inspection unit 20-22, the wafer is returned to the cassette C via the wafer transfer device 12, the transfer unit 10 and the wafer transfer body 8.
• the evaluation work of the inspection units 20 to 22 is performed by evaluating the measurement values of the inspection wafers 20 to 22 for the evaluation wafer W.
• the processing wafers W are transferred via the wafer transfer unit 8, the transfer unit 10 and the wafer transfer unit 12.
• the wafer is returned to the cassette C again via the wafer transfer device 12, the transfer unit 10 and the wafer transfer unit 8.
• the adjustment work of each processing unit is performed by adjusting the setting of each processing unit based on the processing state of the wafer W returned to the cassette C.
• cassettes C 1, C 2 cassettes C 1, C 2
• the cassette C is loaded, and the cassette C contains a plurality of wafers W constituting the lot R.
• the cassette C contains a plurality of wafers W constituting the lot R, and the cassette C
• FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the execution timing of the processing flow F and the inspection flow F.
• the wafers are sequentially transferred to the transfer unit 10 one by one by the wafer transfer unit 8, and the wafer is transferred to the processing station by the wafer transfer unit 12. It is transported to the temperature control unit 70 belonging to the third processing unit group G3 of No. 4. In the processing station 4, each wafer W is subjected to temperature control by the temperature control unit 70, formation of an anti-reflection film by the bottom coating unit 43, heat treatment by the heating unit 102, and high temperature heating by the high temperature heat treatment unit 75.
• temperature adjustment by the high-precision temperature control unit 80, resist coating by the resist coating unit 40, pre-baking by the pre-baking unit 81, peripheral exposure by the peripheral exposure unit 104, and high-precision temperature control unit 93 The temperature adjustment is performed sequentially. Thereafter, each wafer W is sequentially transferred to the exposure apparatus via the interface unit 5 by the wafer transfer unit 111, and is returned to the processing station 4 again via the interface unit 5 after the exposure processing.
• each wafer W is subjected to a heating treatment by the post-exposure baking unit 94, a temperature adjustment by the high-precision temperature control unit 91, a development treatment by the development processing unit 50, and a heating treatment by the post-baking unit 85.
• Processing and cooling processing by the high-precision temperature control unit 72 are sequentially performed, and are transferred from the transition unit 71 to the transfer section 10 of the inspection station 3 by the wafer transfer device 12.
• Each wafer W is returned to the cassette C from the transfer unit 10 by the wafer carrier 8.
• cassette C 1 1 2 2 and are processed through the same route as each wafer W.
• cassette C 1 1 2 2 and are processed through the same route as each wafer W.
• the wafer W is sequentially loaded by the wafer transfer device 12 into, for example, the film thickness of the inspection unit group K, the line width inspection unit 20, the macro defect inspection unit 21, the overlay inspection unit 22, and a predetermined inspection is performed in each inspection unit. Will be applied.
• the inspected wafer W is transferred to the transfer unit 10 by the wafer transfer device 12 and returned to the cassette C from the transfer unit 10 by the wafer transfer unit 8.
• cassettes C which have completed processing flow F
• Inspection flow F is similarly executed for slot R and lot R.
• cassette C is mounted on the cassette mounting table 6 from the outside of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 for the purpose of performing only the inspection.
• cassette C contains other processing equipment.
• a plurality of wafers W constituting a lot R that has already been processed are accommodated in each unit.
• Figure 6 shows the flow chart in the case of power. For example, during the execution of the processing flow F for the lot R, if the lot C is placed on the cassette C
• control unit 120 checks whether or not it overlaps the execution period of the next inspection flow 2 for 1. If the execution periods overlap, inspection flow F for lot R is executed first, and at this time, lot R is
• the adjustment is made so that the execution periods of the lots R 2 and R 4 do not overlap.
• processing flow F and the inspection flow F of the control program P can be executed independently by the control unit 120.
• each inspection unit 20-22 of the inspection station 3 and the adjustment work of each processing unit of the processing station 4 can be performed at the same time. Therefore, the startup time is reduced.
• each inspection unit 20-22 can be directly accessed from the cassette station 2 of the coating and developing apparatus 1, a dedicated evaluation unit for the evaluation work is not required as in the past, and the cost for the evaluation unit is reduced. Can be reduced.
• the inspection flow F can be executed for the lot R from the outside when the inspection units 20 and 22 are vacant.
• the inspection for the lot R carried into the external force cassette mounting table 6 is performed.
• FIG. 8 shows a flowchart in the case of power.
• Inspection flow F of lot R R is performed after completion of inspection flow F of lot R
• a lot R under given circumstances is regarded as a lot in the coating and developing processing apparatus 1. Can be inspected preferentially.
• the switching may be enabled in the control unit 120. In such a case, priority may be given to either the external lot R or the internal lot R if necessary.
• the processing flow F in the above embodiment is such that the wafer W is transferred from the cassette station 2 to the processing station 4, and then processed by the processing station 4 and the exposure apparatus, and then directly returned to the cassette station 2.
• the wafer W that has been processed by the processing station 4 and the exposure device may be selectively inspected by the inspection station 3 and then returned to the cassette station 2.
• the inspection unit 20-22 is vacant when the wafer W passes through the inspection station 3, the wafer W is not After the inspection at 22, the inspection unit is returned to cassette station 2. If inspection unit 20-22 is not empty, it is returned to cassette station 2 as it is.
• Wafers W that have not been inspected are returned to cassette station 2 and then inspected by executing inspection flow 2. In this case, even though the inspection unit 20-22 is empty, the wafer W does not pass through the inspection station 3 and is returned to the cassette station 2, thereby improving the operation rate of the inspection unit 20-22. can do.
• 0-22 may be arbitrarily selected for each lot or each wafer.
• inspection conditions such as inspection position and inspection range in the same inspection unit 20-22 may be changed for each wafer and each lot.
• the present invention is not limited to this example and can take various aspects.
• the type and number of inspection units in inspection station 3 in the above embodiment can be arbitrarily selected.
• the inspection station 3 is provided between the cassette station 2 and the processing station 4.
• the processing station 4 and the interface An inspection station 3 may be provided between the inspection station 3 and the inspection section 5.
• the present invention is applied to the coating and developing apparatus 1, but the present invention can also be applied to other substrate processing apparatuses such as a cleaning apparatus and an etching apparatus.
• the coating and developing apparatus for processing the wafer W is used.
• the present invention relates to a substrate other than the wafer, for example, another substrate such as an FPD (flat panel display) substrate, a mask substrate, and a reticle substrate. Also applicable to
• the present invention is useful for shortening the start-up time of a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate inspection unit and improving the operation rate of the inspection unit.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Exposure Of Semiconductors, Excluding Electron Or Ion Beam Exposure (AREA)
• Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
• General Factory Administration (AREA)

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• 2003
  • 2003-12-09 JP JP2003410105A patent/JP4342921B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2004
  • 2004-11-29 TW TW093136741A patent/TW200526494A/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-11-30 CN CNB2004800364962A patent/CN100452294C/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-11-30 KR KR1020067011242A patent/KR20060120687A/ko not_active Ceased
  • 2004-11-30 EP EP04820143A patent/EP1693886A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-11-30 WO PCT/JP2004/017752 patent/WO2005057633A1/ja not_active Ceased
  • 2004-11-30 US US10/581,073 patent/US7529595B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

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