阅读说明：本技术 基板处理系统、基板搬送方法以及存储介质 (Substrate processing system, substrate transfer method, and storage medium ) 是由 松桥孝文 鹰野国夫 平田俊治 于 2019-07-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种基板处理系统、基板搬送方法以及存储介质,在向多个处理模块依次搬送基板并对基板进行一系列的处理时,能够抑制生产率的下降并且抑制因基板引起的处理结果的不均匀。基板处理系统具备：具有分别进行规定的处理的多个处理模块的处理部；保持多个基板并针对处理部搬出搬入基板的搬出搬入部；搬送基板的搬送部；对处理部、搬出搬入部及搬送部进行控制的控制部,其中,控制部进行控制,使得多个基板依次从搬出搬入部搬送到处理部,并且所搬送的基板依次顺序地搬送到多个处理模块,且进行控制,使得设定从自搬出搬入部的规定的模块搬出基板之后起直至搬出下一个基板为止的间隔,并按该间隔的设定值将多个基板依次从规定的模块搬出。(The invention provides a substrate processing system, a substrate conveying method and a storage medium, which can inhibit the reduction of productivity and the nonuniformity of processing results caused by substrates when the substrates are sequentially conveyed to a plurality of processing modules and a series of processing is carried out on the substrates. The substrate processing system includes: a processing unit having a plurality of processing modules each performing a predetermined process; a carrying-in and carrying-out section for holding a plurality of substrates and carrying in and out the substrates to and from the processing section; a conveying part for conveying the substrate; and a control unit that controls the processing unit, the carry-in/out unit, and the transport unit, wherein the control unit controls the plurality of substrates to be sequentially transported from the carry-in/out unit to the processing unit, and the substrates to be transported to the plurality of processing modules sequentially, and controls the substrate transport unit to set a distance from a predetermined module of the carry-in/out unit to a next substrate after the substrates are carried out, and to sequentially carry out the plurality of substrates from the predetermined module at the set value of the distance.)

1. A substrate processing system for processing a plurality of substrates, the substrate processing system comprising:

a processing unit having a plurality of processing modules each performing a predetermined process;

a carrying-in/out unit that holds a plurality of substrates and carries the substrates in and out of the processing unit;

a conveying unit that conveys a substrate to each of the plurality of process modules, and conveys the substrate within the carry-in and carry-out unit and between the carry-in and carry-out unit and the process unit; and

a control unit for controlling the processing unit, the carry-in/carry-out unit, and the conveying unit,

wherein the control unit controls the plurality of substrates to be sequentially transferred from the carry-in and carry-out unit to the processing unit, and the substrates to be transferred are sequentially transferred to the plurality of processing modules, and the control unit sets a distance from a time when a substrate is carried out from a predetermined module of the carry-in and carry-out unit to a time when a next substrate is carried out, and sequentially carries out the plurality of substrates from the predetermined module at a set value of the distance.

2. The substrate processing system of claim 1,

the control unit can change the set value of the interval.

3. The substrate processing system of claim 2,

the control unit controls to carry out a subsequent substrate after a time of a difference between a set value of the changed interval and a measured time up to that time, when the set value of the interval is changed after a preceding substrate is carried out from the predetermined module.

4. The substrate processing system of any of claims 1 to 3,

when the substrate stays in a predetermined processing module, the control unit detects the substrate stay and resets the substrate by feeding back the detection result so that the remaining time of the interval is extended by the stay time.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 4,

if the retention time in the predetermined processing block is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, it is regarded that retention has occurred.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 4 or 5,

the control unit sets a delay time for carrying out the substrate carried out from the predetermined process module as a residence time at a time when the residence is eliminated and the substrate starts to move.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 6,

when the stagnation of the substrates is eliminated and the plurality of substrates start to move, the control unit receives only feedback of the first substrate that starts to move.

8. The substrate processing system of claim 6,

the control unit does not receive any feedback after the substrate for which the retention result has been fed back once.

9. The substrate processing system of any of claims 4 to 8,

and setting the maximum value of the reset value after the rest time of the interval is prolonged as the set value of the interval.

10. The substrate processing system of any of claims 1 to 9,

when it is detected that the substrate is retained in the module at the destination of the substrate transfer when the substrate is to be carried out from the predetermined module after the predetermined interval set for the predetermined module has elapsed, the control unit stops the carrying out of the substrate from the predetermined module.

11. The substrate processing system of any of claims 1 to 10,

when there is no preceding substrate, the control unit immediately carries out the next substrate from the gap setting module regardless of the set value of the gap.

12. The substrate processing system of any of claims 1 to 11,

the carry-in/out section has a load port for placing a substrate storage container for storing a plurality of substrates, and the load port functions as the predetermined module having the interval set therein.

13. The substrate processing system of any of claims 1 to 11,

a plurality of process modules of the process section perform processes in vacuum,

the carrying-in and carrying-out section includes: a load port for loading a substrate container for accommodating a plurality of substrates; an aligner module that performs alignment of a substrate; and a load-lock module whose pressure is variable between atmospheric pressure and vacuum,

the prescribed module to which the interval is set is any one of the load port, the aligner module, and the load-lock module.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 13,

the control unit may change the predetermined module in which the interval is set.

15. A substrate transfer method for transferring a substrate in a substrate processing system, wherein the substrate processing system has: a processing unit having a plurality of processing modules each performing a predetermined process; and a carrying-in/out section that holds a plurality of substrates and carries in/out the substrates to/from the processing section, the substrate carrying method including:

setting an interval from after the substrate held in the carry-in and carry-out section is carried out from a predetermined module of the carry-in and carry-out section to when a next substrate is carried out, and carrying out a plurality of substrates sequentially from the predetermined module at the set value of the interval;

transporting the substrates sequentially carried out from the predetermined modules to the processing unit; and

the substrates transferred to the processing section are sequentially transferred to the plurality of processing modules in sequence.

16. A storage medium storing a control program that runs on a computer and controls transfer of a substrate in a substrate processing system, the substrate processing system comprising: a processing unit having a plurality of processing modules each performing a predetermined process; and a carrying-in/out section for holding a plurality of substrates and carrying in/out the substrates to/from the processing section,

the control program, when executed, causes a computer to control the substrate processing system so as to perform:

setting an interval from after the substrate held in the carry-in and carry-out section is carried out from a predetermined module of the carry-in and carry-out section to when a next substrate is carried out, and carrying out a plurality of substrates sequentially from the predetermined module at the set value of the interval;

transporting the substrates sequentially carried out from the predetermined modules to the processing unit; and

the substrates transferred to the processing section are sequentially transferred to the plurality of processing modules in sequence.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing system, a substrate transfer method, and a storage medium.

Background

As a substrate processing system that processes a plurality of substrates, there is proposed a substrate processing system that: the substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of process modules each performing a predetermined process, and a transfer mechanism for transferring a substrate to the plurality of process modules, and is controlled so as to sequentially transfer substrates to the plurality of process modules (for example, patent document 1).

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 6160614

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The present disclosure provides one of the following techniques: when a substrate is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of processing modules which respectively perform predetermined processing and a series of processing is performed on the substrate, the decrease of the productivity is suppressed and the unevenness of the processing result caused by the substrate is suppressed.

Means for solving the problems

A substrate processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a substrate processing system for processing a plurality of substrates, the substrate processing system including: a processing unit having a plurality of processing modules each performing a predetermined process; a carrying-in/out unit that holds a plurality of substrates and carries the substrates in and out of the processing unit; a conveying unit that conveys a substrate to each of the plurality of process modules, and conveys the substrate within the carry-in and carry-out unit and between the carry-in and carry-out unit and the process unit; and a control unit that controls the processing unit, the carry-in and carry-out unit, and the transfer unit, wherein the control unit controls such that a plurality of substrates are sequentially transferred from the carry-in and carry-out unit to the processing unit, and the substrates to be transferred are sequentially transferred to the plurality of processing modules, and the control unit sets an interval from after a predetermined module of the carry-in and carry-out unit carries out a substrate to when a next substrate is carried out, and sequentially carries out a plurality of substrates from the predetermined module at a set value of the interval.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a technique of: when a substrate is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of processing modules for performing each of a plurality of processes and a series of processes are performed on the substrate, it is possible to suppress a decrease in productivity and to suppress variations in processing results due to the substrate.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a substrate processing system according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a substrate transfer path in the substrate processing system according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a control unit in the substrate processing system according to the embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram of a control unit in the substrate processing system according to the embodiment.

Detailed Description

Embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a substrate processing system according to an embodiment.

The substrate processing system 1 performs a plurality of processes on a substrate W, and includes a processing unit 2, a control unit 4, and a carrying-in/out unit 3 that holds the plurality of substrates W and carries in and out the substrates W to and from the processing unit 2. The substrate is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a semiconductor wafer.

The processing unit 2 includes a plurality of (10 in this example) process modules PM1 to PM10 for performing a predetermined vacuum process on the substrate W. The first conveyance device 11 sequentially conveys the substrates W to the plurality of process modules PM1 to PM 10. The first conveyance device 11 includes a plurality of conveyance modules TM1 to TM 5. The transfer modules TM1 to TM5 respectively include containers 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e, which are held in a vacuum state and have hexagonal planar shapes, and transfer mechanisms 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, and 31e having a multi-joint structure provided in the respective containers. The delivery units 41, 42, 43, and 44 as delivery buffers are provided between the delivery mechanisms of the delivery modules TM1 to TM5, respectively. The containers 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e of the transfer modules TM1 to TM5 communicate with each other to form one transfer chamber 12. The transfer chamber 12 extends in the Y direction in the figure, and five process modules PM1 to PM10 are connected to each side of the transfer chamber 12 via openable and closable gate valves G. The gate valves G of the process modules PM1 to PM10 are opened when the transfer module enters and exits the process modules, and are closed when the process is performed.

The carry-in/out unit 3 is connected to one end side of the processing unit 2. The carry-in/out section 3 includes an atmospheric transfer chamber (EFEM)21, three load ports 22 connected to the atmospheric transfer chamber 21, an aligner module 23, two load-lock modules LLM1 and LLM2, and a second transfer device 24 provided in the atmospheric transfer chamber 21.

The atmospheric transfer chamber 21 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape whose longitudinal direction is the X direction in the drawing. The three load ports 22 are provided in a long side wall portion of the atmospheric transfer chamber 21 on the opposite side of the processing section 2. Each of the load ports 22 has a mounting table 25 and a transfer port 26, a FOUP 20 as a substrate storage container for storing a plurality of substrates is mounted on the mounting table 25, and the FOUP 20 on the mounting table 25 is connected to the atmospheric transfer chamber 21 in a sealed state via the transfer port 26.

The aligner module 23 is connected to one short-side wall portion of the atmospheric transfer chamber 21. The alignment of the substrate W is performed in the aligner module 23.

The two load-lock modules LLM1 and LLM2 are used to transfer the substrate W between the atmospheric transfer chamber 21 and the vacuum transfer chamber 12, and the pressure of the two load-lock modules LLM1 and LLM2 is variable between atmospheric pressure and a vacuum level equal to that of the transfer chamber 12. The two load-lock modules LLM1 and LLM2 each have two transfer ports, one of which is connected to the long-side wall portion of the atmospheric transfer chamber 21 on the processing unit 2 side via a gate valve G2, and the other of which is connected to the transfer chamber 12 of the processing unit 2 via a gate valve G1. The load lock module LLM1 is used when the substrate W is transferred from the carry-in/out section 3 to the processing section 2, and the load lock module LLM2 is used when the substrate W is transferred from the processing section 2 to the carry-in/out section 3. Further, the load-lock modules LLM1 and LLM2 may be subjected to degassing treatment.

The second transfer device 24 in the atmospheric transfer chamber 21 has a multi-joint structure, and transfers the substrates W to the FOUP 20, the aligner module 23, the load lock module LLM1, and the LLM2 on the load port 22. Specifically, the second transfer device 24 takes out an unprocessed substrate W from the FOUP 20 of the load port 22, transfers the substrate W to the aligner module 23, and transfers the substrate W from the aligner module 23 to the load lock module LLM 1. The second transfer device 24 receives the processed substrates W transferred from the processing unit 2 to the load lock module LLM2, and transfers the substrates W to the FOUP 20 of the load port 22. In fig. 1, the pick-up member for receiving the substrate W of the second conveying device 24 is shown as an example, but two pick-up members may be provided.

The first conveying device 11 and the second conveying device 24 constitute a conveying section of the processing system 1.

In the processing unit 2, the process modules PM1, PM3, PM5, PM7, and PM9 are arranged in this order from the load-lock module LLM1 side on one side of the transport chamber 12, and the process modules PM2, PM4, PM6, PM8, and PM10 are arranged in this order from the load-lock module LLM2 side on the other side of the transport chamber 12. Further, in the first conveyance device 11, conveyance modules TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4, and TM5 are arranged in this order from the loading interlock modules LLM1 and LLM2 side.

The conveyance mechanism 31a of the conveyance module TM1 can enter and exit the load-lock modules LLM1 and LLM2, the process modules PM1 and PM2, and the delivery unit 41. The conveyance mechanism 31b of the conveyance module TM2 can enter and exit the process modules PM1, PM2, PM3, and PM4, and the delivery units 41 and 42. The conveyance mechanism 31c of the conveyance module TM3 can enter and exit the process modules PM3, PM4, PM5, and PM6, and the delivery units 42 and 43. The conveyance mechanism 31d of the conveyance module TM4 can enter and exit the process modules PM5, PM6, PM7, and PM8, and the delivery units 43 and 44. The conveyance mechanism 31e of the conveyance module TM5 can enter and exit the process modules PM7, PM8, PM9, and PM10, and the delivery unit 44.

Since the transfer modules TM1 to TM5 of the first transfer device 11 and the second transfer device 24 are configured as described above, as shown in fig. 2, the substrates W taken out of the FOUP 20 are sequentially transferred in one direction along the substantially U-shaped path P in the processing section 2, processed in the respective processing modules, and then returned to the FOUP 20. That is, the substrate W is transported in the order of the process modules PM1, PM3, PM5, PM7, PM9, PM10, PM8, PM6, PM4, and PM2, and is subjected to a predetermined process in each process module.

The processing system 1 can be used for manufacturing a laminated film (MTJ film) used in an MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory), for example. In the MTJ film production, there are a plurality of processes such as a precleaning process, a film formation process, an oxidation process, a heating process, and a cooling process, and each of these processes is performed in the process modules PM1 to PM 10. One or more of the process modules PM1 to PM10 may be standby modules for causing the substrates W to stand by.

The controller 4 controls the components of the substrate processing system 1, such as the transfer modules TM1 to TM5 (transfer mechanisms 31a to 31e), the second transfer device 24, the process modules PM1 to PM10, the load lock modules LLM1 and LLM2, the transfer chamber 12, and the gate valves G, G1 and G2. The control unit 4 is typically a computer. Fig. 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the control unit 4. The control unit 4 includes a main control unit 101, an input device 102 such as a keyboard and a mouse, an output device 103 such as a printer, a display device 104, a storage device 105, an external interface 106, and a bus 107 connecting these devices. The main control section 101 has a CPU (central processing unit) 111, a RAM 112, and a ROM 113. The storage device 105 records and reads information necessary for control. The storage device 105 has a computer-readable storage medium, and stores a processing procedure for processing the substrate W and the like in the storage medium.

In the control unit 4, the CPU 111 executes a program stored in the ROM 113 or the storage medium of the storage device 105 by using the RAM 112 as a work area, thereby performing processing on the wafer W as a substrate in the substrate processing apparatus 1.

Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 4, and mainly shows a function of controlling the conveyance of the substrate W. The controller 4 includes a conveyance controller 121, an interval setting unit 122, a substrate detector 123, a retention detector 124, and an interval setting module changer 125. The control unit 4 has functions other than the conveyance control function, but the description thereof is omitted here.

The conveyance controller 121 controls the conveyance modules TM1 to TM5 (conveyance mechanisms 31a to 31e) and the second conveyance device 24. Specifically, the substrate W is carried out from the FOUP 20, reaches the processing unit 2 via the aligner module 23 and the load lock module LLM1, is sequentially carried to the respective processing modules, and is returned to the FOUP 20 via the load lock module LLM 2. The conveyance controller 121 incorporates a timer. The interval setting unit 122 has the following functions: after a certain substrate W is carried out from a predetermined module of the carry-in/out section 3, a distance from the time of carrying out the next substrate W is set, and a set value of the distance is transmitted to the conveyance controller 121. The substrate detection unit 123 detects the position of the substrate W in the system. The detected position of the substrate W is displayed on the device screen of the display device 104. The retention detector 124 has a function of detecting retention of the substrate W and feeding back the retention to the conveyance controller 121. The interval setting module changing unit 125 has the following functions: the change of the module in which the interval from the time when the substrate W is carried out to the time when the next substrate W is carried out is set, and the change is transmitted to the conveyance controller 121.

The following description will be specifically made.

The conveyance controller 121 controls the conveyance mechanism such as the second conveyance device 24 so that the plurality of substrates W are sequentially carried out at the set value of the interval set by the interval setting unit 122 when the plurality of substrates are sequentially carried out from the predetermined module of the carrying-out/carrying-out unit 3. At this time, the interval is set as a device parameter. The interval setting unit 122 can set the interval to an appropriate value according to the productivity required for machining.

The predetermined module (interval setting module) to which the interval is set is, for example, the load port 22(FOUP 20). When the interval setting module is the load port 22(FOUP 20), the conveyance controller 121 controls the second conveyance device 24 to take out the substrate W from the FOUP 20 and then take out the next substrate W at the set value of the interval set by the interval setting unit 122. For example, the setting value of the interval setting unit 122 is set based on the time of the processing block having the longest processing time among the processing blocks PM1 to PM 10.

The set value (parameter) set by the interval setting unit 122 can be changed halfway. In this case, it is preferable that the conveyance controller 121 immediately effect the parameter change. When the parameter is changed after the preceding substrate is carried out from the interval setting module (interval timer measurement period), the conveyance controller 121 carries out the subsequent substrate after a timer period corresponding to a difference between the changed parameter and the measured time up to this point.

For example, when the set value (parameter) of the interval is 120 seconds, the following is performed.

(a) When the parameter is changed to 100 seconds after 30 seconds have elapsed after the preceding substrate is carried out, the subsequent substrate is carried 70 seconds after the parameter change time point (100 seconds after the preceding substrate is carried out).

(b) When the parameter is changed to 10 seconds after 30 seconds have elapsed after the preceding substrate is carried out, the subsequent substrate is carried out immediately after the parameter change time point.

The interval setting module changing unit 125 sets the change of the interval setting module. For example, the gap setting module is changed from the load port 22(FOUP 20) to the aligner module 23 or the load lock module LLM 1. When the changed interval setting module is the aligner module 23, the conveyance controller 121 controls the second conveyance device 24 to take out the next substrate W at the set interval after the substrate W is carried out from the aligner module 23. At this time, the conveyance controller 121 controls the second conveyance device 24 so that the substrate W is normally conveyed without taking the gap into consideration when the substrate W is conveyed from the FOUP 20 to the aligner module 23. When the changed interval setting module is the load-lock module LLM1, the conveyance controller 121 controls the conveyance mechanism 31a of the conveyance module TM1 so that the next substrate W is taken out at the set interval after the substrate W is carried out from the load-lock module LLM 1.

In the above description, the initial setting of the interval setting module is the load port 22(FOUP 20), but the initial setting of the interval setting module may be another module.

When the substrate stays in a predetermined process module regardless of the setting of the interval, the stay detector 124 detects the stay and feeds back the stay time to the conveyance controller 121. The conveyance controller 121 that receives the feedback extends the remaining time of the set value of the interval set by the interval setting unit 122 by the retention time. In the residence detection by the residence detection unit 124, when the carry-out delay time for carrying out the substrate W from a predetermined module is equal to or longer than a predetermined time based on the position detection result of the substrate W obtained by the substrate detection unit 123, the substrate W is regarded as having a residence, and the carry-out delay time is set as the residence time. Since the residence time is known after the substrate starts moving, the residence time is detected at the time when the residence is eliminated and the substrate W starts moving. The conveyance controller 121 that has received the feedback resets the timer so that the remaining time of the interval set by the interval setting unit 122 is extended by the conveyance delay time.

However, when considering the decrease in productivity, it is preferable to set the reset value of the extended interval, which is the maximum value of the reset timer, as the set value in the interval setting unit 122.

For example, when the interval set value set by the interval setting unit 122 is 280 seconds, the following is performed.

(a) When the residence time of the preceding substrate is 30 seconds and the elapsed time of the timer is 100 seconds

The timer of 280 + 100+30 ═ 210 seconds is reset.

(b) When the residence time of the preceding substrate is 300 seconds and the elapsed time of the timer is 100 seconds

The time of 280 + 100+300 is 480 seconds, but is longer than the set value of 280 seconds, so the timer of 280 seconds is reset.

Preferably, the retention detection unit 124 can set a predetermined time period for which retention is regarded as occurring. The predetermined time is set to a time that can be regarded as when the retention substantially occurs, for example, 15 seconds. That is, when the carry-out delay time for carrying out the substrate W from the predetermined module is longer than or equal to a predetermined time (for example, 15 seconds), the retention detector 124 regards that retention has occurred and sends feedback to the conveyance controller 121.

When the stagnation of the substrates W is eliminated and the plurality of substrates W start to move, the conveyance controller 121 receives feedback of only the first substrate W that starts to move. When a preceding substrate is retained for some reason, a subsequent substrate is retained, and a plurality of substrates are retained, and at this time, a plurality of substrates whose retention is eliminated and which start to move are retained, and feedback is transmitted from the retention detection unit 124 to these plurality of substrates. Among these substrates, the residence time of the first substrate to start moving is longest, and therefore the conveyance controller 121 receives only the feedback of the first substrate to start moving.

Further, the conveyance controller 121 does not receive any feedback after the substrate that has sent the feedback once. After the plurality of substrates are retained as described above, when the retention is eliminated, the first substrate can be transported without retaining, but the second and subsequent substrates may be retained a plurality of times depending on the processing time of the first substrate in each processing module. In this case, each time the feedback of the staying is received, the disturbance of the conveyance cycle becomes large, and the productivity is lowered. Therefore, the conveyance controller 121 does not receive any feedback from the substrate to which the feedback has been transmitted.

Further, the conveyance controller 121 has the following functions: when it is detected that the substrate W is retained in the module at the transfer destination of the substrate W when the set interval is elapsed and the substrate W is to be carried out from the interval setting module, the carrying-out of the substrate W from the interval setting module is stopped. When the substrate detection unit 123 detects that the retention is eliminated, the conveyance controller 121 releases the conveyance stop.

The conveyance controller 121 also has the following functions: when there is no preceding substrate (when the information on the preceding substrate is lost in software), the next substrate W is immediately carried out from the interval setting module regardless of the set interval time. In addition, even when the set interval time is longer than the conveyance time of the preceding substrate W, or when the processing operation of the preceding substrate W is stopped and the substrate is returned earlier than the predetermined time, the next substrate is immediately carried out at the same time point when the substrate is returned.

The conveyance controller 121 also has the following functions: when the atmospheric air opening of the load-lock module (LLM1) is slow, when the first substrate W is carried out from the interval setting module, the substrate W is carried out after the atmospheric air opening process is completed regardless of the interval setting value.

Next, a processing operation in the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above will be described. The following processing operations are executed under the control of the control section 4.

First, the second transfer device 24 takes out the substrate W from the FOUP 20 on the load port 22 and transfers the substrate W to the aligner module 23. After the substrate W is aligned in the aligner module 23, the substrate W is taken out by the second transfer device 24 and transferred to the load-lock module LLM 1. At this time, the load-lock module LLM1 is at atmospheric pressure, and after receiving the substrate W, the load-lock module LLM1 is vacuum-exhausted.

Thereafter, the substrate W is taken out of the load lock module LLM1 by the transfer mechanism 31a of the transfer module TM1 in the first transfer device 11, and is transferred to the process module PM 1. Then, a predetermined process is performed on the substrate W in the process module PM 1. Thereafter, the substrates W are sequentially conveyed to the process modules PM3, PM5, PM7, PM9, PM10, PM8, PM6, PM4, and PM2 by the conveyance mechanisms 31a to 31e of the conveyance modules TM1 to TM5, and predetermined processes are sequentially performed in these process modules. After the process in the process module PM2 is finished, the substrate W is carried to the load-lock module LLM2 by the carrying mechanism 31a of the carrying module TM 1. At this time, the load-lock module LLM2 is vacuum, and after receiving the substrate W, the load-lock module LLM2 is opened to the atmosphere.

Thereafter, the second transfer device 24 transfers the substrate W in the load lock module LLM2 to the FOUP 20 of the load port 22.

The above-described series of processes is repeated for a plurality of substrates W.

Conventionally, a conveyance system in such a substrate processing system places importance on conveyance efficiency and controls such that a plurality of substrates are continuously conveyed in the shortest time by triggered conveyance.

However, the processing time of each processing module is not constant, and even if the first substrate can be transported without waiting time, the second and subsequent substrates have to be on standby in the processing module before the processing module having a long processing time, and thus the processing results may be different.

For example, when an MTJ film of an MRAM is manufactured, there are a plurality of processes such as a preclean process, a film formation process, an oxidation process, a heating process, and a cooling process. The processing time at this time is, for example, 280 seconds, which is the longest in the processing block PM7, and several tens of seconds in the preceding processing blocks PM1, PM3, and PM 5. Therefore, the second and subsequent substrates are caused to stand by in the process modules PM1, PM3, and PM5 until the process for the preceding substrate in the process module PM7 is completed.

In this case, if the processes performed in the standby process modules PM1, PM3, and PM5 are processes such as oxidation processes and cooling processes that may change the state of the substrate during standby, the processing result of the first substrate may be different from the processing results of the second and subsequent substrates.

On the other hand, by spacing the substrates by the function of software, it is possible to prevent the retention of subsequent substrates and suppress the unevenness of the processing result, but if the conveyance of the substrates is spaced by the spacing while maintaining the existing control, the productivity is lowered.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the interval from when a certain substrate is carried out from a predetermined module of the carry-in/out section 3 to when the next substrate is carried out is set by the interval setting section 122, and the conveyance of the substrate W is controlled by the conveyance controller 121 so that a plurality of substrates are sequentially carried out from the interval setting module at the set value of the interval.

This makes it possible to appropriately set the carry-out interval of the substrate W in accordance with the throughput required for the process, thereby suppressing a decrease in throughput, and also makes it possible to eliminate the stagnation of the substrate W in the process module, thereby suppressing the variation in the process result due to the substrate.

By setting the set value of the interval setting unit 122 with reference to the time of the processing module having the longest processing time among the processing modules PM1 to PM10, the occurrence of substrate stagnation can be suppressed more effectively.

Further, the set value (parameter) set by the interval setting unit 122 can be changed halfway, and the parameter change is immediately effective by the conveyance controller 121, so that accurate conveyance control can be performed.

When the substrates W are processed as intended in all of the process modules PM1 to PM10 and are transported as intended, the stagnation of the substrates W can be effectively suppressed only by such a function. However, in practice, an error or an abrupt delay may occur in the processing module, and the processing cannot be performed for a predetermined time, and in this case, even if the above function is provided, the substrate W may be left.

On the other hand, the retention detector 124 detects the retention occurring in a predetermined process module, and feeds back the retention to the transport controller 121, so that the remaining time of the set value of the interval set by the interval setting unit 122 is extended by the transport delay time for transporting from the process module. Since the residence time is known after the substrate W starts moving, the residence detection unit 124 detects the residence when a delay in carrying out the substrate W from a predetermined module is detected, that is, when the residence is eliminated and the substrate W starts moving. Then, the conveyance controller 121 that received the feedback resets the timer so that the retention time is extended by the set value (parameter) set by the interval setting unit 122. Thus, even if unexpected substrate W is left standing, the waiting time for the subsequent substrate can be suppressed, and the left standing can be prevented from being transferred.

At this time, the maximum value of the reset timer is set to the set value of the interval in the interval setting unit 122, thereby suppressing the decrease in productivity as much as possible.

Further, by setting the predetermined time during which the stagnation detector 124 can be regarded as stagnation, it is possible to prevent detection of a slight situation such as competition of the transport modules and retry of plasma ignition in the processing unit, which should not be regarded as stagnation substantially, as stagnation.

When the stagnation of the substrate W is eliminated and the plurality of substrates start to move, the feedback signals are transmitted from the plurality of substrates, but the conveyance controller 121 receives only the feedback of the first substrate W that starts to move. The longest residence time of the first substrate W to start moving is sufficient, and a timer for setting the interval is extended in accordance with the longest residence time, so that a decrease in productivity due to an excessive adjustment of substrate conveyance can be suppressed.

Then, the conveyance controller 121 does not receive any feedback for the substrate to which the feedback has been transmitted. Thereby, the following situation can be avoided: when the retention is eliminated after the retention of the plurality of substrates, feedback of the retention is received every time the retention occurs with respect to the second and subsequent substrates that may have the plurality of times of retention, and the conveyance cycle is disturbed. That is, this also suppresses a decrease in productivity due to an excessive adjustment of substrate conveyance.

The conveyance controller 121 also has the following functions: when it is detected that the substrate W is retained in the transfer destination module of the substrate W when the set interval is passed and the substrate W is to be carried out from the interval setting module, the transfer controller 121 stops carrying out the substrate W. This can avoid the risk of the substrate W newly carried out from the gap setting module staying.

The conveyance controller 121 also has the following functions: when there is no preceding substrate (when the information on the preceding substrate is lost in software), the substrate W is immediately unloaded from the interval setting module regardless of the set interval time. This eliminates an excessive waiting time, and further improves productivity. Further, even when the set interval time is longer than the conveyance time of the preceding substrate W, or when the preceding substrate W is returned earlier than the predetermined time, the next substrate is immediately carried out at the same time point when the substrate is returned, and therefore the same effect can be obtained.

Further, since the interval setting module changing unit 125 can set the change of the interval setting module, it is possible to eliminate the problem caused by fixing the interval setting module. For example, the load lock module LLM1 may have a long time to open the atmosphere, and even if the load lock module LLM1 starts to open the atmosphere when the substrate W is unloaded from the load port 22, the atmosphere may not be opened until the substrate W reaches the load lock module LLM 1. In such a case, if the interval is set in the load port 22(FOUP 20), the conveyance cycle may be disturbed. In such a case, it is effective to change the interval setting module to the aligner module 23. However, in the case where there are two picks in the second conveying device 24, since there is a problem if the interval setting module is the aligner module 23, the interval setting module is set as the load port 22 on the premise that the time for opening the atmosphere for loading the interlock module LLM1 is short.

When the atmospheric air opening of the load-lock module (LLM1) is slow, the load-lock module can control the load-lock module to carry out the first substrate W after the atmospheric air opening process is completed regardless of the interval setting value. This prevents the first substrate W, which is not advantageous in setting the gap, from waiting before being carried into the load lock module LLM 1.

While the embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims and the gist thereof.

For example, the processing system 1 of the embodiment is merely an example, and may be configured to sequentially transfer substrates to a plurality of processing modules and perform processing. In addition, the MTJ film of the MRAM is manufactured as an example of the process, but is not limited thereto.