WO2012133441A1 - Substrate processing device, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and substrate processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a substrate processing device that has a mounting base on which a transport container that accommodates a plurality of substrates is mounted, a processing chamber in which heat treatment is carried out on those substrates, a transport chamber provided adjacent to the processing chamber and between the same and the mounting base and having a carrier that transports the substrates between the mounting base and the processing chamber, a substrate mounting unit provided in the transport chamber and constituted such that substrates processed in the processing chamber are stacked, and a cooling unit that is provided in the transport chamber and cools the substrates that have been stacked.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and substrate processing method

The present invention relates to a substrate processing technique for manufacturing a semiconductor device such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) on a substrate, and in particular, a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as a wafer) and processing the substrate. The present invention relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing method and a substrate processing method.

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which is a kind of substrate processing apparatus, is at least in a carrier mounting table on which a carrier (POD) as a substrate transporter storing a substrate is mounted, a processing chamber for processing a substrate, and a carrier mounting table. And a transfer chamber provided with transfer means for transferring the substrate in the carrier to the processing chamber.

In the substrate processing apparatus, the inside of the clean room is conveyed by a cassette on which a plurality of substrates are mounted. The conveyed substrate is subjected to, for example, heat treatment in a processing chamber in a vacuum state. Since the inside of the clean room is at atmospheric pressure, a load lock chamber for adjusting the pressure is provided between the processing chamber and the carrier mounting table.

In such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, conventionally, the processed wafer is cooled so as not to cause thermal damage to the transfer means and the carrier when the transfer means returns the processed substrate from the processing chamber to the cassette. Sometimes. The heated wafer is cooled, for example, in a load lock chamber or a cooling chamber.

The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus aims to improve the quality of the wafer, but on the other hand, high throughput processing is required. However, when the processed substrate is cooled as described above, there is a problem that the throughput is lowered.

JP 2001-345279 A

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a semiconductor device manufacturing method capable of improving wafer quality and achieving high throughput processing.

In order to solve the above problems, a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a mounting table on which a transport container storing a plurality of substrates is mounted, a processing chamber that performs heat treatment on the substrate, and a processing chamber. A transfer chamber that is provided between the adjacent mounting table and includes the transfer device that transfers the substrate between the mounting table and the processing chamber, and a substrate that is provided in the transfer chamber and processed in the processing chamber. A substrate processing apparatus having a substrate placement unit configured to stack the substrate and a cooling unit that is provided in the transfer chamber and cools the stacked substrate is provided.

In order to solve the above problems, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a step in which a transfer device provided in a transfer chamber places a substrate on a substrate support provided in a processing chamber; The supporting portion maintains the substrate at a position that is an odd multiple of a quarter wavelength of the microwave supplied from the microwave supply port from the surface opposite to the back surface of the substrate placed as described above, while maintaining the substrate in the processing chamber. A step of supplying a wave and heating the substrate; a step of stopping the supply of microwaves after a predetermined time; and a substrate provided in the transfer chamber by the transfer device carrying the substrate out of the processing chamber There is provided a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: placing a substrate on a placement unit; and cooling the substrate by a cooling unit.

Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the substrate processing method according to the present invention includes a mounting table on which a transport container storing a plurality of substrates is mounted, a processing chamber for performing heat treatment on the substrates, A transfer chamber adjacent to the processing chamber and provided between the mounting table and having a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the mounting table and the processing chamber, and provided in the transfer chamber and processed in the processing chamber. A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a substrate mounting unit configured to stack stacked substrates; and a cooling unit provided in the transfer chamber and configured to cool the stacked substrates. A substrate processing method comprising: processing a substrate in a chamber; transferring the processed substrate to the transporter; and placing the substrate on the substrate platform by the transferer. To do.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a semiconductor device manufacturing method capable of improving wafer quality and achieving high throughput processing.

It is the schematic which shows the structure of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the side surface of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the conveyance flow of the wafer in the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the process module of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the board | substrate mounting part which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the relationship between a board | substrate mounting part and an airflow. It is explanatory drawing explaining the substrate processing sequence which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the board | substrate mounting part which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the board | substrate mounting part which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the side surface of the substrate processing which concerns on 4th embodiment of this invention.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. 1, FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram when the substrate processing apparatus 1 is viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the substrate processing apparatus as viewed from the side.
A substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes a predetermined (hereinafter, “predetermined”) process for manufacturing a semiconductor. Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described as an apparatus for heating a wafer using microwaves.

A substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least a process module (PM) 10 as a processing chamber that performs predetermined processing on a wafer 111 and a front as a transfer chamber in which the wafer 111 is transferred. An end module (EFEM; Equipment Front End Module) 20 and a substrate transport container (for example, FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod), hereinafter referred to as “pod”) in which a wafer 111 is stored are delivered to a transfer device outside the apparatus. It is comprised by the load port (LP; Load Port) 30 as a container mounting base.
At least one process module 10 and one load port 30 are provided. Here, three process modules 10 and three load ports 30 are provided, but this configuration is an example, and the configuration of the present invention is not limited to this configuration.
The controller 40 as a control unit controls a transfer robot 202 as a transfer unit to be described later by executing a predetermined file, and transfers the wafer 111 between the process module 10, the front end module 20, and the load port 30. To do.
Further, the controller 40 controls various mechanisms constituting the process module 10 by executing a predetermined file, and processes the wafer 111 in the process module 10.

[Process module 10]
The process module 10 performs processes such as heat treatment (annealing), film formation by CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition), and film quality improvement on the wafer 111. . Further, the process module 10 includes mechanisms such as a microwave generation mechanism, a refrigerant supply mechanism, a refrigerant discharge pipe, a gas supply mechanism, a gas exhaust mechanism, and a temperature control mechanism, as will be described later, in accordance with the processing method of the wafer 111. .
The process module 10 can communicate with the front end module 20 via a gate valve (GV) 100.

[Front-end module 20]
The front end module 20 includes a substrate platform 200 on which a substrate processed by the process module 10 is placed, a transport robot 202 as a transporter, and a fan 201.
The substrate platform 200 is provided at one corner of the space constituting the front end module 20 and is provided on the table 203. The platform 203 is provided at a position that does not overlap the robot support platform 205 that supports the transfer robot 203, and is provided at a position that does not block the gate valve 100 and the shutter 300.

A fan 201 is provided on the ceiling of the front end module 20. The fan 201 supplies air from which dust has been removed from the ceiling toward the bottom of the substrate platform 200, the transfer robot 202, and the front end module 20. As a result, an air flow 204 is formed.
By forming the air flow 204, the inside of the front end module 20 is always kept in a clean atmosphere, and dust and the like in the front end module 20 are prevented from rolling up.

The transfer robot 202 transfers the wafer 111 between the process module 10, the POD 301 mounted on the load port 30, and the substrate platform 200. The transfer robot 202 includes one arm as a substrate holding unit that holds the wafer 111 one above the other. For example, the transfer robot 202 places the unprocessed wafer 111 on the tip of the upper arm and carries it into each process module 10, and places the processed wafer 111 on the tip of the lower arm and carries it out of each process module 10. (The wafer is exchanged and transferred).
The transfer robot 202 is supported on a robot support table 205.
The robot 202 is configured such that the arm and its support shaft rotate in order to transfer the wafer 111 between the gate valve 100, the substrate platform 200, and the shutter 300.
Further, since the gate valve 100-1 moves to the gate valve 100-3, the shutter 300-1 to the shutter 300-3, and the vicinity of the substrate support unit 200, the robot support base is parallel to the arrangement direction of the process modules 10. 205 is configured to be slidable on 205.

The bottom of the front end module 20 is provided with an exhaust pipe 206 that exhausts the air supplied by the fan 201. The exhaust pipe 206 is provided with a gas exhaust valve 207 and a pump 208 from upstream, and controls the exhaust of the atmosphere in the front end module 20.

The substrate platform 200 supports the processed wafer 111 processed by the process module 10. An air flow 204 is supplied to the wafer 111. The fan for supplying the airflow 204 is also used as a cooling unit for cooling the wafer 111, and the heat-treated wafer 111 is cooled by the airflow.

Although the same number of process modules 10 and substrate placement units 200 are provided, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the number of process modules 10 is appropriately determined according to the time during which the wafer 111 is transferred. Can be changed. Further, the front end module 20 can communicate with the load port 30 via the shutter 300.

Instead of positively exhausting the atmosphere using the exhaust pipe 206, the exhaust valve 207, and the pump 208, the atmosphere in the front end module 20 may be adjusted as follows.
That is, a slit having a structure with an adjustable opening area is provided at the bottom of the front end module 20. In the case of such a configuration, adjustment is made so that the inside of the front end module 20 is in a pressurized state from the outside in order to prevent particles from entering from the outside. Due to the airflow supplied from the fan 201, the atmosphere is discharged to the outside through the slit at the bottom.
With such a configuration, it is possible to provide a device at a lower cost.

[Load port 30]
The load port 30 is provided with a plurality of mounting tables on which pods as substrate containers are mounted. As shown in FIG. 1, the same number of load ports 30 as the process modules 10 are provided. However, how many load ports 30 are provided differs depending on a wafer transfer method to be described later. Specifically, when the wafer 111 is transferred by the distribution method, it is sufficient that at least one load port 30 is provided. When the wafer 111 is transferred by the parallel method, a transfer recipe describing a transfer destination or the like. Accordingly, a predetermined number of load ports 30 are provided at least.

Hereinafter, a method for carrying a wafer by the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2A is a diagram for explaining a distribution method in which the wafers 111 stored in one pod 301 are transferred to each process module 10 one by one.

[Distribution method]
With reference to FIG. 3, the wafer transfer by the sorting method will be described. Here, it is assumed that the wafer 111 is transferred between the load ports (LP) 30-1 to 30-3 and the process modules (PM) 10-1 to 10-3.
First, as shown by the arrow A, the (first) wafer 111 is taken out from the pod placed on the load port 30-1, and is loaded into the process module 10-1 as shown by the arrow B.
Next, as shown by the arrow A, the next (second) wafer 111 is taken out from the pod placed on the load port 30-1, and is loaded into the process module 10-2 as shown by the arrow C. .
Further, as shown by an arrow A, the next (third) wafer 111 is taken out from the pod placed on the load port 30-1, and is loaded into the process module 10-3 as shown by an arrow D.
The wafer 111 processed in the process modules 10-1 to 10-3 is placed on the substrate platform 200 as indicated by an arrow E and cooled by airflow.
The cooled wafers 111 are sequentially taken out and transferred to the pod of the load port 30-1.

Next, the process module 10 of FIG. 1 will be further described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the process module 10 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the process module 10 includes a processing chamber 101 provided with a refrigerant supply mechanism 114, a microwave generation mechanism 16, a gas supply mechanism 18, a gas discharge mechanism 22, and a wafer transfer mechanism 24. Yes.

[Processing Chamber] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the process module 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The processing chamber 110 processes a wafer 111 as a semiconductor substrate. The microwave supply unit includes a microwave generation unit 120, a waveguide 121, and a waveguide port 122.

<Microwave Generation Unit> The microwave generation unit 120 generates a microwave having a fixed frequency, for example. As the microwave generation unit 120, for example, a microtron, a klystron, a gyrotron, or the like is used. The microwave generated by the microwave generation unit 120 is radiated from the waveguide port 122 into the processing chamber 110 through the waveguide 121. The waveguide 121 is provided with a matching mechanism 126 that reduces the reflected power inside the waveguide 121. The microwave supplied into the processing chamber 110 is irradiated toward the wafer 111. The microwave hitting the wafer 111 in the processing chamber 110 is absorbed by the wafer 111, and the wafer 111 is dielectrically heated by the microwave. The microwave generator 120, the waveguide 121, the waveguide 122, and the matching mechanism 126 constitute a microwave supply unit.

<Processing Chamber> The processing container 118 forming the soot processing chamber 110 is made of a metal material such as aluminum (Al) or stainless steel (SUS) so that microwaves do not leak between the processing chamber 110 and the outside thereof.

<Substrate Support Unit> In the tub processing chamber 110, substrate support pins 113 as a substrate support mechanism for supporting the wafer 111 are provided. Specifically, the wafer 111 is supported by the upper ends of the substrate support pins 113. The substrate support pins 113 are provided so that the center of the supported wafer 111 and the center of the processing chamber 110 substantially coincide with each other in the vertical direction.

The substrate support pins 113 are formed of a material having low heat conductivity and good electrical insulation, such as quartz, ceramics, sapphire, or Teflon (registered trademark). By using the substrate support pins 113 as a low heat transfer material, heat escape generated from the portion where the wafer 111 and the substrate support pins 113 are in contact is prevented. Since local heat escape can be prevented, the wafer surface can be heated uniformly. Furthermore, by using such a material, it is possible to prevent the substrate support pins 113 themselves from being heated. Further, by preventing the substrate support pins 113 from being heated, thermal deformation of the substrate support pins 113 can be prevented. Therefore, since the height of the wafer 111 can be maintained constant, the wafer can be heated uniformly with good reproducibility. A plurality of substrate support pins 113 (three in the present embodiment) are configured, and the wafer 111 is supported at the upper end thereof.

Each substrate support pin 113 is mounted on a pedestal 114. The pedestal 114 has a position control mechanism (not shown), and the control unit 40 controls the position control mechanism so that the substrate support pin 113 moves up and down, and further stops the substrate support pin at a specific position. Can be controlled.

For example, the substrate support pins 113 maintain the wafer at a position where the distance of the wafer 111 from the surface of the processing chamber cooling table 112 is 1/4 wavelength (λ / 4) of microwaves or an odd multiple of λ / 4. can do. In other words, the distance between the substrate mounting surface of the upper end 113a of the substrate support pin 113 and the surface of the processing chamber cooling table 112 is set to a position of a quarter wavelength (λ / 4) of the microwave or an odd multiple of λ / 4. It can be a distance. With such a distance, when the microwave passing through the substrate from the upper part of the substrate is reflected on the susceptor surface and returns to the substrate surface again, the position where the reflected microwave potential peaks (the waveform Since the substrate is present at the position of the stomach, the heating efficiency is good.

Further, the substrate support pins 113 can maintain the wafer at a position where the distance between the waveguide port 122 and the substrate is 1/4 wavelength (λ / 4) of microwaves or an odd multiple of λ / 4. it can. In other words, the distance between the facing surface and the substrate mounting surface of the upper end 113a of the substrate support pin 113 is set to a position of a quarter wavelength (λ / 4) of the microwave or an odd multiple of λ / 4. be able to. With such a distance, the high-frequency electric field on the substrate surface is maximized, and microwave energy can be efficiently incident on the substrate surface.

Below the upper end 113a of the substrate support pin 113, there is provided a substrate support 12 as a substrate cooling unit that is attacked by a material having high conductivity and heat conductivity. The processing chamber cooling table 112 is made of a conductor such as aluminum (Al) or silicon nitride (SiC). The processing chamber cooling table 112 is a circle having a shape as viewed from above, which is larger than the outer diameter of the wafer 111, and is formed in a disk shape or a column shape.

Since the processing chamber cooling table 112 is a conductor, the microwave potential at the processing chamber cooling table 112 is zero. Therefore, if the wafer 111 is placed directly on the processing chamber cooling table 112, microwaves with low electric field strength are irradiated. Therefore, microwave energy cannot be incident efficiently.

Therefore, in this embodiment, by moving the substrate support pins 113, the wafer is moved from the surface of the processing chamber cooling table 112 to a position of a quarter wavelength (λ / 4) of microwaves or an odd multiple of λ / 4. 111 is placed. The surface of the processing chamber cooling table 112 here refers to the surface of the processing chamber cooling table 112 that faces the back surface of the wafer 111. Since the electric field is strong at a position that is an odd multiple of λ / 4, the wafer 111 can be efficiently heated by microwaves. In the present embodiment, for example, a microwave fixed at 5.8 GHz is used, and the wavelength of the microwave is 51.7 mm. Therefore, the height from the processing chamber cooling table 112 to the wafer 111 is set to 12.9 mm. Furthermore, since the processing chamber cooling table 112 is a conductor, the microwave energy is not consumed on the susceptor surface, so that the wafer 111 can be efficiently heated even in the reflected wave from the substrate support table.

<Cooling unit> In the soot processing chamber cooling table 112, there is provided a coolant channel 131 through which a coolant for cooling the wafer 111 flows. In this embodiment, water is used as the refrigerant, but other refrigerants such as a cooling chiller may be used as the refrigerant. The refrigerant flow path 131 is connected to the refrigerant supply pipe 132 that supplies the refrigerant to the refrigerant flow path 131 and the refrigerant discharge pipe 136 that discharges the refrigerant from the refrigerant flow path 131 outside the processing chamber 110. Is configured to flow. The refrigerant supply pipe 132 is provided with an open / close valve 133 that opens and closes the refrigerant supply pipe 132, a flow rate control device 134 that controls the refrigerant flow rate, and a refrigerant source 135 in order from the downstream. The on-off valve 133 and the flow rate control device 134 are electrically connected to the control unit 40 and are controlled by the control unit 40. The cooling unit includes the refrigerant flow path 131, the refrigerant supply rod 132, the opening / closing valve 133, the flow rate control device 134, and the refrigerant discharge pipe 136. Here, the substrate support unit is configured including the processing chamber cooling table 112, the substrate support pins 113, and the cooling unit.

<Temperature detector> Above the wafer 111 in the processing chamber 110, a temperature detector 115 for detecting the temperature of the wafer 111 is provided. The temperature detector 114 is, for example, an infrared sensor. The temperature detector 114 is electrically connected to the control unit 40. When the temperature of the wafer 111 detected by the temperature detector 114 is higher than a predetermined temperature, the control unit 40 controls the opening / closing valve 133 and the flow rate control device 134 so that the temperature of the wafer 111 becomes a predetermined temperature. Then, the flow rate of the cooling water flowing to the refrigerant flow path 131 is adjusted.

<Gas Supply Unit> A gas supply pipe 152 that supplies a gas such as nitrogen (N ₂ ) is provided on the side wall of the processing chamber 110. The gas supply pipe 152 is provided with a gas supply source 155, a flow rate control device 154 for adjusting the gas flow rate, and a valve 153 for opening and closing the gas flow path in order from the upstream side. The gas is supplied into the chamber 110 from the gas supply pipe 152 or stopped. The gas supplied from the gas supply pipe 152 is used to cool the wafer 111 and push out the gas in the processing chamber 110 as a purge gas. The gas supply unit is configured by the gas supply source 155, the gas supply pipe 152, the flow rate control device 154, and the valve 153. The flow control device 154 and the valve 153 are electrically connected to the control unit 40 and controlled by the control unit 40.

<Gas Exhaust Portion> As shown in FIG. 1, a gas exhaust pipe 162 for exhausting the gas in the process chamber 110 is provided on the side wall of the process chamber 110. The gas discharge pipe 162 is provided with a pressure adjustment valve 163 and a vacuum pump 164 as an exhaust device in order from the upstream side, and the pressure in the processing chamber 110 is adjusted by adjusting the opening degree of the pressure adjustment valve 163. Is adjusted to a predetermined value. The gas exhaust pipe 162, the pressure adjustment valve 163, and the vacuum pump 164 constitute a gas exhaust unit. The pressure adjustment valve 163 and the vacuum pump 164 are electrically connected to the control unit 40, and pressure control is performed by the control unit 40.

As shown in FIG. 1, a wafer transfer port 171 for transferring the wafer 111 into and out of the processing chamber 110 is provided on one side of the processing container 118. The wafer transfer port 171 is provided with a gate valve 100, and the gate valve driving unit 173 opens the gate valve 100 so that the processing chamber 110 and the front end module 20 communicate with each other. . In the front end module 20, a transfer robot 202 for transferring the wafer 111 is provided. When the gate valve 100 is opened, the transfer robot 202 carries out the substrate in the processing chamber 110.

<Substrate placement unit>
Next, the substrate placement unit provided in the front end module will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 5A is a schematic view of the substrate platform 200 viewed from the upper surface (the ceiling surface of the front end module 20). The dotted line indicates the position when the wafer is placed. FIG. 5B is a vertical sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the flow of airflow in the substrate platform of FIG. FIG. 6A is a schematic view of the substrate platform 200 as viewed from the upper surface (the ceiling surface of the front end module 20), and is a diagram obtained by rotating FIG. 5A by 90 degrees. FIG. 6B is a vertical sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG. It is the figure which looked at the substrate mounting part 200 from the side.
In any of the drawings, the part where the end of the frame 210 is open faces the direction of the robot support 205.

The substrate platform 200 is configured such that a plurality of frames 210 having a plurality of substrate holding pads 211 are fixed to a pillar 212 and the frames 210 are stacked. The frame 210 has a U-shape that opens at the center and one end, and the arm of the transfer robot is inserted into the opening.
The substrate holding pad 211 is provided in a convex shape on each side of the frame 210. The material for the substrate holding pad is a heat resistant material, for example, alumina ceramic, heat resistant resin, quartz or the like.
A plurality of frames 210 (three in the present embodiment) are supported in the vertical direction by a plurality of support columns 212 and have a structure in which a plurality of wafers 111 can be mounted in the vertical direction. The wafers 111 transferred by the arms are placed on the substrate holding pads 211 provided in the respective frames 210 and stacked. At this time, the edge portion of each wafer 111 and the substrate holding pad 211 come into contact with each other.
Note that the edge portion refers to a portion of the outer periphery of the substrate that is not used as a semiconductor device, and is also referred to as an exclusion area.

As shown in FIG. 2, a fan 201 is provided on the upper part of the substrate platform 200. Therefore, with such a structure, as shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to efficiently supply the airflow 204 from the fan 201 as the cooling unit to the wafer 111c mounted on the top. It becomes.
Further, by adopting a frame structure in which a part of the frame 210 is supported by the support column 212, airflow can flow between the support columns 212 and between the frames 210. Further, the frame 210 has a U-shape and the center is opened. With such a structure, the air flow 204 wraps around the back surface of the wafer supported by the frame and the front surface of the wafer supported by the frame provided thereunder, so that the cooling efficiency can be further increased. . For example, the air flow 204 flows into the back surface of the wafer 111b supported by the frame 210b and the front surface of the wafer 111a supported by the frame 210a.

By making the substrate holding pad 211 convex, the wafer 111 is prevented from contacting the frame 210. By preventing contact, scratches on the back side of the substrate are prevented. Furthermore, the air flow 204 is urged around the wafer edge portion to further increase the cooling efficiency.
Furthermore, since it is a heat-resistant material, thermal deformation does not occur even if the wafer 111 heated by the process module 10 is supported. Therefore, even if a high temperature substrate is placed, damage to the wafer back surface can be prevented.
In addition, although it was set as the U-shape here, it is not limited thereto, and may be a polygonal shape such as a circular shape or an octagonal shape.

[Processing sequence]
Subsequently, a substrate processing sequence of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
In the description of this sequence, n is an integer.
W1... Wn... W9 indicates a substrate processed by the process module 10, W1 indicates the first wafer in one lot, W2 indicates the second wafer, and Wn indicates the nth wafer. Here, for convenience of explanation, a description will be given of a silicon substrate having nine wafers and having a high dielectric film.
PM1 indicates the process module PM10-1, PM2 indicates the process module PM10-2, and PM3 indicates the process module PM10-3.
CS indicates a cooling stage, that is, the substrate platform 200. CS1 is a frame 210a (first frame) provided at a position farthest from the fan 201 in the substrate platform, and CS2 is a frame 210b (second frame) of the substrate platform adjacent to the upper side of the frame 210a in the gravity direction. , CS3 indicates a frame 210c (third frame) of the substrate mounting portion adjacent to the upper side of the frame 210b in the gravity direction.
Tr is a state in which the wafer 111 is transferred. P is a state in which the wafer 111 is processed by the process module 10. C is a state in which the wafer 111 is cooled by the substrate platform 200.

Tr1 is initial substrate transfer. The initial transfer means that the transfer robot 202 transfers W1. Here, the transfer means that the transfer robot 202 carries the wafer 111 into or out of the process module 10.
Tr2 is swap transport. In the swap transfer, the wafer 111 (processed wafer 111) processed by the transfer robot 202 by the process module 10 is unloaded, the wafer 111 (unprocessed wafer 111) to be processed by the process module 10 is loaded, and the front end module 20 is further loaded. This means that the processed wafer 111 is placed on the substrate placement unit 200.
Tr3 is substrate return conveyance. Substrate return transfer means that the transfer robot 202 returns Wn to the pod 301 on the load port 30. Here, this conveyance time is set to 1T.

P (PMn) means that the wafer 111 is processed by the process module n.
A specific example of processing will be described later.
This sequence assumes the case where the same processing is performed in all process modules, and here the processing time is 7T. C (PMn) is an operation of cooling the processed wafer 111 by the process module n, and is 4T here.

Next, details of the wafer transfer sequence will be described. Here, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the wafer 111 is a wafer Wn (n = 1, 2,... N).
<Step 1 (S1)>
The shutter 300 is opened, and the transfer robot 202 takes out the first wafer W1 mounted on the pod 301 placed on the load port. The transfer robot 202 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 to place W1 on the substrate support pin upper end 113a of PM1.

<Step 2 (S2)>
The transfer robot 202 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and takes out W2 from the pod 301. The transfer robot 202 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and loads W2 into PM2.
In parallel with this, a microwave is supplied to the processing chamber 110 from the waveguide port 122 of PM1, and heating of W1 is started. Here, microwaves are supplied for a predetermined time (for example, 7T), and W1 is continuously heated (P (PM1)).

<Step 3 (S3)>
The transfer robot 202 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and takes out W3 from the pod 301. The transfer robot 202 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and loads W3 into PM3.
In parallel with this, a microwave is supplied from the waveguide port 122 of PM2 to the processing chamber 110, and heating of W2 is started. Here, microwaves are supplied for a predetermined time (for example, 7T) and are continuously heated (P (PM2)).

<Step 4 (S4)>
A microwave is supplied from the waveguide port 122 of PM3 to the processing chamber 110, and heating of W3 is started. Here, a microwave is supplied for a predetermined time (for example, 7T) and is continuously heated (P (PM3)).

<Step 5 (S5)>
After 7T from the start of Step 2, PM1 stops supplying microwaves. Next, the pedestal 114 is lowered so that the distance between the substrate support pin upper end 113a and the processing chamber cooling table 112 is reduced. In this way, the heated W1 is cooled (C (PM1)).

<Step 6 (S6)>
After 7T from the start of step 3, the microwave supply is stopped in PM2. Next, the pedestal 114 is lowered so that the distance between the substrate support pin upper end 113a and the processing chamber cooling table 112 is reduced. In this way, the heated W2 is cooled (C (PM2)).

<Step 7 (S7)>
After 7T from the start of step 4, PM3 stops supplying microwaves. Next, the pedestal 114 is lowered so that the distance between the substrate support pin upper end 113a and the processing chamber cooling table 112 is reduced. In this way, the heated W3 is cooled (C (PM3)).

<Step 8 (S8)>
The transfer robot 202 carries W4 taken out from the pod 301 into PM1, and carries out processed W1 from PM1. The transport robot carrying the unloaded W1 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and places W1 on the first frame 210a in the substrate platform 200 provided in the front end module.

<Step 9 (S9)> W1 is a state in which the airflow 204 is blown onto the processing surface. Since the cooling area is large, W1 is efficiently cooled (C (CS1)).
The transfer robot 202 carries W5 taken out from the pod 301 into PM2, and carries out processed W2 from PM2. The transport robot carrying the unloaded W2 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and places W2 on the second frame 210b in the substrate platform 200 provided in the front end module.
In parallel with this, microwaves are supplied from the waveguide port 122 of PM1 to the processing chamber 110, and heating of W4 is started. Here, a microwave is supplied for a predetermined time (for example, 7T) and is continuously heated (P (PM1)).

<Step 10 (S10)>
Since W2 exists between the first frame 210a and the fan 201, the airflow 204 is blown from the side surface of the substrate platform 200 via the side surface of W1. By supplying airflow from the side, cooling of W1 is continued (C (CS1)).
Furthermore, since the airflow 204 is directly blown onto the W2 treatment surface, W2 can be efficiently cooled (C (CS2)).
The transfer robot 202 carries W6 taken out from the pod 301 into PM3, and carries out processed W3 from PM3. The transport robot carrying the unloaded W3 moves / rotates in the front end module 20 and places the wafer W3 on the third frame 210c in the substrate platform 200 provided in the front end module.
At this time, W2 placed on the second frame 210b is indirectly cooled by W1 placed on the first frame 210a by the airflow 204 supplied from the side surface of the substrate platform 200 ( C (CS2)).
In parallel with this, microwaves are supplied from the waveguide port 122 of PM2 to the processing chamber 110, and heating of W5 is started. Here, microwaves are supplied for a predetermined time (for example, 7T) and are continuously heated (P (PM2)).

<Step 11 (S11)> Since W3 exists between the first frame 210a and the second frame 210b and the fan 201, the airflow 204 is blown to the side surfaces of W1 and W2 via the side surface of the substrate platform 200. It is done. By supplying airflow from the side, cooling of W1 and W2 is continued (C (CS1), C (CS2)).
Furthermore, since the airflow 204 is directly blown onto the W3 treatment surface, W3 can be efficiently cooled (C (CS3)). In parallel with this, microwaves are supplied to the processing chamber 110 from the waveguide port 122 of PM3, and heating of W6 is started. Here, microwaves are supplied for a predetermined time (for example, 7T) and are continuously heated (P (PM2)).

<Step 12 (S12)>
After a predetermined time (3T in this case) has elapsed from S9, the transfer robot 202 takes out W1 from the first frame 210a, moves / rotates in the front end module 20, and returns it to a predetermined position of the pod 301.

<Step 13 (S13)>
After a predetermined time (here, 3T) has elapsed from S10, the transfer robot 202 takes out W2 from the second frame 210b, moves / rotates the front end module 20, and returns it to a predetermined position of the pod 301.

<Step 14 (S14)>
After a predetermined time (here, 3T) has elapsed from S11, the transfer robot 202 takes out W3 from the third frame 210c, moves / rotates in the front end module 20, and returns it to a predetermined position of the pod 301.

<Step 15 (S15) to Step 33 (S33)>
Similar to the above steps, the wafer is heated in each process module, the cooling process is repeated in each substrate mounting frame, and the wafer is returned to a predetermined position on the pod 301.

Regarding the method for placing the substrate placement frame, as described above, the heat-treated wafer is transported so as to be placed on a lower frame of the vacant frames.
Further, by appropriately adjusting the processing time and the cooling time, when the wafer is placed on the lower frame, the wafer is not placed on the upper frame.
Specifically, after the heated nth wafer is placed on the frame of the lowermost layer (for example, the first frame 210a), the next heated n + 1th wafer is placed on the nth wafer. It is placed on a frame (for example, the second frame 210b) provided at a position closer to the fan 201 than the placed frame.
By carrying / mounting in this way, when the wafer is placed on the substrate platform, the cooling effect by airflow is given priority even if the n + 1th wafer is affected by the heat of the nth wafer. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the cooling time of the wafer of the (n + 1) th edition.

[Specific example of heat treatment in process module]
Next, a specific processing method in the process module will be described. <Nitrogen gas replacement process>
After the wafer 111 is loaded, the inside of the processing chamber 110 is replaced with a nitrogen (N 2) atmosphere. Since the atmospheric atmosphere outside the processing chamber 110 is involved when the wafer 111 is loaded, N2 substitution in the processing chamber 110 is performed so that moisture and oxygen in the atmospheric atmosphere do not affect the process. The gas (atmosphere) in the processing chamber 110 is discharged from the gas discharge pipe 162 by the vacuum pump 164, and N 2 gas is introduced into the processing chamber 110 from the gas supply pipe 152. At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 110 is adjusted to a predetermined value (for example, atmospheric pressure) by opening and closing the gas supply valve 153.
Note that this gas replacement step may be performed as a part of the preparation step before starting the wafer processing. At this time, the distance between the processing chamber cooling table 112 and the upper end of the substrate support pin is set to a distance that is an odd multiple of 1/4 of the wavelength λ of the microwave. In other words, the distance between the front surface of the processing chamber cooling table 112 and the back surface of the wafer 111 facing it is set to an odd multiple of λ / 4.

<Heat treatment process>
Next, the microwave generated by the microwave generation unit 120 is introduced into the processing chamber 110 from the waveguide port 122 and irradiated onto the surface of the wafer 111. By this microwave irradiation, the High-k film on the surface of the wafer 111 is heated to 100 to 600 ° C. to modify the High-k film. Here, the modification means that, for example, impurities such as C and H are separated from the High-k film to be densified and reformed into a stable insulator thin film (improvement of film quality).

A dielectric such as a high-k film has different microwave absorption rates depending on the dielectric constant. For example, the higher the dielectric constant, the easier it is to absorb microwaves. By irradiating the wafer 111 with a high-power microwave and processing it, the dielectric film on the wafer 111 can be efficiently heated and modified. The feature of microwave heating is dielectric heating by dielectric constant ε and dielectric loss tangent tan δ. By heating materials with different physical properties at the same time, only materials that are easily heated, that is, materials with a higher dielectric constant are used. It can be selectively heated.

It is known that the high-k material has a higher dielectric constant ε than silicon, which is the substrate material of the wafer 111. For example, although the dielectric constant ε of silicon is 9.6, the dielectric constant ε of the HfO film that is a high-k film is 25, and the dielectric constant ε of the ZrO film is 35. Therefore, when the wafer 111 on which the High-k film is formed is irradiated with microwaves, the High-k film can be selectively heated before silicon. Further, the effect of modifying the film is larger when high-power microwaves are irradiated. Therefore, when the high-power microwave is irradiated, the temperature of the High-k film can be rapidly increased.

If the high-k film is continuously heated by the microwave, heat is transferred from the high-k film to the silicon wafer 111, and a film different from the high-k film may be heated.
In this case, when the temperature of the silicon wafer becomes higher than the temperature processed in the previous step, the device already built may be broken or the characteristics of the film may be changed. Therefore, it is difficult to assume the processing at a temperature exceeding the temperature processed in the previous step.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature rise of the wafer 111 is suppressed by supplying cooling water to the coolant channel 131 during the microwave irradiation. Preferably, the flow rate of the cooling water flowing to the refrigerant flow path 131 is adjusted by controlling the valve so that the temperature of the wafer 111 is equal to or lower than the upper limit temperature. As described above, by setting the processing temperature of the wafer 111 to be constant, the state of the processed wafer 111 can be made uniform even when a plurality of wafers 111 are processed.

In the heat treatment step, the gas supply valve 153 is opened to introduce N 2 gas into the processing chamber 110 from the gas supply pipe 152, and the pressure in the processing chamber 110 is set to a predetermined value (for example, the pressure adjusting valve 163). N 2 gas in the processing chamber 110 is discharged from the gas discharge pipe 162 while adjusting to atmospheric pressure. In this way, in the heat treatment step, the inside of the processing chamber 110 is maintained at a predetermined pressure value. In the present embodiment, the heat treatment was performed for 5 minutes by setting the microwave of frequency 5.8 GHz to power 1600 W and the pressure in the processing chamber 110 to atmospheric pressure. In this manner, after introducing the microwave for a predetermined time and performing the substrate heat treatment, the introduction of the microwave is stopped. Here, the heat treatment is performed without rotating the wafer 111 in the horizontal direction, but the heat treatment may be performed while rotating the wafer 111.

<Cooling Step in Process Module> After the microwave supply is stopped, the pedestal 114 is lowered, and when placed on the substrate support pins 113, the distance between the wafer 111 and the processing chamber cooling table 112 is shortened and maintained for a predetermined time. To do. The distance at this time is, for example, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. By doing so, the heated wafer 111 can be rapidly cooled. Originally, when the heated wafer 111 is moved between atmospheric pressures, it takes time for the substrate temperature to drop, which may impair productivity. Therefore, by rapidly cooling and shortening the temperature drop time, it is possible to increase the throughput even when moving between atmospheric pressures.
Furthermore, since the degree of bonding between molecules can be increased by rapidly cooling, it is possible to prevent impurities from being mixed between the molecules.
Here, the wafer 111 is cooled to about 200 ° C., for example.

<Process for Unloading Substrate from Process Module> When the heat treatment process is completed, the heat-treated wafer 111 is transferred from the process chamber 110 into the front end module by a procedure reverse to the procedure shown in the substrate carry-in process.

In the embodiment of the present invention, N2 gas is used. However, if there is no problem in process and safety, another gas having a high heat transfer coefficient (for example, diluted He gas) is added to the N2 gas. The cooling effect of the wafer may be improved.
Further, the pressure adjusting gas in the processing chamber 110 and the wafer cooling gas may be of different types. For example, N2 gas may be used for pressure adjustment in the processing chamber 110, and diluted He gas may be used to cool the wafer.

As described above, when the wafer 111 is cooled by the process module 10, the arm of the transfer robot does not need to be made of a material that can withstand high temperatures, so that the substrate processing apparatus can be manufactured at a low cost, and the maintenance cycle for the transfer robot can be reduced. Can be stretched.
In addition, it is possible to suppress adhesion of a natural oxide film or the like in the air atmosphere between the process module 10 and the substrate platform 200.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a wind guide panel 213 is added to the substrate platform 200 provided in the front end module 20. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.
Since the wafer 111 heated by the process module 10 holds heat, when a plurality of wafers 111 are held by the substrate platform 200, heat accumulates between the wafers, and the wafer (for example, the airflow 204 is not directly supplied) The wafer 111) supported by the first frame 210a and the second frame 210b may have a reduced cooling rate.

Therefore, the wind guide panel 213 is provided on the first frame 210a and the second frame 210b. The wind guide panel 213 is formed in a plate shape, and guides the airflow 204 supplied from the ceiling of the front end module 20 between the wafers. By guiding the airflow 204 between the wafers, heat accumulation can be eliminated and the cooling rate can be maintained.

Specifically, the first wind guide panel 213a is provided at the end of the second frame 210b, and the second wind guide panel 213b is provided at the end of the third frame 210a. Here, the end portion refers to a portion where the substrate mounting arm of the transfer robot 202 is not inserted.
Each wind guide panel 213 is bent toward the side to which the airflow 204 is supplied, receives the airflow 204, and supplies the flow between the wafers.

As shown in FIG. 8B, when the wind guide panel 213a and the wind guide panel 213b are provided on the same surface of the substrate mounting portion, the wind guide panel 213a close to the supply source of the airflow 204 is more than the wind guide panel 213b. Use a small structure. With such a structure, the airflow 204 can be supplied to the wind guide panel 213b without obstructing the wind guide panel 213a. Therefore, the air flow can be efficiently conducted between the first frame 210a and the second frame 210b. Can be supplied.

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The third embodiment is different in that the substrate placement frame 210 of the substrate placement portion 200 provided in the front end module 20 is arranged in a stepped manner, and a wind guide panel 213 is further added. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.
Since the wafer 111 heated by the process module 10 holds heat, when the plurality of wafers 111 are held by the substrate platform 200, heat is accumulated between the wafers, and the wafer (air flow 204 is not directly supplied) For example, the cooling rate of the wafers supported by the first frame 210a and the second frame 210b may decrease.

Therefore, the wind guide panel 213 is provided on the second frame 210a and the third frame 210b. Further, the substrate mounting frame 210 is arranged in a step shape so that the airflow 204 is easily supplied to the air guide panel 213. The wind guide panel 213 is formed in a plate shape, and guides the airflow 204 supplied from the ceiling of the front end module 20 between the wafers. By guiding the airflow 204 between the wafers, heat accumulation can be eliminated and the cooling rate can be maintained.

Specifically, the first wind guide panel 213a is provided on the end of the second frame 210b and on the surface where the upper part is open. Moreover, the 2nd wind guide panel 213b is provided in the edge part of the 1st flame | frame 210a, and the surface where the upper part is open | released. Here, the end portion refers to a portion where the substrate mounting arm of the transfer robot 202 is not inserted.
Each wind guide panel 213 is bent toward the side to which the airflow 204 is supplied, receives the airflow 204, and supplies the flow between the wafers.

As shown in FIG. 8B, a step is provided between the substrate placement frame 210 close to the supply source of the airflow 204 and the substrate placement frame 210 farther than that. By providing the step, the airflow 204 is easily supplied to the stepped portion, and the airflow 204 can be efficiently supplied between the wafers.
If the frame is stepped like this, unlike the second embodiment, the size of the wind guide panel can be made the same, so that the parts can be shared as compared with the second embodiment. Therefore, it is excellent in maintainability.

Subsequently, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an inert gas supply unit 40 is provided in the front end module 20 of the first embodiment and an oxygen concentration detector 412 is provided.

As in the first embodiment, when the front end module 20 transports the wafer 111 in an air atmosphere, a natural oxide film may be formed on the wafer surface.
When the natural oxide film is formed, it affects the heat treatment of the unprocessed wafer and the future processing of the processed wafer. Therefore, it is required to prevent the formation of the natural oxide film.
In particular, since the processed wafer is heated to some extent, a natural oxide film is likely to be formed.

In this embodiment, the inert gas supply unit 40 is provided in the front end module 20, and when the wafer 111 is transported in the front end module 20, the inert gas is supplied to the inert gas supply unit 40 to prevent this. ing.
A specific example will be described below.

The inert gas supply unit 40 includes an inert gas supply system, an air introduction hole 406, a gas introduction switching valve 407, a gas exhaust switching valve 411, a gas circulation pipe 409 connecting the gas introduction switching valve 407 and the gas exhaust switching valve 411, An exhaust hole 207 is mainly provided.

In the inert gas supply system, an inert gas supply source 402, a flow rate control device 402 for adjusting the gas flow rate, and a valve 404 for opening and closing the gas flow path are provided in the inert gas supply pipe in order from the upstream side. By opening and closing the valve 404, the inert gas is supplied to the gas introduction switching valve 407 from the inert gas introduction hole 405, or the supply is stopped.

The gas introduction switching valve 407 is provided with an air introduction hole 406 through which air is introduced, a gas circulation pipe 409, and a gas supply pipe 408. The gas circulation pipe 409 is supplied with the atmosphere in the front end module 20 circulated through the gas pipe 413 and the gas exhaust switching valve 411. The gas supply pipe 408 connects the front end module 20 and the gas supply switching valve.

The gas exhaust switching valve 411 is connected to a gas pipe 413, a gas exhaust pipe 414, and a gas circulation pipe 409. The gas pipe 413 connects the front end module 20 and the gas exhaust switching valve 411, and exhausts the atmosphere of the front end module 20 to the gas exhaust switching valve 411. The gas exhaust pipe 414 exhausts gas from the gas exhaust switching valve 411. The gas circulation pipe 409 circulates the atmosphere exhausted from the front end module 20 to the gas introduction switching valve 407 in the high oxygen mode described later. The gas circulation pipe 409 is provided with a fan 410 that sucks up the circulated atmosphere.

Subsequently, the operation according to the present embodiment will be described.装置 The apparatus according to the present embodiment has different modes for maintenance and wafer transfer.

The first is the atmospheric operation mode. In the atmospheric operation mode, when maintenance is performed on the front-end module 20, the process module 10, the load port 30, etc., the operation is stopped for a long time, or a person needs to enter the front-end module 20. This is the operation mode used for.

In the atmospheric operation mode, it operates as follows. In this mode, the switching valve of the gas introduction switching valve 407 is switched to the atmosphere side. In other words, the switching valve is controlled so that the inert gas introduction hole 405 is closed and the atmosphere is introduced from the air introduction hole 406.
Further, the switching valve of the gas exhaust switching valve 411 is switched to the exhaust side. In other words, the switching valve is controlled so that the gas circulation pipe 409 is closed and the atmosphere in the front end module 20 is exhausted from the gas exhaust pipe 414.
In the atmospheric operation mode, since the inside of the front end module 20 is a normal atmospheric atmosphere, the oxygen concentration is maintained at 20% or more, which is the same as the general atmospheric air.

The second is a high oxygen concentration operation mode. Normally, the high oxygen concentration operation mode is a mode used in a standby state in which wafer processing is not performed, such as before wafer processing is started or after one batch of wafer processing is completed. When the wafer processing is executed, the inside of the front end module 20 shifts to the low oxygen concentration state in a relatively short time, so that the high oxygen concentration is maintained.

In the high oxygen concentration operation mode, the switching valve of the gas introduction switching valve 407 is switched to the inert gas introduction hole side. In other words, the switching valve is controlled so as to close the air introduction hole 406 and introduce the inert gas from the inert gas introduction hole 405. Further, the switching valve of the gas exhaust switching valve 411 is switched to the exhaust side to exhaust the atmosphere in the front end module. In other words, switching to the exhaust side means controlling the switching valve so as to block the gas circulation pipe 409.

The oxygen concentration sensor 412 monitors the oxygen concentration in the front-end module 20, and when the target management oxygen concentration (for example, 1000 ppm) is reached, the nitrogen flow rate is reduced and the switching valve of the gas exhaust switching valve 411 is switched to the circulation side. Reduce the amount of gas used and maintain a high oxygen concentration atmosphere. In other words, switching to the circulation side means controlling the switching valve so as to close the gas exhaust pipe 414.

The third is the low oxygen concentration operation mode. Low oxygen concentration operation mode is a mode for executing wafer processing and wafer transfer. In a state where the front end module 20 is in a low oxygen concentration atmosphere, the transfer robot 202 transfers the wafer between the process module 10, the POD 301 mounted on the load port 30, and the substrate platform 200.

As in the high oxygen concentration operation mode, the switching valve of the gas introduction switching valve 407 is switched to the inert gas introduction hole side. In other words, the switching valve is controlled so as to close the air introduction hole 406 and introduce the inert gas from the inert gas introduction hole 405. Thereby, nitrogen gas is introduced into the front end module 20. Further, the switching valve of the gas exhaust switching valve 411 is switched to the exhaust side to exhaust the atmosphere in the front end module. In other words, switching to the exhaust side means controlling the switching valve so as to block the gas circulation pipe 409.

The oxygen concentration sensor 412 monitors the oxygen concentration in the front-end module 20, and when the target oxygen concentration (for example, 20 ppm) is reached, the nitrogen flow rate is controlled to maintain the low oxygen concentration atmosphere state. Since the oxygen concentration is suppressed in this way, it is possible to prevent a natural oxide film from being formed during wafer transfer.

In the atmospheric operation mode, the inside of the front end module 20 is a normal atmospheric atmosphere, so the oxygen concentration is 20% or more, which is the same as the general atmosphere. However, when shifting from the high oxygen concentration operation mode to the atmospheric operation mode, the front end A safety mechanism is provided for releasing the door lock of the front end module 20 by introducing air into the module 20 and confirming that the oxygen concentration has reached 18.5% or more, which is a safety threshold for preventing oxygen deficiency.

The high oxygen concentration operation mode is implemented by instructing the shift to the wafer processing preparation completion mode in a state where the above-described maintenance is completed and the front end module 20 is closed. Nitrogen gas is introduced into the front end module 20 and the flow rate of the nitrogen gas is controlled so that the internal oxygen concentration becomes the target management oxygen concentration (for example, 1000 ppm). The high oxygen concentration operation mode is continued until the start of wafer transfer or the transition to the maintenance mode is instructed.

The low oxygen concentration operation mode is implemented by instructing the start of wafer transfer. Nitrogen gas is introduced into the front end module 20, and the flow rate of the nitrogen gas is controlled so that the internal oxygen concentration becomes the target management oxygen concentration (for example, 20 ppm). The front end module 20 confirms that the inside has reached the target management oxygen concentration and opens the shutter 300 so that it can communicate with the POD 301 mounted on the load port 30. Further, after confirming that the inside of the front end module 20 has reached the target management oxygen concentration, the gate valve 100 of the process module 10 can also be opened and closed. Furthermore, the wafer can be placed on the substrate platform 200.

As a result, the transfer robot 202 forms a natural oxide film on the wafer surface between the process module 10 and the POD 301 mounted on the load port 30 and the substrate platform 200 while the front end module 20 is in a low oxygen concentration atmosphere. Can be carried out while preventing this. When all the wafer processing inside the POD 301 mounted on the load port 30 is completed and the storage into the POD is completed, the shutter 300 is closed.

The front end module 20 shifts to the high oxygen concentration operation mode when all wafer processing of all PODs mounted in the plurality of load ports 30-1 to 30-3 is completed and an instruction to stop wafer processing is given. Then, the flow rate of nitrogen gas is controlled to maintain the inside at the target management concentration in the high oxygen concentration operation mode. The high oxygen concentration operation mode is continued until the start of wafer processing is instructed again or the transition to the maintenance mode is instructed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In each of the embodiments described above, the case where the wafer is processed has been described. However, the processing target may be a photomask, a printed wiring board, a liquid crystal panel, a compact disk, a magnetic disk, or the like.

Further, the case where the wafer having a high dielectric constant film as in the present embodiment is annealed (crystallization control, impurity reduction, deficient oxygen supply) has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and impurities implanted into the bear silicon substrate are not limited. Activation, activation of Poly-Si and control of crystallization shape, cure of Polymer, gain size control of Cu wiring, defect repair of Epi-Si or Epi-SiGe, application of amorphous or poly structure to crystallization. The LED process can be applied to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate manufacturing method for improving the crystallinity of GaN.

In this embodiment, the processing is performed with the microwave frequency fixed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a mode in which the frequency of the microwave changes (varies) with time is also possible. In this case, the height from the surface of the substrate support 12 to the wafer 11 may be obtained from the wavelength of the representative frequency in the changing frequency band. For example, when changing from 5.8 GHz to 7.0 GHz, the representative frequency is set to the center frequency of the changing frequency band, and the height from the surface of the substrate support 12 to the wafer 11 is set to 11 from the wavelength 46 mm of the representative frequency 6.4 GHz. .5 mm.
Further, a plurality of fixed frequency power supplies may be provided, and microwaves having different frequencies may be switched and supplied from each, or a plurality of microwaves having different frequencies may be supplied at the same time for processing.

As a description of the present invention, a process module for processing a wafer using microwaves has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a process module such as a plasma processing apparatus using electrodes or a heating apparatus using heaters may be used. .

Next, other preferred embodiments of the present invention will be added, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following description.

<Appendix 1>
A mounting table on which a transport container storing a plurality of substrates is mounted; a processing chamber for performing heat treatment on the substrate; and a processing chamber adjacent to the processing chamber and provided between the mounting table, A transfer chamber having a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the processing chambers, a substrate mounting portion provided in the transfer chamber and configured to stack the substrates processed in the processing chamber, and provided in the transfer chamber And a cooling unit that cools the stacked substrates.

<Appendix 2>
The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the cooling unit is provided on an upper portion of the substrate mounting unit.

<Appendix 3>
The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 and 2, wherein the substrate placement unit includes a support unit that supports a substrate end.

<Appendix 4>
The processing chamber includes a supply unit that supplies microwaves into the processing chamber, a substrate support unit that supports the substrate and that can be moved up and down, and a stand that is provided in a position facing the back surface of the substrate, with the coolant supplied therein. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 3.

<Appendix 5>
The lifter pin provided in the processing chamber has a substrate positioned at an odd multiple of λ / 4 of the supplied microwave frequency from the surface of the table while the microwave is supplied from the microwave supply unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 4, which is controlled to be maintained.

<Appendix 6>
The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 5, wherein the lifter pins provided in the processing chamber are controlled to lower the substrate after the microwave supply processing and to maintain a predetermined time thereafter.

<Appendix 7>
A step of placing a substrate on a substrate support provided in the processing chamber by a transfer device provided in the transfer chamber; and a step in which the substrate support is opposed to the back surface of the substrate placed above. A step of supplying the microwave to the processing chamber and heating the substrate while maintaining the substrate at an odd multiple of a quarter wavelength of the microwave supplied from the wave supply port; A step of stopping the wave supply, and a step of unloading the substrate from the processing chamber by the transporter, placing the substrate on a substrate platform provided in the transport chamber, and cooling the substrate by a cooling unit; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

<Appendix 8>
A mounting table on which a transport container storing a plurality of substrates is mounted; a processing chamber for performing heat treatment on the substrate; and a processing chamber adjacent to the processing chamber and provided between the mounting table, A transfer chamber having a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the processing chambers, a substrate mounting portion provided in the transfer chamber and configured to stack the substrates processed in the processing chamber, and provided in the transfer chamber A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus having a cooling unit for cooling the stacked substrates, the step of processing a substrate in the processing chamber, and the transfer of the processed substrate to the transporter. A substrate processing method comprising: a step of placing; and a step of placing the substrate on the substrate platform by the transfer device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing apparatus 10 Process module 100 Gate valve 20 Front end module 200 Substrate placing part 202 Transfer robot 30 Load port 40 Controller

Claims (5)

1. A mounting table on which a transport container storing a plurality of substrates is mounted; a processing chamber for performing heat treatment on the substrate; and a processing chamber adjacent to the processing chamber and provided between the mounting table, A transfer chamber having a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the processing chambers, a substrate mounting portion provided in the transfer chamber and configured to stack the substrates processed in the processing chamber, and provided in the transfer chamber And a cooling unit that cools the stacked substrates.
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling unit is provided on an upper portion of the substrate mounting unit.
3. The processing chamber includes a supply unit that supplies microwaves into the processing chamber, a substrate support unit that supports the substrate and that can be moved up and down, and a stand that is provided in a position facing the back surface of the substrate, with the coolant supplied therein. The substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 which has these.
4. A step of placing a substrate on a substrate support provided in the processing chamber by a transfer device provided in the transfer chamber; and a step in which the substrate support is opposed to the back surface of the substrate placed above. A step of supplying the microwave to the processing chamber and heating the substrate while maintaining the substrate at an odd multiple of a quarter wavelength of the microwave supplied from the wave supply port; A step of stopping the wave supply, and a step of unloading the substrate from the processing chamber by the transporter, placing the substrate on a substrate platform provided in the transport chamber, and cooling the substrate by a cooling unit; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:
5. A mounting table on which a transport container storing a plurality of substrates is mounted; a processing chamber for performing heat treatment on the substrate; and a processing chamber adjacent to the processing chamber and provided between the mounting table, A transfer chamber having a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the processing chambers, a substrate mounting portion provided in the transfer chamber and configured to stack the substrates processed in the processing chamber, and provided in the transfer chamber A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus having a cooling unit for cooling the stacked substrates, the step of processing a substrate in the processing chamber, and the transfer of the processed substrate to the transporter. A substrate processing method comprising: a step of placing; and a step of placing the substrate on the substrate platform by the transfer device.

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