JP4754990B2 - Substrate processing system, substrate processing method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

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

  In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device or an FPD (Flat Panel Display) such as a liquid crystal display device from the substrate, the substrate is contaminated by particles mixed from outside the manufacturing device or generated inside the manufacturing device. Prevention is a challenge. In particular, when the mounting table provided in the decompression processing chamber provided in the manufacturing apparatus is contaminated with particles, the particles adhere to the back surface of the substrate mounted thereon, and the contamination expands in the next process, The yield of finally manufactured semiconductor devices is reduced.

  Such particles are assumed to be brought in from outside the decompression processing chamber, separated from the mounting table and the substrate in the decompression processing chamber, or deposited with a product of a reactive gas.

Therefore, recently, the present applicant controls the temperature of the mounting table in the decompression processing chamber, makes the temperature of the mounting table sufficiently higher or lower than the normal use temperature, and the particles adhering to the mounting table due to thermal stress. Proposes a method of inducing separation, and also proposes a method of scattering particles adhering to the mounting table by the thermophoretic force generated by maintaining a predetermined pressure while maintaining the mounting table at a high temperature. (For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-101539 A

  However, the substrate is not only contaminated by particles generated in the decompression chamber, for example, particles adhering to the mounting table on which the substrate is mounted, but is also contaminated in the transporting process for transporting the substrate. This is caused in particular by adhesion of particles adhering to the transport arm that transports the substrate. In order to remove particles adhering to the transfer arm, the operation of the transfer arm, and hence the transfer processing chamber, must be stopped. In particular, the operation of the transfer processing chamber connected to a plurality of processing chambers must be stopped. In order to stop, it is necessary to stop the operation of all the processing chambers, and the throughput is significantly reduced.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing system, a substrate processing method, and a storage medium that can increase the yield without decreasing the throughput.

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing method according to claim 1 uses a substrate processing system including at least a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a substrate transfer apparatus having a transfer means for transferring the substrate . in the substrate processing method had, with an injection step of injecting a hot gas for at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means, wherein the hot gas is being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means It is injected against foreign substances adhering to at least one of the substrates which are characterized by Rukoto to generate thermal stress by heating the foreign object by the injected hot gas.

A substrate processing method according to a second aspect is the substrate processing method according to the first aspect, wherein the injecting step injects the high temperature gas while changing a pressure of the high temperature gas .

The substrate processing method according to claim 3 is the substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injection step injects a high-temperature gas to the transfer means before transfer of the substrate by the transfer means. And

A substrate processing method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing method according to the third aspect , wherein the transfer means has a contact portion that comes into contact with the substrate, and the spraying step moves toward the contact portion with the high temperature. It is characterized by injecting gas.

The substrate processing method according to claim 5 is the substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, in the jetting step, a high-temperature gas is applied to the substrate before the transport means transports the substrate to the substrate processing apparatus. It is characterized by spraying.

The substrate processing method according to claim 6 is the substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein moisture adheres to a surface of the substrate, and the spraying step sprays the high-temperature gas toward the surface of the substrate. It is characterized by doing.

The substrate processing method according to claim 7 is the substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for storing the substrate, and the spraying step is performed toward the processing chamber. It is characterized by injecting hot gas.

The substrate processing method according to claim 8 is the substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus has a processing chamber for storing the substrate, and adsorbed molecules adhere to the surface of the substrate. The jetting step jets the hot gas toward a surface of the substrate housed in the processing chamber.

In order to achieve the above object, the substrate processing system according to claim 9 is a substrate processing system comprising at least a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a substrate transfer apparatus having a transfer means for transferring the substrate. the substrate transfer apparatus is provided with injection means for injecting hot gas for at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means, wherein the hot gas is being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means It is injected against foreign substances adhering to at least one of the substrates which are characterized by Rukoto to generate thermal stress by heating the foreign object by the injected hot gas.

In order to achieve the above object, a storage medium according to claim 10 uses a substrate processing system including at least a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a substrate transfer apparatus having a transfer means for transferring the substrate . in a computer-readable storage medium for storing a program for executing a substrate processing method in a computer, the substrate processing method, inject hot gas for at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means comprising an injection step of the hot gas is injected against the foreign matter adhered to at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means, heat and heating the foreign object by the injected hot gas stress is generated and said Rukoto.

According to the substrate processing method according to claim 1, the substrate processing system according to claim 9, and the storage medium according to claim 10, since the high-temperature gas is injected to the transport unit, the particles adhering to the transport unit are scattered. Contamination of the transport means can be prevented, and thus contamination can be prevented from being scattered on the substrate transported by the transport means. Further, since the high temperature gas is sprayed onto the substrate being transported by the transport means, the contamination of the substrate can be prevented by scattering the particles adhering to the substrate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the substrate transported by the substrate transport apparatus from being contaminated without stopping the operation of the substrate transport apparatus, and to increase the yield without reducing the throughput. Further, since the high temperature gas is injected to the foreign matter attached to at least one of the transfer means and the substrate being transferred by the transfer means, and the heated high temperature gas heats the foreign matter and generates thermal stress. The generated thermal stress can be used to disperse foreign matter, whereby the foreign matter can be efficiently removed from the transport means and the substrate transported by the transport means.

According to the substrate processing method of claim 2, since the injection step injects the high temperature gas while changing the pressure of the high temperature gas, the high temperature gas generated on the transfer means or the substrate surface being transferred by the transfer means. The foreign matter can be scattered more effectively by breaking through the layer (boundary layer) where the flow velocity of the material is zero, and the foreign matter can be removed more efficiently.

According to the substrate processing method of the third aspect , since the high temperature gas is sprayed onto the transport unit before the substrate is transported by the transport unit, particles adhering to the transport unit can be scattered, and the transport unit can transport the substrate. It is possible to reliably prevent contamination of the substrate.

  According to the substrate processing method of the fourth aspect, since the high temperature gas is jetted toward the abutting portion of the conveying means that abuts on the substrate, the foreign matter generated by the abutment of the substrate and the abutting portion is scattered. Therefore, contamination of the conveying means can be surely prevented.

  According to the substrate processing method of claim 5, since the high-temperature gas is injected onto the substrate before the substrate is transferred to the substrate processing apparatus by the transfer means, the temperature of the substrate is set to a temperature that is raised in advance in the substrate processing apparatus. Thus, the temperature raising mode of the substrate in the substrate processing apparatus can be made the same. Thereby, the processing result for each substrate can be made uniform, and the yield can be increased.

  According to the substrate processing method of the sixth aspect, since the high temperature gas is sprayed toward the surface of the substrate to which moisture has adhered, the moisture adhered to the surface of the substrate can be evaporated, thereby preventing contamination of the substrate. can do.

  According to the substrate processing method of the seventh aspect, since the high-temperature gas is injected toward the processing chamber in which the substrate processing apparatus has the substrate, the generation of outgas of moisture adhering to the processing chamber can be promoted. Therefore, the throughput can be improved.

  According to the substrate processing method of the eighth aspect, since the high-temperature gas is jetted toward the surface of the substrate having adsorbed molecules attached to the surface accommodated in the processing chamber of the substrate processing apparatus, The adsorbed adsorbed molecules can be scattered, so that corrosion caused by the adsorbed molecules scattered outside the processing chamber can be prevented, and system corrosion can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a substrate processing system 1 performs a plasma processing such as an RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) process or an ashing process on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as “wafer”) W as a substrate. An apparatus (Process Module) (hereinafter referred to as “P / M”) 2, an atmospheric transfer device 3 for taking out the wafer W from a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) 5 as a container for storing the wafer W, and the atmospheric system A load-lock module (Load-Lock Module) that is arranged between the transfer device 3 and P / M2 and carries the wafer W into / out of the atmospheric transfer device 3 from the atmospheric transfer device 3 or P / M2. (Hereinafter referred to as “LL / M”) 4.

  The insides of P / M2 and LL / M4 are configured to be evacuated, and the inside of the atmospheric transfer device 3 is always maintained at atmospheric pressure. Further, P / M2 and LL / M4, and LL / M4 and the atmospheric transfer device 3 are connected by gate valves 6 and 7, respectively. The gate valves 6 and 7 are openable and closable, and communicate or block between P / M2 and LL / M4 and between LL / M4 and the atmospheric transfer device 3. Further, the inside of the LL / M 4 and the inside of the atmospheric transfer device 3 are also connected by a communication pipe 9 in which a valve 8 that can be freely opened and closed is arranged on the way.

  The atmospheric transfer device 3 supplies a FOUP mounting table 50 for mounting the FOUP 5, an atmospheric loader module (hereinafter referred to as “L / M”) 51, and a high-temperature gas into the L / M 51. A gas supply system 60 (injection means).

  The hoop mounting table 50 is a trapezoid whose upper surface has a flat surface, and the hoop 5 stores, for example, 25 wafers W placed in multiple stages at an equal pitch. The L / M 51 is a rectangular parallelepiped box-like object, and has a scalar type transfer arm 52 that transfers the wafer W therein.

  Further, a shutter (not shown) is provided on the side surface of the L / M 51 on the hoop mounting table 50 side so as to face the hoop 5 mounted on the hoop mounting table 50. The shutter communicates between the hoop 5 and the inside of the L / M 51.

The transfer arm 52 has an articulated transfer arm arm portion 53 configured to be able to bend and stretch, and a pick 54 shown in FIG. 3 to be described later attached to the tip of the transfer arm arm portion 53. The wafer W is configured to be placed directly. The transfer arm 52 has an articulated arm-like mapping arm 55 configured to be able to bend and stretch. For example, a laser beam is emitted to the tip of the mapping arm 55 to check the presence or absence of the wafer W. A mapping sensor (not shown) is arranged. The base ends of the transfer arm arm portion 53 and the mapping arm 55 are connected to a lift 58 that moves up and down along an arm base end support column 57 erected from the base portion 56 of the transfer arm 52. The arm base end support column 57 is configured to be turnable. In the mapping operation performed for recognizing the position and number of the wafers W accommodated in the hoop 5, the mapping arm 55 is lifted or lowered while the mapping arm 55 is extended, whereby the wafer in the hoop 5. Check the position and number of W.

  Since the transfer arm 52 can be bent by the transfer arm arm portion 53 and can be turned by the arm base end support column 57, the wafer W placed on the pick 54 can be freely placed between the hoop 5 and the LL / M4. Can be transported.

  The gas supply system 60 penetrates from the outside of the L / M 51 to the inside of the L / M 51, and the L / M 51 inside side is provided toward the transfer arm 52, and the L / M 51 A gas supply device (not shown) connected to the front end of the M51, a control valve 63 disposed between the L / M 51 and the gas supply device in the gas introduction pipe 61, and an L / M 51 and control in the gas introduction pipe 61 And a heating unit 62 disposed between the valves 63. In the present embodiment, it is desirable that the heating unit 62 raises the temperature of the supplied gas to a predetermined high temperature by heating in a short time of about 1 to 10 seconds.

  In the present embodiment, the gas supply system 60 sprays the high-temperature gas heated by the heating unit 62 onto the transfer arm 52, particularly the pick 54, at a predetermined timing, and removes particles adhering to the transfer arm 52. Details of the particle removal will be described later.

The LL / M 4 includes a chamber 71 in which a transfer arm 70 that can be bent and stretched and swiveled is disposed, and a gas supply system 72 (injecting means) for supplying an inert gas such as high-temperature N ₂ gas into the chamber 71. And an L / L exhaust system 73 for exhausting the inside of the chamber 71.

  The transfer arm 70 is a scalar-type transfer arm composed of a plurality of arms, and has a pick 74 attached to the tip thereof. The pick 74 is configured to directly place the wafer W thereon. The shape of the pick 74 is the same as the shape of the pick 54 described above.

  When the wafer W is carried into the P / M 2 from the atmospheric transfer device 3, when the gate valve 7 is opened, the transfer arm 70 receives the wafer W from the transfer arm 52 in the L / M 51, and the gate valve 6 When opened, the transfer arm 70 enters the P / M 2 chamber 10 and places the wafer W on the upper end of pusher pins 33 (described later) protruding from the upper surface of the mounting table 12. When the wafer W is transferred from the P / M 2 to the atmospheric transfer device 3, the transfer arm 70 enters the P / M 2 chamber 10 when the gate valve 6 is opened, and the upper surface of the mounting table 12. The wafer W placed on the upper end of the pusher pin 33 projecting from is received. When the gate valve 7 is opened, the transfer arm 70 delivers the wafer W to the transfer arm 52 in the L / M 51.

  The transfer arm 70 is not limited to the scalar type, and may be a frog leg type or a double arm type.

The gas supply system 72 includes a gas introduction pipe 75 penetrating from the outside of the chamber 71 to the inside of the chamber 71, a gas supply apparatus (not shown) connected to the front end of the gas introduction pipe 75 on the outside of the chamber 71, and a gas introduction pipe 75, a control valve 77 disposed between the chamber 71 and the gas supply device, a heating unit 76 disposed between the chamber 71 and the control valve 77 in the gas introduction pipe 75, and the interior of the chamber 71 of the gas introduction pipe 75. It has a gas supply port for injecting an inert gas such as high-temperature N ₂ gas arranged at the side tip. In the present embodiment, a pair of break filters 80 may be provided at the tip of the gas supply port. In the present embodiment, the heating unit 76 desirably raises the temperature of the supplied inert gas such as N ₂ gas to a predetermined high temperature by heating in a short time of about 1 second to 10 seconds.

In the present embodiment, the gas supply system 72 sprays an inert gas such as high-temperature N ₂ gas heated by the heating unit 76 onto the transfer arm 70, particularly the pick 74, inside the chamber 71 at a predetermined timing. Particles adhering to the transfer arm 70 are removed. Details of the particle removal will be described later. The gas supply system 72 supplies an inert gas such as high-temperature N ₂ gas into the chamber 71 at a predetermined timing, and controls the pressure inside the chamber 71.

The break filter 80 is a net-like metal filter whose length is set to 200 mm, for example, and can reduce or increase the injection area of an inert gas such as high-temperature N ₂ gas. The flow of an inert gas such as N ₂ gas can be accelerated and decelerated, and an inert gas such as a high-pressure high-temperature N ₂ gas is injected onto the transfer arm 70 to transfer the inert gas. The particles adhering to the chamber 71 are effectively removed, and an inert gas such as high-temperature N ₂ gas is ejected uniformly over a wide range to uniformly increase the pressure inside the chamber 71.

  The LL / M exhaust system 73 includes an exhaust pipe 78 penetrating into the chamber 71 and a control valve 79 disposed in the middle of the exhaust pipe 78, and cooperates with the gas supply system 72 described above to form a chamber. The pressure inside 71 is controlled.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of P / M2 in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, P / M2 has an aluminum cylindrical chamber 10 with an alumite coating on the inner wall. In this chamber 10, for example, a circle on which a wafer W having a diameter of 300 mm is placed. A columnar mounting table 12 is arranged.

  In P / M 2, an exhaust path 13 that functions as a flow path for discharging gas molecules above the mounting table 12 out of the chamber 10 is formed by the inner wall of the chamber 10 and the side surface of the mounting table 12. An annular baffle plate 14 is disposed in the middle of the exhaust passage 13 to prevent plasma leakage. In addition, a space downstream of the baffle plate 14 in the exhaust passage 13 goes around the mounting table 12 and communicates with an automatic pressure control valve (APC valve) 15 that is a variable butterfly valve. The APC valve 15 is connected to a turbo molecular pump (TMP) 17 which is an exhaust pump for evacuation through an isolator valve 16, and the TMP 17 is an exhaust pump through a valve 18. It is connected to a dry pump (DP: Dry Pump) 19. An exhaust passage (main exhaust line) constituted by the APC valve 15, the isolator valve 16, the TMP 17, the valve 18 and the DP 19 performs pressure control in the chamber 10 by the APC valve 15, and further the inside of the chamber 10 by the TMP 17 and the DP 19. Depressurize until almost vacuum.

  A pipe 20 is connected to the DP 19 through a valve 21 from between the APC valve 15 and the isolator valve 16. An exhaust passage (bypass line) constituted by the pipe 20 and the valve 21 bypasses the TMP 17 and roughens the chamber 10 by the DP 19.

A high frequency power source 22 for the lower electrode is provided on the mounting table 12 with a feeding rod 23 and a matcher 24.
The high frequency power supply 22 for the lower electrode supplies a predetermined high frequency power to the mounting table 12. Thereby, the mounting table 12 functions as a lower electrode. The matching unit 24 reduces the reflection of the high frequency power from the mounting table 12 to maximize the supply efficiency of the high frequency power to the mounting table 12.

  A disc-shaped ESC electrode plate 25 made of a conductive film is disposed above the mounting table 12. A DC power source 26 is electrically connected to the ESC electrode plate 25. The wafer W is attracted and held on the upper surface of the mounting table 12 by a Coulomb force or a Johnson-Rahbek force generated by a DC voltage applied to the ESC electrode plate 25 from the DC power supply 26. In addition, an annular focus ring 27 is disposed above the mounting table 12 so as to surround the periphery of the wafer W attracted and held on the upper surface of the mounting table 12. The focus ring 27 is made of silicon, SiC (silicon carbide), or Qz (quartz), and is exposed to a processing space S to be described later, so that the plasma in the processing space S is converged toward the surface of the wafer W to perform plasma processing. Increase efficiency.

  Moreover, for example, an annular refrigerant chamber 28 extending in the circumferential direction is provided inside the mounting table 12. A refrigerant having a predetermined temperature, for example, cooling water or Galden (registered trademark) is circulated and supplied to the refrigerant chamber 28 from a chiller unit (not shown) via a refrigerant pipe 29, and is mounted according to the temperature of the refrigerant. The temperature of the wafer 12 held by suction on the upper surface of the mounting table 12 is controlled.

A plurality of heat transfer gas supply holes 30 facing the wafer W are opened at a portion of the upper surface of the mounting table 12 where the wafer W is adsorbed and held (hereinafter referred to as “adsorption surface”). These heat transfer gas supply holes 30 are connected to a heat transfer gas supply unit 32 via a heat transfer gas supply line 31 arranged inside the mounting table 12, and the heat transfer gas supply unit 32 serves as a heat transfer gas. Helium (He) gas is supplied to the gap between the adsorption surface and the back surface of the wafer W through the heat transfer gas supply hole 30. The heat transfer gas supply hole 30, the heat transfer gas supply line 31, and the heat transfer gas supply unit 32 constitute a heat transfer gas supply device. Note that the type of backside gas is not limited to helium, but is an inert gas such as nitrogen (N ₂ ), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), or xenon (Xe), oxygen (O ₂ ), or the like. It may be.

  Further, three pusher pins 33 as lift pins that can protrude from the upper surface of the mounting table 12 are arranged on the suction surface of the mounting table 12. These pusher pins 33 are connected to a motor (not shown) via a ball screw (not shown), and freely protrude from the suction surface due to the rotational motion of the motor converted into a linear motion by the ball screw. . When the wafer W is sucked and held on the suction surface in order to perform plasma processing on the wafer W, the pusher pin 33 is accommodated in the mounting table 12, and when the wafer W subjected to plasma processing is unloaded from the chamber 10, the pusher pin 33 is stored. Protrudes from the upper surface of the mounting table 12 and lifts the wafer W away from the mounting table 12 upward.

  A gas introduction shower head 34 (injecting means) is disposed on the ceiling of the chamber 10 so as to face the mounting table 12. A high-frequency power source 36 for the upper electrode is connected to the gas introduction shower head 34 via a matching unit 35, and the high-frequency power source 36 for the upper electrode supplies predetermined high-frequency power to the gas introduction shower head 34. The introduction shower head 34 functions as an upper electrode. The function of the matching unit 35 is the same as the function of the matching unit 24 described above.

  The gas introduction shower head 34 has a ceiling electrode plate 38 having a large number of gas holes 37 and an electrode support 39 that detachably supports the ceiling electrode plate 38. A buffer chamber 40 is provided inside the electrode support 39, and a gas introduction pipe 41 from a gas supply device (not shown) is connected to the buffer chamber 40. In the gas introduction pipe 41, a pipe insulator 42 is disposed between the gas supply device and the chamber 10. The pipe insulator 42 is made of an insulator and prevents high-frequency power supplied to the gas introduction shower head 34 from leaking to the gas supply device via the gas introduction pipe 41. In the gas introduction pipe 41, a control valve 44 is disposed between the gas supply device and the pipe insulator 42, and a heating unit 43 is disposed between the pipe insulator 42 and the control valve 44. In the present embodiment, the heating unit 43 desirably raises the temperature of the supplied processing gas to a predetermined high temperature by heating in a short time of about 1 second to 10 seconds.

  In the present embodiment, the gas introduction shower head 34 supplies the high-temperature processing gas supplied from the gas introduction pipe 41 to the buffer chamber 40 into the chamber 10 through the gas hole 37.

  In addition, on the side wall of the chamber 10, a wafer W loading / unloading port 44 is provided at a position corresponding to the height of the wafer W lifted upward from the mounting table 12 by the pusher pin 33. The above-described gate valve 6 that opens and closes the inlet 44 is attached.

  In the P / M2 chamber 10, as described above, high-frequency power is supplied to the mounting table 12 and the gas introduction shower head 34, and the high-frequency power is supplied to the processing space S between the mounting table 12 and the gas introduction shower head 34. Is applied to generate high-density plasma from the processing gas supplied from the gas introduction shower head 34 in the processing space S, and the wafer W is subjected to plasma processing by the plasma.

Specifically, in this P / M2, when plasma processing is performed on the wafer W, the gate valve 6 is first opened, the wafer W to be processed is loaded into the chamber 10, and a DC voltage is applied to the ESC electrode plate. As a result, the loaded wafer W is sucked and held on the suction surface of the mounting table 12. In addition, a processing gas (for example, a mixed gas composed of CF ₄ gas, O ₂ gas, and Ar gas having a predetermined flow rate ratio) is supplied into the chamber 10 from the gas introduction shower head 34 at a predetermined flow rate and flow rate ratio. The pressure in the chamber 10 is controlled to a predetermined value by the valve 15 or the like. Further, high frequency power is applied to the processing space S in the chamber 10 by the mounting table 12 and the gas introduction shower head 34. As a result, the processing gas introduced from the gas introduction shower head 34 is converted into plasma in the processing space S, the plasma is converged on the surface of the wafer W by the focus ring 27, and the surface of the wafer W is physically or chemically etched. .

  The operation of each component of the P / M 2, the atmospheric transfer device 3 and the LL / M 4 constituting the substrate processing system 1 of FIG. 1 described above is performed according to a program for executing the substrate processing method according to the present embodiment. Control is performed by a computer (not shown) as a control device provided in the processing system 1, an external server (not shown) as a control device connected to the substrate processing system 1, or the like.

  In P / M2 connected to LL / M4 in the substrate processing system 1 described above, the mounting table 12 as the lower electrode does not move relative to the chamber 10, but the P / M connected to LL / M4 is For example, the lower electrode may move relative to the chamber.

  Next, a substrate processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. This substrate processing method is executed in the atmospheric transfer device 3 and the LL / M4 in the substrate processing system 1 described above.

  First, the shape of the pick 54 in the transfer arm 52 in the atmospheric transfer device 3 will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the shape of the pick 74 in the transfer arm 70 in the LL / M 4 is the same as the shape of the pick 54.

  3A shows a plan view of the pick 54 with the wafer W placed thereon, and FIG. 3B shows an enlarged partial perspective view of the vicinity of a later-described taper pad 54 a provided on the pick 54. .

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the pick 54 has a fork shape, and includes four taper pads 54 a that hold the wafer W at a predetermined distance from the surface of the pick 54. As shown in FIG. 3B, each taper pad 54a has a shape in which a truncated conical member is joined to a cylindrical member. The four taper pads 54a are arranged along the outer edge (bevel portion) of the wafer W in the pick 54, and each taper pad 54a abuts the outer edge of the wafer W in the truncated conical portion, thereby shifting the wafer W with respect to the pick 54. To prevent.

  When the transfer arm 52 in the atmospheric transfer device 3 and the transfer arm 70 in the LL / M 4 transfer the wafer W, as described above, the outer edge of the wafer W contacts the frustoconical portion of each taper pad. Particles adhere on the pick, especially on the taper pad. The adhering particles are assumed to be generated when the taper pad wears due to contact friction between the outer edge of the wafer W and the taper pad, or when the CF polymer attached to the outer edge of the wafer W is peeled off. is there. Then, the particles adhering to the taper pad are scattered toward the wafer W when the wafer W is transferred, causing contamination of the wafer W.

In the present embodiment, in the atmospheric transfer device 3, particles attached to the transfer arm 52, particularly to the taper pad 54 a of the pick 54, are sprayed on the transfer arm 52 by the gas supply system 60 using the thermal stress. Remove by scattering. Further, in LL / M4, high temperature N ₂ gas is blown onto the transfer arm 70 by the gas supply system 72, whereby particles adhering to the transfer arm 70, in particular, the taper pad of the pick 74 are scattered using thermal stress. To remove. Thereby, the wafer W can be transferred without contaminating the wafer W. This will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is a process diagram showing a method for removing particles from the taper pad 54a using thermal stress.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in a state where particles are attached on the pick 54 and the taper pad 54a (FIG. 4A), a high-temperature gas (indicated by a white arrow in the figure) is sprayed on the pick 54 and the taper pad 54a (FIG. 4). (B)), particles adhering to the pick 54 and the taper pad 54a are scattered by the thermal stress of the high temperature gas (FIG. 4C). Thereby, particles adhering to the pick 54 and the taper pad 54a can be removed. Note that particles can be removed on the pick 74 and the tapered pad 74a by the same method.

  Conventionally, for example, when particles adhering to a taper pad are scattered by blowing gas, a layer (boundary layer) in which the gas flow velocity is zero is generated on the surface of the taper pad, and gas is blown against particles inside the boundary layer. And all of the particles cannot be scattered. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the particles are scattered using the thermal stress of the high temperature gas. Further, a pulse wave is generated by changing the pressure of the gas to be blown, and the particle can be more effectively scattered by breaking through the boundary layer with the pulse wave. By spraying while changing the pressure of the gas, the particles can be removed more efficiently.

  In the present embodiment, any gas may be used as the high temperature gas, but the fluorocarbon polymer is decomposed using a high temperature oxygen gas, a gas in which oxygen and other gas molecules are mixed, or ozone gas. Therefore, the removal effect may be chemically promoted.

  Conventionally, when the wafer W is transferred to the P / M while the temperature of the wafer W is low and P / M plasma processing is executed, the wafer W is heated by heat input from the plasma, and the temperature of the wafer W changes. To do. Since the heat input from the plasma is not stable and is different for each wafer W, the temperature rising mode is different for each wafer W, and as a result, the result of plasma processing is different for each wafer W (process shift).

  In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the high temperature gas can be sprayed onto the wafer W in the transfer process, the temperature of the wafer W is reached by heat input from the plasma before the plasma processing is performed on the wafer W. It is possible to raise the temperature in advance to the temperature to be processed, and to prevent the process shift described above. In this case, the temperature detection means for the wafer W may be provided in the LL / M 4 or the atmospheric transfer device 3 in order to reliably control the temperature of the wafer W by the heat input from the plasma in the transfer process. In order to shorten the time, a high-temperature gas having a temperature close to the temperature reached by the heat input from the plasma described above may be sprayed in the transport process. Further, after the wafer W is carried into the P / M 2 chamber 10 and before the plasma processing is performed on the wafer W, a high temperature processing gas is blown from the gas introduction shower head 34 to thereby change the temperature of the wafer W from the plasma. The temperature may be raised to a temperature reached by heat input.

  Conventionally, when the wafer W is transported into the P / M2 chamber 10 while the temperature of the wafer W is low, and the chamber 10 is further evacuated, the moisture adsorbed on the wafer W is evacuated to the wafer. A water mark as shown in FIG. The more residual moisture on the wafer W, the more watermarks remain after evacuation, and the watermarks tend to become defects on the wafer W. Further, the shape of the watermark remaining on the wafer W varies depending on the apparatus configuration of the entire substrate processing system. In the present embodiment, since the high temperature gas can be sprayed onto the wafer W in the transfer process, the residual moisture of the wafer W is removed by increasing the temperature of the wafer W before the P / M 2 is loaded into the chamber 10. It is possible to prevent the watermark from remaining on the wafer W. Although this watermark can be removed by heating in the air, it is preferably removed before being transported to the atmospheric transport device 3 because it is easy to remove in a vacuum.

Conventionally, in evacuation after maintenance (opening to the atmosphere) of the vacuum chamber, outgassing of moisture adhering to the inner wall of the chamber or the like is generated, so that evacuation for a long time is required. In this embodiment mode, high-temperature gas can be supplied into the chamber (chamber 71 or chamber 10). Therefore, after maintenance of the chamber, generation of outgas of moisture adhering to the inner wall of the chamber is promoted by supplying high-temperature gas. In addition, evacuation can be performed in a short time. In a chamber with little or very little outgas from the inner wall such as a solid aluminum chamber or a ceramic spray chamber, moisture adhering to the inner wall of the chamber is the main cause of outgas generation. When the above-described method is applied to such a chamber, it is very effective for shortening the evacuation time. Any method can be used for supplying the high-temperature gas. However, if the high-temperature gas is supplied while evacuation is performed, generation of moisture outgas can be efficiently promoted. Further, the pressure of the high-temperature gas may be varied in order to increase the reactivity with moisture, or a gas having high reactivity with moisture may be mixed in the high-temperature gas. Gases that are highly reactive with moisture include HCl, BCl ₃ , NOCl, COCl ₂ , COF ₂ , B ₂ H ₈ , Cl ₂ , F ₂ , SOBr ₂ , dichloropropane, dimethylpropane, dibromopropane, trimethyldichlorosilane, Examples thereof include dimethyldichlorosilane, monomethyltrichlorosilane, and tetrachlorosilane.

  Next, a substrate processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This substrate processing method is executed in the P / M 2 in the substrate processing system 1 described above.

  In the present embodiment, in P / M2, the particles adhering to the surface of the wafer W are scattered using the thermal stress by blowing high temperature gas onto the surface of the wafer W by the gas introduction shower head 34. Further, particles attached to the back surface of the wafer W may be scattered using thermal stress by spraying a high-temperature heat transfer gas on the back surface of the wafer W by the heat transfer gas supply unit 32.

  Conventionally, when the wafer W is unloaded from the P / M2 chamber 10 with the corrosive adsorbed molecules attached to the wafer W after the plasma processing, the substrate processing system 1 is corroded by the adsorbed molecules evaporated from the wafer W. May end up. In the present embodiment, after the plasma processing, the wafer W is heated by blowing a high-temperature gas toward the wafer W from the gas introduction shower head 34 at a position facing the surface of the wafer W, thereby raising the temperature of the wafer W. The adsorbed molecules on the wafer W can be removed. Further, after the plasma processing, the wafer W is heated by blowing a high-temperature heat transfer gas toward the wafer W from the heat transfer gas supply hole 30 facing the back surface of the wafer W, and the temperature of the wafer W is increased. The adsorbed molecules on the top can also be removed. This will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a process diagram showing a method for removing adsorbed molecules on the wafer W using thermal stress.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in a state where adsorbed molecules are attached to the surface of the wafer W (FIG. 6A), a high-temperature gas (indicated by a white arrow in the figure) is sprayed onto the surface of the wafer W (FIG. 6B )) By increasing the temperature of the wafer W, the adsorbed molecules adhering to the surface of the wafer W are scattered from the surface by thermal stress (FIG. 6C). Thereby, the adsorbed molecules adhering to the wafer W after the plasma processing can be removed. The adsorbed molecules adhering to the back surface of the wafer W can be similarly removed.

  Also in this embodiment, the adsorbed molecules can be efficiently removed by changing the pressure of the hot gas to be blown to generate a pulse wave.

  As described above, when the plasma processing of P / M2 is performed on the wafer W in a state where the temperature of the wafer W is low, the result of the plasma processing is different for each wafer W. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a high temperature gas may be blown from the gas introduction shower head 34 before plasma processing is performed on the wafer W in the P / M 2 chamber 10. Thereby, the temperature of the wafer W can be raised in advance to the temperature reached by heat input from the plasma, and the above-described process shift can be prevented. Further, before performing the plasma treatment, a high-temperature heat transfer gas may be sprayed toward the wafer W from the heat transfer gas supply hole 30 facing the back surface of the wafer W, thereby preventing a process shift. it can.

  Also in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the watermark from remaining on the wafer W, and further, the generation of outgas of moisture adhering to the inner wall of the chamber 10 is promoted, and the evacuation is performed in a short time. be able to.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer of the system or apparatus (or CPU, MPU, or the like). Is also achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention. .

  Examples of the storage medium for supplying the program code include a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a CD-RW, a DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, and a DVD. An optical disc such as RW or DVD + RW, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used. Alternatively, the program code may be downloaded via a network.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code Includes a case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by performing part or all of the actual processing.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the expanded function is based on the instruction of the program code. This includes a case where a CPU or the like provided on the expansion board or the expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  The form of the program code may include an object code, a program code executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, and the like.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a substrate processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of P / M in FIG. It is a figure which shows the schematic shape of the pick in the conveyance arm in L / M in FIG. 1, (A) shows the top view in the state in which the wafer was mounted in the pick, (B) is taper pad vicinity on a pick An enlarged partial perspective view of FIG. It is process drawing which shows the removal method of the particle from the taper pad using a thermal stress. It is a figure explaining the watermark which remains on a wafer. It is process drawing which shows the removal method of the adsorption molecule on the wafer using thermal stress.

Explanation of symbols

W Wafer 1 Substrate processing system 2 Substrate processing apparatus 3 Atmospheric transfer device 4 Load lock chamber 10, 71 Chamber 34 Gas introduction shower head 43, 62, 76 Heating unit 51 Atmospheric loader module 52 Transfer arms 54, 74 Picks 54a, 74a Taper pads 60, 72 Gas supply system 70 Transfer arm 80 Break filter

Claims (10)

In a substrate processing method using a substrate processing system comprising at least a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a substrate transfer apparatus having a transfer means for transferring the substrate,
Comprising an injection step of injecting a hot gas for at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means,
The hot gas is injected against the foreign matter adhered to at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means, Rukoto to generate thermal stress by heating the foreign object by the injected hot gas A substrate processing method. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the jetting step jets the hot gas while changing a pressure of the hot gas. 3. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the jetting step jets a high-temperature gas to the transport unit before the transport of the substrate by the transport unit. The transport means has a contact portion that contacts the substrate,
The substrate processing method according to claim 3 , wherein the jetting step jets the high-temperature gas toward the contact portion. 3. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein in the injection step, a high temperature gas is injected onto the substrate before the transfer means transfers the substrate to the substrate processing apparatus. Moisture adheres to the surface of the substrate,
The injection step, the substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein injecting the hot gas toward the surface of the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus has a processing chamber for storing the substrate,
The injection step, the substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein injecting the hot gas toward the treatment chamber. The substrate processing apparatus has a processing chamber for storing the substrate,
Adsorbed molecules adhere to the surface of the substrate,
The injection step is a substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein injecting the hot gas toward the surface of the substrate accommodated in the processing chamber. In a substrate processing system comprising at least a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a substrate transfer apparatus having a transfer means for transferring the substrate,
The substrate transfer apparatus is provided with injection means for injecting hot gas for at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means,
The hot gas is injected against the foreign matter adhered to at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means, Rukoto to generate thermal stress by heating the foreign object by the injected hot gas A substrate processing system. At least, readable by a computer which stores a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, a program for executing a substrate processing method on a computer using the substrate processing system and a substrate conveying apparatus having a conveying means for conveying the substrate In a storage medium,
The substrate processing method includes:
Comprising an injection step of injecting a hot gas for at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means,
The hot gas is injected against the foreign matter adhered to at least one of the substrates being conveyed by the conveying means and the conveying means, Rukoto to generate thermal stress by heating the foreign object by the injected hot gas A storage medium characterized by the above.

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