阅读说明：本技术 基片处理装置、基片处理系统和基片处理方法 (Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing system, and substrate processing method ) 是由 梅﨑翔太 池田义谦 于 2019-06-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供能够在处理基片时减少气氛调节气体的使用量的技术。本发明的一个方式的基片处理装置具有基片处理部、隔壁部、第一气体供给部和第二气体供给部。基片处理部对基片实施液体处理。隔壁部将从基片被送入的送入送出口到基片处理部的第一空间与第一空间以外的第二空间之间分隔开。第一气体供给部与隔壁部连接,对第一空间供给调节气氛的气氛调节气体。第二气体供给部与隔壁部中的与第一气体供给部不同的部位连接,向第一空间供给上述气氛调节气体。(The invention provides a technique capable of reducing the amount of atmosphere conditioning gas used when processing a substrate. A substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate processing section, a partition wall section, a first gas supply section, and a second gas supply section. The substrate processing unit performs liquid processing on the substrate. The partition wall portion partitions a first space from the carry-in/out port into which the substrate is carried to the substrate processing portion and a second space other than the first space. The first gas supply unit is connected to the partition wall unit and supplies an atmosphere control gas for controlling an atmosphere to the first space. The second gas supply unit is connected to a portion of the partition wall portion other than the first gas supply unit, and supplies the atmosphere control gas to the first space.)

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate processing unit for performing liquid processing on a substrate;

a partition wall portion that partitions a first space from a supply/discharge port for supplying the substrate to the substrate processing portion and a second space other than the first space;

a first gas supply unit connected to the partition wall unit and configured to supply an atmosphere control gas for controlling an atmosphere to the first space; and

and a second gas supply unit connected to a portion of the partition wall portion other than the first gas supply unit and configured to supply the atmosphere control gas to the first space.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first gas supply portion and the second gas supply portion are connected to positions in the partition wall portion that are opposed to the substrate.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the partition wall portion has an upper plate portion covering an upper side of the substrate and a side wall portion surrounding a side of the substrate,

the first gas supply portion and the second gas supply portion are connected to the upper plate portion.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the first gas supply unit is connected to the upper plate portion above the center portion of the substrate, and the second gas supply unit is connected to the upper plate portion above the outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein:

further comprising a liquid supply unit having a treatment liquid nozzle for discharging a treatment liquid onto the substrate,

the upper plate portion is formed with a through hole through which the treatment liquid nozzle is inserted.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the first gas supply portion is connected to an inner wall of the through hole.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the through hole is formed in a slit shape extending from a position facing a center portion of the substrate to a position facing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

and a scanning upper plate which is disposed so as to cover the slit-shaped through hole and which is capable of scanning on the substrate in synchronization with the processing liquid nozzle.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the gap between the upper plate portion and the scanning upper plate has a labyrinth configuration.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein:

further comprising a case for housing the substrate processing section, the partition wall section, and the liquid supply section,

the second space in the box body is an atmospheric atmosphere.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of any of claims 1-4, 6-9, wherein:

the flow rate of the atmosphere adjusting gas supplied from the first gas supply portion is larger than the flow rate of the atmosphere adjusting gas supplied from the second gas supply portion.

12. A substrate processing system, characterized by:

a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses according to any one of claims 1 to 11 are provided,

the substrate processing apparatus includes a common transport path provided with a transport mechanism adjacent to the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses and transporting the substrate to each of the substrate processing apparatuses.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 12, wherein:

the apparatus further includes a third gas supply unit configured to supply an atmosphere control gas for controlling an atmosphere to the common transport path.

14. A method of processing a substrate, comprising:

supplying an atmosphere control gas for controlling an atmosphere from 2 gas supply units to a first space from a supply/discharge port for supplying a substrate to a substrate processing unit for performing liquid processing on the substrate;

feeding the substrate into the first space;

placing the substrate on the substrate processing section; and

and performing a liquid treatment on the substrate using a liquid supply unit disposed in a second space partitioned from the first space by a partition wall.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing system and a substrate processing method.

Background

Conventionally, in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer), an atmospheric atmosphere cleaned by using a Fan Filter Unit (FFU) is supplied to a housing (for example, see patent document 1).

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

The invention provides a technique capable of reducing the amount of atmosphere conditioning gas used in processing a substrate.

Technical solution for solving technical problem

A substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate processing section, a partition wall section, a first gas supply section, and a second gas supply section. The substrate processing unit performs liquid processing on the substrate. The partition wall portion partitions a first space from the carry-in/out port into which the substrate is carried to the substrate processing portion and a second space other than the first space. The first gas supply unit is connected to the partition wall unit and supplies an atmosphere control gas for controlling an atmosphere to the first space. The second gas supply unit is connected to a portion of the partition wall portion other than the first gas supply unit, and supplies the atmosphere control gas to the first space.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, the amount of the atmosphere control gas used in processing the substrate can be reduced.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of the processing unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view a-a of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a B-B sectional view of fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the structure of the upper plate portion and the scanning upper plate of the embodiment.

Fig. 6A is a schematic diagram (1) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6B is a schematic diagram (2) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6C is a schematic diagram (3) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6D is a schematic diagram (4) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6E is a schematic diagram (5) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6F is a schematic diagram (6) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6G is a schematic diagram (7) showing one step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6H is a schematic diagram (8) showing a step of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the entire procedure of liquid treatment according to the embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing a detailed processing procedure of the liquid processing according to the embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

W wafer (one example of substrate)

1 substrate processing system

15 conveying part (an example of a common conveying path)

16 processing unit (an example of a substrate processing apparatus)

17 substrate transport device (an example of transport mechanism)

20 case body

21 are sent into and sent out the mouth

30 substrate processing part

31 substrate holding part

32 pillar part

33 liquid bearing cover

34 recovery cover

40 partition wall part

41 upper plate part

41a through hole

41b convex part

42 side wall part

43 gap filling part

44 first gas supply part

45 second gas supply part

50 liquid supply part

51 treating liquid nozzle

60 scanning upper plate

A1 first space

A2 second space.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing system, and a substrate processing method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationship of the respective portions, the ratio of the respective members, and the like may be different from those in reality. Further, portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios may be included between the drawings.

Conventionally, in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a wafer, an atmospheric atmosphere cleaned by FFU is supplied to a chamber.

On the other hand, depending on the process, the atmosphere around the wafer may be adjusted to a predetermined condition such as low humidity or low oxygen concentration, instead of the atmosphere being supplied. However, when the atmosphere in the entire interior of the housing is controlled by a gas for controlling the atmosphere to a predetermined condition (hereinafter, referred to as atmosphere control gas), the amount of the atmosphere control gas used may increase.

Accordingly, it is desirable to reduce the amount of atmosphere control gas used when processing wafers.

< overview of substrate processing System >

First, a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment.

Hereinafter, in order to clarify the positional relationship, an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis orthogonal to each other are defined, and the positive Z axis direction is set to the vertical upward direction.

As shown in fig. 1, a substrate processing system 1 has a carry-in/out table 2 and a processing table 3. The carry-in/out table 2 and the processing table 3 are disposed adjacent to each other.

The carry-in/out table 2 includes a carrier placing section 11 and a conveying section 12. The carrier placing section 11 places a plurality of carriers C that horizontally accommodate a plurality of substrates, in the embodiment, semiconductor wafers W (hereinafter, referred to as wafers W). The wafer W is an example of a substrate.

The transport unit 12 is provided adjacent to the carrier placement unit 11, and includes a substrate transport device 13 and a transfer unit 14 therein. The substrate transport apparatus 13 has a wafer holding mechanism for holding the wafer W. The substrate transport device 13 can move in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction and rotate about the vertical axis, and transport the wafer W between the carrier C and the interface 14 using the wafer holding mechanism.

The processing table 3 is disposed adjacent to the conveying section 12. The processing table 3 includes a conveying section 15 and a plurality of processing units 16. The plurality of processing units 16 are arranged in a row on both sides of the conveying section 15. The conveying section 15 is an example of a common conveying path, and the processing unit 16 is an example of a substrate processing apparatus.

The conveying section 15 includes a substrate conveying device 17 therein. The substrate transport device 17 is an example of a transport mechanism, and includes a wafer holding mechanism for holding the wafer W. The substrate transport device 17 is capable of moving in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction and rotating about the vertical axis, and transports the wafer W between the interface 14 and the processing unit 16 using the wafer holding mechanism.

The processing unit 16 performs a predetermined liquid process on the wafer W conveyed by the substrate conveyor 17. Details of the processing unit 16 will be described later.

Further, the substrate processing system 1 has a control device 4. The control device 4 is, for example, a computer, and has a control unit 18 and a storage unit 19. The storage unit 19 stores a program for controlling various processes executed in the substrate processing system 1. The control unit 18 reads out and executes the program stored in the storage unit 19 to control the operation of the substrate processing system 1.

The program may be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium, or may be installed from the storage medium to the storage unit 19 of the control device 4. Examples of the storage medium that can be read by a computer include a Hard Disk (HD), a Flexible Disk (FD), an optical disk (CD), a magneto-optical disk (MO), and a memory card.

In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, first, the substrate transport device 13 of the carry-in/out table 2 takes out the wafer W from the carrier C placed on the carrier placing portion 11, and places the taken-out wafer W on the delivery portion 14. The wafer W placed on the transfer portion 14 is taken out of the transfer portion 14 by the substrate transport device 17 of the processing table 3 and is carried into the processing unit 16.

The wafer W loaded into the processing unit 16 is processed by the processing unit 16, and then is carried out of the processing unit 16 by the substrate transfer device 17 and placed on the transfer unit 14.

Then, the processed wafer W placed on the transfer portion 14 is returned to the carrier C of the carrier placing portion 11 by the substrate transport device 13.

< overview of processing Unit >

Next, an outline of the processing unit 16 will be described with reference to fig. 2 to 4. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of the processing unit 16 according to the embodiment, fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 2, and fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of fig. 2. In addition, for easy understanding, a state in which the wafer W is carried in is shown in fig. 3 and 4, and an illustration of the LM (Linear Motion) guide 53 is omitted in fig. 4.

As shown in fig. 2, the process unit 16 has a casing 20, a substrate processing section 30, a partition wall section 40, a liquid supply section 50, and a scanning upper plate 60. The casing 20 houses the substrate processing section 30, the partition wall section 40, the liquid supply section 50, and the scanning upper plate 60.

The box 20 has a feed-in port 21 at a position in contact with the conveying section 15. The wafer W conveyed by the substrate conveyor 17 of the conveying section 15 is carried into the cassette 20 through the carry-in/out port 21. The casing 20 has a shutter 22 configured to be able to open and close the inlet/outlet port 21.

In the embodiment, the example in which the shutter 22 is incorporated into the partition wall 40 described later is shown, but the shutter 22 is not necessarily incorporated into the partition wall 40.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, an FFU23 is provided on the top of the case 20. The FFU23 forms a downward flow of cleaned atmospheric air supplied into the tank 20. Further, an exhaust port 24 for exhausting the atmosphere supplied from FFU23 to the outside of processing unit 16 is formed in the bottom of case 20.

The substrate processing unit 30 performs a predetermined liquid process on the wafer W. As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the substrate processing section 30 includes a substrate holding section 31, a support column section 32, a liquid-receiving cover 33, a collection cover 34, and a liquid discharge port 35. The substrate holding portion 31 holds the wafer W horizontally. The substrate holding portion 31 holds the outer edge portion of the wafer W, for example, from the side.

The support column portion 32 is a member extending in the vertical direction, and a base end portion on the lower side is rotatably supported by a drive portion, not shown. Although not shown in fig. 3 and 4, the support column portion 32 can horizontally support the substrate holding portion 31 at the upper front end portion.

The substrate processing section 30 rotates the column section 32 using the driving section, thereby rotating the substrate holding section 31 supported by the column section 32. Thereby, the substrate processing section 30 rotates the wafer W held by the substrate holding section 31. The column part 32 is configured to be movable vertically, and is movable to the wafer W loaded above the substrate processing part 30 to receive the wafer W.

The liquid receiving cover 33 is substantially annular and has a curved shape recessed downward. The liquid receiving cover 33 is disposed so as to surround the outer edge portion of the substrate holding portion 31, and collects processing liquids such as the chemical liquid L1 (see fig. 6F) and the cleaning liquid L2 (see fig. 6G) scattered from the wafer W by the rotation of the substrate holding portion 31.

For example, the liquid receiving cover body 33 is disposed so as to surround the outer edge portion of the substrate holding portion 31 at least on the upper side of the same plane as the wafer W held by the substrate holding portion 31. The liquid-receiving cover 33 may rotate together with the substrate holder 31.

The recovery cover 34 is disposed so as to surround the substrate holder 31, and collects the processing liquid scattered from the wafer W by the rotation of the substrate holder 31. Although not shown in fig. 3 and 4, the collection cover 34 may be a plurality of covers capable of collecting a plurality of treatment liquids.

A liquid discharge port 35 is formed in the bottom of the collection cover 34. The processing liquid collected by the liquid-receiving cover 33 or the collecting cover 34 is discharged to the outside of the processing unit 16 through the liquid discharge port 35.

As shown in fig. 4, the partition wall 40 partitions a first space a1 from the carry-in/out port 21 to the substrate processing section 30 and a second space a2 other than the first space a1 in the casing 20. The partition wall 40 is configured to be able to adjust the atmosphere in the partitioned first space a1 to a predetermined condition.

As shown in fig. 3, the partition wall 40 includes an upper plate portion 41, a side wall portion 42, a gap filling portion 43 (see fig. 2), a first gas supply portion 44, and a second gas supply portion 45. The upper plate portion 41 has a substantially disc-like shape, is provided so as to face the wafer W held by the wafer holding portion 31 substantially in parallel, and is disposed so as to cover the upper side of the wafer W.

The upper plate 41 is configured to be vertically movable within the box 20, and to move upward without interfering with the transport path of the wafers W when the wafers W are sent in and out from the send-in and send-out port 21. On the other hand, when the wafer W is processed by the substrate processing unit 30, the upper plate portion 41 is moved to a position close to the lower side of the wafer W. The arrangement of the upper plate portion 41 is not limited to the above-described position, and can be freely changed according to the conditions of the wafers W to be processed and the conditions of the upper plate portion 41 to be cleaned.

The upper plate portion 41 has a through hole 41a communicating vertically. For example, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the through hole 41a is formed in a slit shape so as to face at least the central portion of the wafer W held by the substrate holding portion 31. The through-hole 41a is formed so that a treatment solution nozzle 51 described later can be inserted therethrough.

As shown in fig. 4, the upper plate portion 41 has a convex portion 41b protruding toward the wafer W. The convex portion 41b protrudes in a substantially cylindrical shape, for example. The outer diameter of the convex portion 41b is larger than the outer diameter of the wafer W to be opposed, and is smaller than the inner diameter of the adjacent liquid receiving cover 33.

The side wall portion 42 surrounds the substrate holding portion 31, the liquid receiving cover 33, the upper plate portion 41, and the like, which hold the wafer W. The side wall portion 42 is formed linearly on the front side where the carry-in/out port 21 is provided in plan view, and has a semicircular shape corresponding to the shape of the wafer W on the deep side where the liquid processing is performed on the wafer W, as shown in fig. 2, for example.

In the embodiment, the side wall portion 42 is movable up and down integrally with the upper plate portion 41. On the other hand, the side wall portion 42 does not need to be moved up and down together with the upper plate portion 41, and may be fixed in the case 20. At this time, the upper plate portion 41 may be configured to be vertically movable along the fixed side wall portion 42.

As shown in fig. 2, the gap filling section 43 fills the gap (e.g., the periphery of the carry-in/carry-out port 21) in the first space a1 except for the substrate processing section 30 when the wafer W is processed by the substrate processing section 30. In the embodiment, the gap filling portion 43 is movable up and down integrally with the upper plate portion 41, and when the wafer W is sent in and out from the sending-in and sending-out port 21, the gap filling portion moves to a position where the gap filling portion does not interfere with the transport path of the wafer W.

The gap filling portion 43 has, for example, a substantially U-shape having an arc-shaped inner side and a rectangular-shaped outer side in plan view. The side wall portion 42 does not need to be vertically movable together with the upper plate portion 41, and may be vertically movable independently of the upper plate portion 41.

The first gas supply unit 44 is connected to the first space a1, and supplies an atmosphere control gas to the first space a 1. For example, as shown in fig. 4, the discharge nozzle of the atmosphere control gas in the first gas supply portion 44 is connected to the side wall of the through hole 41a formed in the upper plate portion 41. The first gas supply unit 44 supplies the atmosphere control gas from the discharge nozzle to the first space a1 through the through hole 41 a.

The second gas supply unit 45 is connected to a portion of the first space a1 other than the first gas supply unit 44, and supplies the atmosphere control gas to the first space a 1. For example, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the discharge nozzle of the atmosphere control gas of the second gas supply unit 45 is connected to a position farthest from the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W facing the slit-shaped through hole 41a, among positions facing the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W.

The second gas supply unit 45 supplies the atmosphere control gas from the discharge nozzle to the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W. The atmosphere control gas may be supplied from a third gas supply unit, not shown, provided in the transport unit 15 through the transport unit 15.