JPH09107015A - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing the inside of the apparatus from being contaminated by an elevator or the like is provided. A plurality of reaction chambers 70 are stacked on a wall 53 of a wafer transfer chamber 50. . Wall 54 of wafer transfer chamber 50
A wafer storage chamber 30 is provided in the. A cassette shelf 11 for holding the cassette 10 is provided. The wafer transfer chamber 50 is constructed so that it can be evacuated, and a wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 is provided inside it. Bottom surface 5 of wafer transfer chamber 50
6 is provided with a through hole 57. A ball screw (screw shaft 561, nut 565) is provided below the outside of the wafer transfer chamber 50. The lift 564 is fixed to the nut 565, one end of the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 is fixed to the lift 564, and the other end is fixed to the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60. Both ends of the bellows 562 are airtightly fixed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly to a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to reduce the area occupied by a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, for example, a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus as shown in FIG. 14 has been proposed (JP-A-5-1).
See 52215. ).

In this semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 2000, the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 2 is constructed by stacking a plurality of reaction chambers 204 in a direction perpendicular to the installation floor surface.
000 has a smaller floor area.

[0004]

However, in the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 2000, the wafer transfer robot 202 and the robot lifter 201 for moving the wafer transfer robot 202 up and down are provided in the wafer transfer chamber 205, and the robot lifter 201 is provided. The wafer transfer robot 202 is moved up and down by means of the wafer transfer robot 202 to load / unload the semiconductor wafer into / from the reaction chamber 204 via the gate valve 203.

As described above, in the conventional semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 2000, since the robot elevator 201 is provided in the wafer transfer chamber 205, the wafer transfer chamber 2
There is a problem that the inside of 05 and by extension, the inside of the reaction chamber 204 is also contaminated, and as a result, the wafer processed by the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 2000 is also contaminated, which causes the yield at the time of manufacturing the semiconductor device to be deteriorated. .

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing the inside of the apparatus from being contaminated by an elevator or the like.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a substrate transfer chamber capable of depressurizing and a plurality of substrate processing chambers vertically stacked on the first side wall of the substrate transfer chamber are provided.
A plurality of first valves provided respectively between the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber, wherein when closed, a vacuum is provided between the substrate processing chamber and the substrate transfer chamber. A plurality of first valves that can be made airtight and that can move the substrate therethrough when opened; a substrate storage chamber provided on a second sidewall of the substrate transfer chamber; A substrate carrier provided in a carrier chamber, the substrate carrier being capable of carrying the substrate under reduced pressure between the substrate processing chamber and the substrate housing chamber, and provided outside the substrate carrier chamber. Ascending / descending means, elevating means having a fixed part and an ascending / descending part capable of ascending / descending with respect to the fixed part, and a rigid connecting member movable in a through hole provided in a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber. In addition, the lifting unit and the substrate transfer machine are machined through the through hole. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a connection member that connects to the substrate; and an airtight member that maintains a vacuum between the predetermined surface and the connection member that penetrates the through hole of the predetermined surface. Will be provided.

In the present invention, since the elevating means is provided outside the substrate transfer chamber, it is possible to prevent the substrate transfer chamber from being contaminated by the elevating means, and as a result, to prevent the substrate from being contaminated.

Further, the elevating part of the elevating means and the substrate transfer machine are mechanically connected via the through hole by a rigid connecting member which is movable in the through hole provided on a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber. Therefore, even if the elevating means is provided outside the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means can surely raise and lower the substrate carrier.

In order to connect the elevating part and the substrate transfer machine via a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber so that the substrate transfer machine moves up and down according to the elevating of the elevating part, the elevating part and the substrate transfer machine are connected. May be connected using magnetic coupling. In this case, if the through hole is not provided in the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber and the material of the predetermined surface is a material through which the magnetic field lines pass, the lifting unit and the substrate transfer machine on both sides of this surface are magnetized. And can be connected.

Further, since the airtight member for keeping the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber and the connecting member penetrating the through hole of the predetermined surface airtight in a vacuum is provided, the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is provided. Even if the through hole is provided in the board and the substrate transfer machine is moved up and down according to the elevation of the elevating part by the rigid connection member, the substrate transfer chamber can be vacuum-tight and the substrate transfer chamber can be depressurized. can do.

Further, since a plurality of substrate processing chambers are vertically stacked on the first side wall of the substrate transfer chamber, the area occupied by the substrate processing chamber in the clean room can be reduced, and the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced. It is also possible to reduce the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber to make the substrate transfer chamber smaller and reduce its occupied area, and thus to reduce the occupied area of the clean room by the substrate processing apparatus.

If the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber is reduced,
The manufacturing cost of the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced, and the maintenance area in multiple directions can be reduced. Furthermore, the distance for connecting the substrate transfer chamber to other substrate transfer chambers can be shortened, and the substrate can be transferred between the substrate transfer chamber and other substrate transfer chambers without providing a substrate transfer machine at the connection part. As a result, the substrate processing apparatus has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost.

A plurality of first valves are respectively provided between the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber, and when closed, a vacuum is provided between the substrate processing chamber and the substrate transfer chamber. Since the substrate is provided with a plurality of first valves that can be hermetically sealed and can move through the inside of the substrate when it is opened, the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber can be respectively vacuumed. The airtightness can be maintained, and the substrate can be moved between each of the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber. A gate valve is preferably used as the first valve.

A semiconductor wafer is preferably used as the substrate, in which case the substrate processing apparatus functions as a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus.

As the substrate, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display element or the like can be used.

In the substrate processing chamber, preferably, an insulating film by various CVD methods such as plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor deposition) method, hot wall CVD method, photo CVD method, metal film for wiring, polysilicon, amorphous silicon, etc. Formation, heat treatment such as etching and annealing, epitaxial growth, diffusion and the like are performed.

The substrate transfer machine is preferably a substrate transfer machine which transfers a substrate in a horizontal direction, and more preferably an articulated robot.

Further, the airtight member is made of an elastic body, and the rigid connection member for connecting the elevating part and the substrate carrier is covered by the airtight member so that the connection member can move in the airtight member. It is preferable that one end of the airtight member is vacuum-tightly connected to a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber, and the other end of the airtight member is vacuum-tightly connected to the connection member. By doing this, since the airtightness is maintained by the elastic body, the airtightness is ensured, and the movement of the connecting member can be separated from the problem of maintaining the airtightness, so that the movement of the connecting member is smooth and reliable. Becomes It should be noted that connecting one end of the airtight member to a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber in a vacuum-tight manner means that the one end of the airtight member is directly connected to a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber in a vacuum-tight manner, and the airtight member. A case where one end of is indirectly and vacuum-tightly connected to a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber via another member. Further, connecting the other end of the airtight member to the connecting member in a vacuum-tight manner means that the other end of the airtight member is directly connected to the connecting member in a vacuum-tight manner, and the other end of the airtight member is connected to the connecting member. Indirectly and vacuum-tightly connected via the member of (1).

As the airtight member composed of this elastic body, it is preferable to use a bellows, and it is more preferable to use a bellows made of metal.

The airtight member may be an O-ring,
If an O-ring is provided between the through hole and the connecting member, airtightness and movement of the connecting member can be secured with a simple structure.

It is preferable that the fixing part of the elevating means is a screw shaft, the elevating part is provided with a nut, and a ball screw is constituted by the screw shaft and the nut, so that friction can be reduced and mechanical efficiency can be increased.

It is preferable that a predetermined surface where the through hole of the substrate transfer chamber is provided is the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber, and a ball screw is provided below the substrate transfer chamber. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the substrate transfer chamber from being contaminated by particles generated from the airtight member such as the bellows.

The predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber may be the upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber, and the ball screw may be provided above the substrate transfer chamber.

The substrate transfer machine comprises a drive unit, a substrate transfer unit movable horizontally by the drive unit, and an airtight drive unit storage container, and the drive unit is housed in the airtight drive unit storage container. It is preferable to do so, and by doing so, the atmosphere in the substrate transfer chamber can be kept cleaner.

In this case, it is preferable to connect one end of the rigid connecting member and the vicinity of the end of the drive unit accommodating container on the substrate transfer unit side. By doing so, the height of the entire substrate processing apparatus can be reduced.

The predetermined surface on which the through hole of the substrate transfer chamber is provided is either the bottom surface or the upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber,
When this predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber, a convex portion matching the outer shape of the drive unit housing container is provided on this bottom surface, and the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is the upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber. In some cases, it is preferable to provide a convex portion conforming to the outer shape of the drive unit storage container on the upper surface so that the drive unit storage container can be stored in the convex portion. Instead, since only the convex portion that accommodates the drive unit of the substrate transporter needs to be projected from the substrate transport chamber, the space in the substrate transport chamber can be reduced and the time required for vacuuming can be shortened.

Preferably, the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber.

Preferably, the space between the substrate accommodating chamber and the substrate transfer chamber can be vacuum-tight when closed, and the substrate can be opened when the substrate transfer chamber is opened. Is provided with a second valve movable through the inside thereof, and the substrate accommodation chamber can be depressurized independently of the substrate transfer chamber.

If the substrate transfer chamber can be depressurized and the substrate storage chamber can also be depressurized, the oxygen concentration can be reduced to the maximum,
Oxidation in the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate storage chamber can be suppressed.

Further, between the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate storage chamber, when closed, the space between the substrate storage chamber and the substrate transfer chamber can be made airtight in a vacuum state, and when opened, the substrate is transferred. Since the second valve movable through the inside is provided, the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate accommodating chamber can be independently kept airtight in a vacuum, and moreover, the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate accommodating chamber are separated from each other. The substrate can move between them. A gate valve is preferably used as such a valve.

Further, preferably, an atmospheric pressure portion arranged on a side of the substrate accommodation chamber different from the side on which the substrate transfer chamber is disposed, and a third pressure element disposed between the substrate accommodation chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion. A third valve which is a valve capable of forming a vacuum-tight seal between the substrate accommodating chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion when closed, and allowing the substrate to move therethrough when opened. And further.

With this configuration, the substrate accommodating chamber can be independently kept airtight in a vacuum, and the substrate can be moved between the substrate accommodating chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion.

Since such a second valve and a third valve are provided in the substrate accommodating chamber, and the substrate accommodating chamber can be depressurized independently of the substrate transfer chamber, the substrate accommodating chamber has an atmospheric pressure portion. And a substrate transfer chamber under reduced pressure can function as a load lock chamber which is a vacuum preliminary chamber when loading / unloading a substrate.

Further, it is preferable to provide a heat-resistant first substrate holding means in the substrate accommodating chamber, and in this case, the substrate accommodating chamber cools the high temperature substrate which has been processed in the substrate processing chamber. Can be used as a cooling room.

As the heat-resistant first substrate holding means, it is preferable to use a heat-resistant substrate holder made of quartz, glass, ceramics or metal. Therefore, impurities such as outgas are not generated, so that the atmosphere in the substrate housing chamber can be kept clean. As the ceramics, sintered SiC or sintered SiC whose surface is coated with a SiO ₂ film by CVD is preferably used.

As described above, since the substrate storage chamber can be used as the substrate cooling chamber and the load lock chamber, it is not necessary to provide the substrate cooling chamber and the cassette chamber on the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber. Also, the cassette can be placed in the atmospheric pressure section.

Since the second valve is provided between the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate storage chamber, the substrate transfer chamber can be returned to the atmospheric pressure while the substrate transfer chamber is kept in a depressurized state. It is possible to allow the substrate to naturally cool while the pressure is returned to the atmospheric pressure, and to lower the temperature of the substrate at the stage of leaving the substrate accommodating chamber. Therefore, even if the substrate is subsequently taken out into the atmospheric pressure, the substrate is prevented from being contaminated by the atmospheric pressure atmosphere. In this way, the step of returning the substrate to the atmospheric pressure and the step of cooling the substrate are simultaneously performed, the cooled substrate is transferred to the cassette under the atmospheric pressure, and the cassette containing the substrate is transferred to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus. be able to.

Preferably, a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers are vertically stacked and provided on the second side wall of the substrate conveying chamber, and a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers and a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers are provided in the case of being closed. Between the substrate accommodation chamber and the substrate transfer chamber can be made vacuum-tight, and a plurality of fourth valves are provided, each of which allows the substrate to move through the inside when opened. It is preferable that each of the substrate accommodating chambers can be depressurized independently of the other substrate accommodating chambers, and each of the plurality of substrate accommodating chambers and the substrate transfer chamber can be independently depressurized. A gate valve is preferably used as the fourth valve.

By providing a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers on the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber, the substrate can be carried into the substrate processing chamber by utilizing the other substrate accommodating chamber while the substrate is being cooled in a certain substrate accommodating chamber. , Can save time.

Since a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers are vertically stacked on the second side wall of the substrate conveying chamber, the area occupied by the substrate accommodating chamber in the clean room can be reduced, and the sides of the substrate conveying chamber can be reduced. It is possible to reduce the number of the substrate transfer chambers and reduce the occupied area of the substrate transfer chamber, thereby reducing the occupied area of the clean room of the substrate processing apparatus.

When the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber is reduced,
The manufacturing cost of the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced, and the maintenance area in multiple directions can be reduced. Further, when a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses are arranged, the distance for connecting the substrate transfer chamber to other substrate transfer chambers can be shortened, and the substrate transfer chamber and other substrate transfer chambers can be connected to each other without providing a substrate transfer device at the connecting portion. Substrates can be transferred to and from other substrate transfer chambers, etc., and the substrate processing apparatus has a correspondingly simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost, and the maintenance space between the substrate processing apparatuses interferes with each other. Without doing so, a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses can be arranged efficiently.

Two types of substrate accommodating chambers for loading and unloading may be provided separately. In this way, two types of substrate accommodating chambers for loading and unloading can be used alternately, and time is saved.

Further, it is preferable that the cassette holding means provided in the atmospheric pressure portion and the substrate transfer means provided in the atmospheric pressure portion are provided between the cassette held in the cassette holding means and the substrate accommodating chamber. And a substrate transfer means capable of transferring the substrate.

As described above, if the cassette holding means and the substrate carrying means capable of carrying the substrate between the cassette held by the cassette holding means and the substrate accommodating chamber are arranged in the atmospheric pressure portion, the cassette holding means The structure and the structure of the substrate transfer means can be simpler than those in a vacuum.

The cassette is preferably a cassette for loading a substrate into and / or unloading a substrate from the substrate processing apparatus.

Further, preferably, a housing for accommodating the substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber, the substrate storage chamber, the substrate transfer means, and the cassette holding means is further provided. In this way, by providing the substrate transfer means and the cassette holding means inside the housing, the surface of the substrate mounted on the cassette and the surface of the substrate transferred by the substrate transfer means can be kept clean.

Further, preferably, a housing for accommodating at least the substrate transfer chamber, the plurality of substrate processing chambers, and the substrate accommodating chamber is further provided, and at least a part of the convex portion of the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means and the connecting member is provided. It can also be provided so as to project from the housing. By providing such a housing, it is possible to reduce particles in the substrate processing apparatus, but by providing at least a part of the convex portion of the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means and the connection member so as to project from the housing, At least a part of the convex portion of the chamber, the elevating means and the connecting member can be made to project downward from the floor surface of the clean room, or can be made to project upward from the ceiling, and as a result, the substrate The heights of the transfer chamber, the plurality of substrate processing chambers, and the substrate storage chamber can be increased, for example, a larger number of substrates can be stored therein, and the number of substrates to be processed can be increased. .

Preferably, the first substrate holding means for holding the substrate is the first substrate holding means provided in the substrate housing chamber, and the second substrate holding means for holding the substrate is the substrate. A second substrate holding unit provided in the processing chamber, wherein the second substrate holding unit can hold a plurality of substrates, and the first substrate holding unit can hold a plurality of substrates. The pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means is substantially the same as the pitch between the substrates held by the second substrate holding means.

In this case, more preferably, the substrate transfer means can transfer a plurality of substrates at the same time, and the pitch between the plurality of substrates can be changed.

As described above, by making the second substrate holding means provided in the substrate processing chamber have a structure capable of holding a plurality of substrates, the efficiency of substrate processing in the substrate processing chamber can be improved.

Then, in this case, the first
The substrate holding means also has a structure capable of holding a plurality of substrates,
The pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means is set to the second pitch.
By setting the pitch between the substrates held by the substrate holding means to be substantially the same, the structure of the substrate transfer machine in the substrate transfer chamber capable of depressurizing can be simplified. In addition, it is preferable that the substrate transporter can simultaneously transport a plurality of substrates under reduced pressure.

If the pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means and the pitch between the substrates held by the second substrate holding means are substantially the same, the structure of the substrate carrier is reduced. Even with a structure in which a plurality of substrates can be simultaneously transferred below, it is not necessary to change the pitch between the substrates during the transfer. As a result, the structure of the substrate carrier becomes simpler,
Also, vacuum contamination can be prevented. Further, since a plurality of substrates can be transported at the same time, the efficiency of substrate transportation can be improved.

On the other hand, if the pitch between the substrates is made variable under reduced pressure, the structure of the carrier becomes complicated, and the cost and space required are more than double as compared with the case under the atmospheric pressure. Moreover, since the number of mechanisms is increased, contaminants generated from the drive shaft and the like are easily scattered, the degree of vacuum is not maintained, and the problem of particles is likely to occur, and contamination of the substrate is also likely to occur. Since the place where the particles are generated is the substrate transfer chamber immediately before the substrate processing chamber, the influence thereof is particularly large. Further, in order to avoid such a problem, if the substrates are transferred one by one between the first substrate holding means and the second substrate holding means, the throughput becomes poor. Increasing the transfer speed of the substrate carrier to improve throughput increases the number of times the substrate carrier operates per unit time,
As a result, the life of the device is shortened and the particle problem is caused.

In order to process a plurality of substrates at the same time in the substrate processing chamber, for example, when performing film formation,
It is necessary to set the interval between the plurality of substrates not to be the cassette groove interval, but to be an interval that can maintain the film thickness uniformity and the like in consideration of the gas flow in the substrate processing chamber. Therefore, it is preferable to change the pitch between the substrates from the cassette groove interval at any place.

In the present invention, preferably, the structure of the substrate transfer means is such that a plurality of substrates can be transferred simultaneously and the pitch between the plurality of substrates is variable.
Since this substrate transfer means is used under atmospheric pressure, even if the pitch between the substrates is variable, the structure is simple compared to the case under vacuum, it can be manufactured at low cost, and particle generation is suppressed. You can

As described above, if the pitch between the substrates is variable under the atmospheric pressure and the pitch between the substrates is fixed under the reduced pressure so that a plurality of substrates are simultaneously transported, the manufacturing cost of the transport device is reduced. It is possible to reduce the size of the transfer device, suppress the size increase of the transfer device, suppress the generation of particles, and transfer the substrate in a clean environment. Further, since a plurality of substrates are simultaneously transferred, the throughput is improved, and the pitch between the substrates is variable. Therefore, the pitch can be converted into the pitch between the substrates that can perform the substrate processing with high accuracy in the substrate processing chamber.

It is preferable that the first substrate holding means can hold at least twice the number of substrates processed at one time in each of the substrate processing chambers.

Further, it is preferable that the first substrate holding means can hold at least twice as many substrates as the second substrate holding means, and the number of substrates processed at one time in the substrate processing chamber. It is possible to hold at least twice the number of substrates.

By doing so, the substrate can be efficiently transported between the substrate processing chamber and the cassette, and the throughput is improved.

Further, the first side wall and the second side wall of the substrate transfer chamber are opposed to each other, and the substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber, and the substrate storage chamber are arranged substantially in line. It is preferable that the substrate transfer chamber has a minimum number of sides, for example, a rectangular shape.

The substrate transfer chamber is preferably rectangular in a plan view, and if the substrate transfer chamber is rectangular, the substrate transfer chamber can be made smaller and its occupied area can be reduced, so that the substrate processing apparatus can occupy a clean room. The area can be reduced. Further, the rectangular shape can reduce the manufacturing cost of the substrate transfer chamber. The maintenance area can also be reduced. Further, the distance for connecting the substrate transfer chamber to other substrate transfer chambers can be shortened, and the substrate can be transferred between the substrate transfer chamber and other substrate transfer chambers without providing a substrate transfer device at the connection portion. The substrate can be easily transferred, and the substrate processing apparatus has a simple structure and can be manufactured inexpensively. Further, by arranging the substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber, and the substrate accommodating chamber in a substantially straight line, it is possible to easily arrange a plurality of substrate processing apparatus units having such a configuration in parallel and reduce the occupied area.

The cassette holding means is preferably arranged on the side opposite to the substrate transfer chamber with respect to the substrate storage chamber.

[0064]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

Semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment
Includes a process unit 700, a transfer unit 500, and a front unit 100.

The process section 700 comprises a plurality of process modules 701, and each process module 701 comprises a reaction chamber 70 and a gate valve 93. The transfer unit 500 includes a transfer module 501, and the transfer module 501 includes a wafer transfer chamber 50 and a wafer transfer vacuum robot 60. The front part 100 includes a plurality of load lock modules 300 and an atmospheric pressure part 200. Load lock module 3
00 includes a wafer storage chamber 30, a gate valve 92, and a front door valve 91. A cassette shelf 11 on which the cassette 10 is placed and a cassette carrier / wafer carrier 20 are provided in the atmospheric pressure section.

The plurality of reaction chambers 70 are vertically stacked and provided on the wafer transfer chamber wall 53 of the wafer transfer chamber 50. A gate valve 93 is provided between each reaction chamber 70 and the wafer transfer chamber 50. Each reaction chamber 70 is configured so that it can be evacuated independently via an exhaust pipe 82. A wafer boat 75 capable of mounting a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) semiconductor wafers 5 is placed in the reaction chamber 70, and a plurality of wafers 5 can be simultaneously processed. The efficiency of can be improved. Also, the wafer boat 7
With respect to the pitch between the wafers 5 mounted on the wafer 5, the uniformity of the film thickness is maintained within a predetermined range in consideration of the gas flow in the reaction chamber 70 and the like, for example, when film formation is performed. Has been decided to.

In the reaction chamber 70, for example, various types of C such as plasma CVD, hot wall CVD, photo CVD, etc.
Formation of an insulating film by VD or the like, a metal film for wiring, polysilicon, amorphous silicon, or the like, heat treatment such as etching or annealing, epitaxial growth, diffusion or the like is performed.

Since a plurality of reaction chambers 70 are vertically stacked and provided on the wafer transfer chamber wall 53 of the wafer transfer chamber 50, the area occupied by the reaction chamber 70 in the clean room can be reduced, and the wafer transfer can be performed. It is possible to reduce the number of sides of the chamber 50 to reduce the size of the wafer transfer chamber 50 to reduce the occupied area thereof, thereby reducing the occupied area of the clean room of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1.

Further, if the number of sides of the wafer transfer chamber 50 is reduced, the manufacturing cost of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced and the maintenance area in multiple directions can be reduced. Further, the distance for connecting the wafer transfer chamber 50 to other wafer transfer chambers can be shortened, and the wafer transfer chamber 50 and other wafer transfer chambers can be connected to each other without providing a wafer transfer device at the connecting portion. The semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost.

The plurality of wafer accommodating chambers 30 are vertically stacked to form a wafer transfer chamber wall 5 of the wafer transfer chamber 50.
4 is provided. A gate valve 92 is provided between each wafer storage chamber 30 and the wafer transfer chamber 50. The right side of each wafer storage chamber 30 and the atmospheric pressure section 2
A front door valve 91 is provided between each of them. Each wafer storage chamber 30 has an exhaust pipe 83,
It is configured such that a vacuum can be independently drawn via 81.

A wafer holder 40 is placed in the wafer accommodating chamber 30. FIG. 3 shows the wafer holder 40.
It is a schematic perspective view for explaining. Wafer holder 4
0 is two column-shaped support columns 4 provided at the top and bottom
1, 42, and two prismatic columns 43, 44 provided between the column support plates 41, 42.
A plurality of wafer mounting grooves 45 are provided inside the wafers 3 and 44 so as to face each other. Since both ends of the wafer mounting groove 45 are open, the wafer holder 4
Wafers can be loaded in from both sides of 0 and unloaded in both sides. The wafer holder 40 is made of quartz.

Wafer mounting groove 4 of wafer holder 40
The pitch between the wafers 5, that is, the pitch between the wafers 5 held by the wafer holder 40 is the same as the pitch between the wafers 5 mounted on the wafer boat 75 in the reaction chamber 70. The pitch between the wafer mounting grooves 45 of the wafer holder 40 is larger than the pitch between the wafer mounting grooves in the cassette 10.

In addition, the number of wafer mounting grooves 45 of the wafer holder 40, that is, the number of wafers 5 that the wafer holder 40 can hold is determined by the number of wafers 5 that the wafer boat 75 in the reaction chamber 70 can mount. More than twice the number of sheets,
The number of wafers 5 that can be processed at once in the reaction chamber 70 is twice or more. In this way, the reaction chamber 7
The substrate can be efficiently transported between the cassette 0 and the cassette 10, and the throughput is improved.

Since the wafer holder 40 is made of quartz, impurities such as outgas are not generated from the wafer holder 40 even if the inside of the wafer holder 30 is vacuumed. Can be kept clean.

Further, since the wafer holder 40 is made of quartz and has excellent heat resistance, a high-temperature wafer that has been processed in the reaction chamber 70 is treated by the wafer holder 40.
It can be cooled while being held at. in this way,
Since the wafer holder 40 can be used for cooling the wafer, the wafer accommodating chamber 30 functions as a wafer cooling chamber. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a cooling chamber for cooling the high-temperature wafer processed in the reaction chamber 70 on the side wall of the wafer transfer chamber 50, and the area occupied by the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 in the clean room is reduced accordingly. In addition, the number of sides of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced to reduce the size of the wafer transfer chamber 50 to reduce its occupied area, and the occupied area of the clean room by the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 can be reduced. You can
Further, the manufacturing cost of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced.

The wafer holder 40 temporarily stores the wafer 5 from the cassette 10 to the wafer processing chamber 70, temporarily stores the wafer 5 from the wafer processing chamber 70 to the cassette 10, or from the cassette 10. The wafer 5 is temporarily stored in the wafer processing chamber 70 and is transferred from the wafer processing chamber 70 to the cassette 10.
Since it is a wafer holder for temporarily storing
It is not necessary to provide a cassette chamber for storing 0 on the side wall of the wafer transfer chamber 50. As a result, the wafer transfer chamber 50
The number of chambers provided on the side wall of the wafer can be reduced, and the occupied area of the clean room by the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 can be reduced accordingly, and the number of sides of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced to reduce the size of the wafer transfer chamber 50. Therefore, the area occupied by the semiconductor wafer can be reduced, and the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1
The area occupied by the clean room can be reduced. Further, the manufacturing cost of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, since a plurality of wafer accommodating chambers 30 are provided on the wafer transfer chamber wall 54 of the wafer transfer chamber 50, while a wafer is being cooled in a certain wafer accommodating chamber 30, another wafer is accommodated. Time can be saved, for example, a wafer can be loaded into the reaction chamber 70 using the chamber 30.
Further, two types of wafer storage chambers 30 for loading and unloading may be separately provided. In this way, the two types of wafer accommodating chambers 30 for loading and unloading can be alternately used, which saves time. Further, it is possible to use one wafer accommodation chamber 30 for a monitor wafer and another wafer accommodation chamber 30 for a process wafer which is an actual product.

Since a plurality of wafer accommodating chambers 30 are vertically stacked on the wafer transfer chamber wall 54 of the wafer transfer chamber 50, the area occupied by the wafer accommodating chamber 30 in the clean room can be reduced. Also, the number of sides of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced to reduce the size of the wafer transfer chamber 50 to reduce its occupied area, and the occupied area of the clean room of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 can be reduced. Further, the manufacturing cost of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced.

Wafer transfer chamber 50 and wafer accommodating chamber 30
Since a gate valve 92 is provided between the wafer transfer chamber 50 and the wafer transfer chamber 50, the wafer transfer chamber 50 is kept in a depressurized state.
Can be returned to the atmospheric pressure, and the wafer 5 is naturally cooled while the inside of the wafer storage chamber 30 is returned to the atmospheric pressure, and the temperature of the wafer 5 is lowered at the stage of leaving the wafer storage chamber 30. You can Therefore, even if the wafer 5 is subsequently taken out to the atmospheric pressure, the wafer 5 is prevented from being contaminated by the atmospheric pressure atmosphere. In this way, the step of returning the wafer 5 to the atmospheric pressure in the wafer storage chamber 30 and the step of cooling the wafer 5 are simultaneously performed, the cooled wafer 5 is conveyed to the cassette 10 under the atmospheric pressure, and the cassette 1 containing the wafer 5 is transferred.
0 can be transferred to the outside of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1.

Further, in the present embodiment, the transfer of the wafer 5 between the wafer accommodating chamber 30 and the cassette 10 is performed by the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20 different from the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 in the wafer transfer chamber 50. Since it can be performed, the wafer transfer time can be shortened. Further, in the present embodiment, since the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20 is arranged in the atmospheric pressure section 200, the structure of the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20 is simpler than that in a vacuum. can do.

The wafer transfer chamber 50 has exhaust pipes 84, 81.
It is configured so that a vacuum can be drawn through. The plurality of reaction chambers 70, the wafer transfer chamber 50, and the plurality of wafer accommodating chambers 30 are configured so that they can be evacuated independently.

Since the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be depressurized and the wafer accommodating chamber 30 can also be depressurized, the oxygen concentration can be reduced to the limit, and the wafer 5 can be prevented from being oxidized in the wafer transfer chamber 50 or the wafer accommodating chamber 30. Can be suppressed.

Further, since the reaction chamber 70 can be evacuated independently, the reaction chamber 70 can also be used as a reaction chamber in which processing is performed under reduced pressure. Further, after the pressure inside the reaction chamber 70 is once reduced, a predetermined atmosphere is obtained. The gas can be replaced with a gas, or a high-purity gas atmosphere can be used.

In the present embodiment, the plurality of reaction chambers 70 are all reaction chambers in which processing is performed under reduced pressure.
It is also possible to use a reaction chamber in which all 0 are treated under normal pressure,
Further, at least one reaction chamber 70 of the plurality of reaction chambers 70 is used as a reaction chamber for processing a wafer under normal pressure,
The remaining reaction chambers 70 of the plurality of reaction chambers 70
Can be used as a reaction chamber in which the treatment is performed under reduced pressure.

A wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 is provided inside the wafer transfer chamber 50. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60. The wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 is an articulated robot, and has arms 63, 65, 6 that rotate and move in a horizontal plane.
7, and a rotation shaft 62 that allows each arm to rotate,
64 and 66, a biaxial drive unit 69 that applies rotation to the rotary shaft 62, a gear mechanism (not shown) that transmits the rotation of the rotary shaft 62 to the rotary shafts 64 and 66, and the drive unit 69. The drive unit accommodating portion 61 is provided. The tip of the arm 67 is a wafer mounting arm 68 for mounting a wafer.
Function as When the rotary shaft 62 rotates, the arm 6
The wafers 3, 65, 67 rotate and move in the horizontal direction, so that the wafer can be moved in the horizontal direction.

Arm 67 and wafer mounting arm 68
The pitch between the wafer mounting arms 68 is the same as the pitch between the wafer mounting grooves 45 of the wafer holder 40 and the pitch between the wafers 5 mounted on the wafer boat 75 in the reaction chamber 70. There is. Therefore,
Since two wafer mounting arms 68 are provided, the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 can transfer two wafers at the same time, but the wafer transfer vacuum robot does not need to change the pitch between the wafers 5 during transfer. The structure of 60 is simplified, and vacuum contamination can be prevented. Since two wafers can be transferred at the same time, the efficiency of wafer transfer is increased.

Since the drive portion accommodating portion 61 has an airtight structure and the drive portion 69 is accommodated in the airtight drive portion accommodating portion 61, the atmosphere in the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be kept clean.

On the bottom surface 56 of the wafer transfer chamber 50, there is provided a convex portion 52 conforming to the outer shape of the driving portion accommodating portion 61. Therefore, the drive portion accommodating portion 61 can be accommodated in the convex portion 52. By doing so, the drive portion accommodating portion 61 of the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 can be provided without enlarging the entire wafer transfer chamber 50.
Since only the convex portion 52 accommodating the wafer need to be projected from the wafer transfer chamber 50, the space of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced, and the time required for evacuation or the like can be shortened.

A through hole 57 is provided in the bottom surface 56 of the wafer transfer chamber 50. A screw shaft 561 is provided vertically below the outside of the wafer transfer chamber 50. A motor 566 is provided above the screw shaft 561, and the screw shaft 561 is rotated by the motor 566. Screw shaft 56
1, a nut 565 forming a ball screw is provided, and an elevating table 564 is fixed to the nut 565.
Wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 56 is mounted on the lift table 564.
3, one end of which is fixed, and a support rod 563 is vertically attached to the lift table 564. The other end of the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 has the wafer transfer vacuum robot 6
It is fixed to the upper end of the drive unit accommodating portion 61 of 0. The wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 is made of stainless steel. Through hole 5 in bottom surface 56 of wafer transfer chamber 50
One end of the bellows 562 is airtightly fixed to the bottom surface 56 around 7 and the other end of the bellows 562 is airtightly fixed to the upper surface of the lift 564. The bellows 562 is made of metal and is attached so as to cover the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563.

When the screw shaft 561 is rotated by the motor 566, the nut 565 moves up and down, which moves up and down the elevating table 564 fixed to the nut 565. When the elevating table 564 moves up and down, the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 vertically attached thereto also moves up and down, and the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 attached thereto also moves up and down.

In this embodiment, since the ball screw 560 composed of the screw shaft 561 and the nut 565 is used, friction can be reduced and mechanical efficiency can be increased. Since the ball screw 560 is provided outside the wafer transfer chamber 50, the inside of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be prevented from being contaminated, and as a result, the wafer 5 can be prevented from being contaminated. Further, since the ball screw 560 is provided below the bottom surface 56 of the wafer transfer chamber 50, it is possible to prevent the inside of the wafer transfer chamber 50 from being contaminated by particles generated from the bellows 562.

Further, since the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 is mechanically connected to the lift table 564 by the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 made of rigid stainless steel, the wafer transfer vacuum robot is moved according to the elevation of the lift table 564. The 60 surely moves up and down.

Further, the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 is covered with the bellows 562,
One end of 62 is the through hole 5 in the bottom surface 56 of the wafer transfer chamber 50.
7, which is airtightly fixed to the bottom surface 56 around 7,
Since the other end of 62 is airtightly fixed to the upper surface of the elevating table 564, the airtightness is maintained by the bellows 562, so that the airtightness is ensured and the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be evacuated. Since the movement of the transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 can be separated from the problem of maintaining airtightness,
The movement of the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 is also smooth and reliable.

Furthermore, since the tip end of the wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 563 is fixed to the upper end of the drive section accommodating portion 61 of the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60, the height of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be lowered, and by extension, the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be lowered. The overall height of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 can be reduced.

The entire semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 is a housing 90.
It is housed at 0. A filter (not shown) and a fan (not shown) are provided on the ceiling surface of the housing 900 of the front part 100.
And are provided so that the inside of the housing 900 can be downflowed. A cassette 1 is provided inside the housing 900.
A cassette shelf 11 on which 0 is placed is attached to the housing 900. The cassette shelf 11 is arranged on the opposite side of the wafer storage chamber 30 from the wafer transfer chamber 50. The cassette shelves 11 are arranged at three positions in the plane direction, and vertically stacked in two stages. By providing the cassette shelf 11 in the housing 900, the wafer surface mounted on the cassette 10 can be kept clean. Also, in this way, a plurality of cassette shelves 11
By providing the above, it is possible to arrange the cassettes for each type of processing in accordance with a plurality of processings. It is also possible to arrange a cassette in which the monitor wafer and the dummy wafer are stored.

A cassette insertion port 13 is provided in the lower portion of the front surface 901 of the housing 900, and a cassette stage 12 is provided inside the housing 900 and at substantially the same height as the cassette insertion port 13. The cassette stage 12
The cassette 10 loaded into the housing 900 of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 from the cassette loading port 13 is temporarily held first, and the processing is completed by the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 before the cassette 10 is unloaded from the housing 900. Used to hold the cassette temporarily.

The cassette stage 12 is provided in the lower part of the cassette shelf 11, and when the cassette is loaded into the cassette stage 12, particles and the like flowing from the outside of the housing 900 through the cassette loading port 13 are introduced into the cassette shelf 11. It is possible to reduce the influence on the wafer 5 in the cassette 10 placed on the.

Between the wafer accommodating chamber 30 and the cassette shelf 11, the cassette 10 can be loaded into the cassette shelf 11 and the cassette 10 can be unloaded from the cassette shelf 11, and the wafer 5 can be transferred between the cassette 10 and the wafer accommodating chamber 30. A cassette carrier / wafer carrier 20 capable of carrying is provided. The cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20 includes a screw shaft 29 provided vertically and a nut (not shown) that constitutes a ball screw, and by rotating the screw shaft 29, the cassette transfer / wafer transfer is performed. The machine 20 can be raised and lowered. Since the cassette transfer / wafer transfer device 20 is also provided in the housing 900, the surface of the wafer 5 transferred by the cassette transfer / wafer transfer device 20 can be kept clean.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20.

The cassette carrier 21 is mounted on the bases 25 and 26.
And the wafer transfer device 23 are provided, and the cassette transfer device 21 and the wafer transfer device 23 can independently move in parallel in the direction of the arrow. The cassette carrying machine 21 includes a cassette carrying arm 22, and the cassette 10 is carried by mounting the cassette 10 on a cassette holder 27 attached to the tip of the cassette carrying arm 22. The wafer transfer device 23 includes a plurality of tweezers 24, and mounts the wafers 5 on the tweezers 24, respectively, and transfers the wafers 5.

6A and 6B are views for explaining the pitch converting mechanism of the cassette carrying / wafer carrying machine, FIG. 6A is a side view, and FIG. 6B is a rear view taken along the line YY of FIG. 6A. .

In the present embodiment, the wafer transfer machine 23
Has five tweezers 241 to 245. Tweezer 241 is integrated with block 260. Tweezers 242, 243, 244, 245 have nuts 23
2, 233, 234 and 235 are fixed to each other. The nut 232 and the nut 234 are engaged with the screw shaft 210, and the nut 232 and the nut 234 form a ball screw with the screw shaft 210, respectively. Nut 2
The nut 33 and the nut 235 are engaged with the screw shaft 211, and the nut 233 and the nut 235 form a ball screw with the screw shaft 211, respectively. The upper end of the screw shaft 210 and the upper end of the screw shaft 211 are connected to the motor 220 via a gear mechanism (not shown), and the lower end of the screw shaft 210 and the lower end of the screw shaft 211 are rotatable by the block 250. Installed. A nut 270 is attached to each of the blocks 250 and 260. The nut 270 is provided so as to mesh with the screw shaft 280. The nut 270 and the screw shaft 280 constitute a ball screw. When the screw shaft 280 rotates, the nut 270 moves left and right to move the tweezers 241 to 245 left and right.

The screw shaft 21 meshing with the nut 232.
In the area 212 of the screw shaft 211, a one-pitch screw is formed. In the area 213 of the screw shaft 211 that meshes with the nut 233, a double-pitch screw is formed, and the screw shaft that meshes with the nut 234. A triple pitch screw is formed in the area 214 of the screw 210, and a quadruple pitch screw is formed in the area 215 of the screw shaft 211 meshing with the nut 235. The relative position in the vertical direction between the block 250 and the block 260 does not change.
When the screw shaft 210 and the screw shaft 211 are rotated by the motor 220, the block 250 and the block 260 do not move up and down, the nut 232 moves up and down a predetermined distance, and the nut 233
Moves up and down twice the distance of the nut 232, the nut 234 moves up and down a distance of 3 times the nut 232, and the nut 235 moves up and down a distance of 4 times the nut 232. Therefore, the tether 241
Does not move up and down, the tweezers 242 move up and down a predetermined distance, the tweezers 243 move up and down a distance twice as long as the tweezers 242, the tweezers 244 move up and down a distance three times the tweezers 242, and the tweezers 245 move four times as long as the tweezers 242. Go up and down. As a result, the pitch between the tweezers 241 to 245 can be converted while keeping the pitch between the tweezers 241 to 245 uniform.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view for explaining the transfer operation of the wafer 5 in the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1, and the transfer and processing method of the wafer 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

The cassette 10 loaded into the housing 900 of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 from the cassette loading port 13 is
First, it is placed on the cassette stage 12. Next, the cassette transfer arm 22 of the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20
It is placed on the cassette holder 27 attached to the end of the box, transported to the upper part of the housing 900, and then placed on the cassette shelf 11. Next, the cassette carrier 21 moves to the left, and instead, the wafer carrier 23 moves to the right to mount the wafer 5 in the cassette 10 on the tweezers 24. At this time, the pitch between the tweezers 24 is the cassette 1
The distance between the grooves is 0. After that, the wafer carrier 23 is once retracted, the direction is changed by 180 degrees, and then the pitch between the tweezers 24 is converted to the pitch between the wafer mounting grooves 45 of the wafer holder 40. Then, the tweezers 24 are moved to the left and the wafer 5 is mounted on the wafer holder 40 in the wafer storage chamber 30. In the present embodiment, five wafers 5 are transferred from the cassette 10 to the wafer holder 40 at one time by the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20. It should be noted that the cassette carrier / wafer carrier 2
When the wafer 5 is transferred into the wafer storage chamber 30 by 0, the gate valve 92 is closed and the front door valve 91 is opened.

Wafer holder 4 in the wafer storage chamber 30
After mounting wafer 5 on 0, front door valve 91
And the inside of the wafer storage chamber 30 is evacuated.

After evacuation, the gate valve 92 is opened.
The wafer transfer chamber 50 is evacuated in advance.

Thereafter, the wafer 5 is mounted on the wafer mounting arm 68 of the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 in the wafer transfer chamber 50 in a vacuum, and the wafer 5 is accommodated in the wafer storage chamber 30.
The wafer holder 40 in the inside is transferred to the wafer boat 75 in the reaction chamber 70. At this time, the gate valve 93 is opened and the reaction chamber 70 is also evacuated. Since the pitch between the wafer mounting grooves 45 of the wafer holder 40 is the same as the pitch between the wafers 5 mounted on the wafer boat 75, the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60
The pitch between the wafer mounting arms 68 of 1 is not changed and remains constant. In the present embodiment, two wafers are transferred from the wafer holder 40 to the wafer boat 75 at a time.
The wafer is transported by the vacuum robot 60.

After the transfer, the gate valve 93 is closed, and the reaction chamber 70 is set to a predetermined atmosphere, and predetermined processing such as film formation is simultaneously performed on the two wafers 5 mounted on the wafer boat 75 of the reaction chamber 70.

After the predetermined processing is performed, the reaction chamber 70 is evacuated and then the gate valve 93 is opened. The wafer 5 is transferred to the wafer holder 40 in the wafer storage chamber 30 by the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 in vacuum. At this time, the pitch between the wafer mounting arms 68 of the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 does not change and remains constant. Also, two wafers are transferred at one time.

After that, the gate valve 92 is closed and the inside of the wafer storage chamber 30 is brought to atmospheric pressure with nitrogen or the like, where the wafer 5 is cooled to a predetermined temperature.

Then, the front door valve 91 is opened,
Wafer carrier 2 of cassette carrier and wafer carrier 20
The wafer 5 is transferred into the cassette 10 by 3.
At this time, the pitch between the tweezers 24 is changed from the pitch between the wafer mounting grooves 45 of the wafer holder 40 to the pitch between the grooves of the cassette 10.

When a predetermined number of wafers 5 are loaded into the cassette 10, the cassette carrier 21 of the cassette carrier / wafer carrier 20 transfers the cassette 10 to the cassette stage 12 and then unloads it from the cassette inlet 13. To be done.

As described above, since two wafers are simultaneously processed in the reaction chamber 70, the efficiency of wafer processing is increased. Further, the wafer mounting groove 45 of the wafer holder 40.
The pitch between the wafers 5 mounted on the wafer boat 75 is the same as the pitch between the wafer mounting arms 68 of the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60. Therefore, the structure of the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 is simplified, Vacuum contamination can also be prevented. And two wafers 5
Since wafers can be transferred at the same time, wafer transfer efficiency is also improved.

Then, the cassette carrier / wafer carrier 2
Although the pitch between the wafers 5 is variable by 0,
Since the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20 is used under the atmospheric pressure, even if the pitch between the wafers 5 is changed, the structure is simpler than that in the case of under vacuum, and the manufacturing cost is low. Can be suppressed.

As described above, if the pitch between the wafers 5 is variable under atmospheric pressure and the pitch between the wafers 5 is fixed under reduced pressure so that a plurality of wafers 5 can be transferred at the same time, The manufacturing cost can be reduced, the size of the transfer device can be prevented from increasing, and the generation of particles can be suppressed, so that the wafer 5 can be transferred in a clean environment. Further, since a plurality of wafers 5 are transferred at the same time, the throughput is improved and the pitch between the wafers 5 is variable, so that the wafers 5 can be converted into a pitch between the wafers 5 that allows highly accurate wafer processing in the reaction chamber 70.

In the present embodiment, the wafer transfer chamber wall 53 and the wafer transfer chamber wall 54 of the wafer transfer chamber 50 are made to face each other, and the reaction chamber 70, the wafer transfer chamber 50, and the wafer storage chamber 30 are placed. And are arranged on a substantially straight line, and the wafer transfer chamber 50 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. When the wafer transfer chamber 50 has a rectangular shape, the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be reduced in size to reduce its occupied area, and the occupied area of the clean room of the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 can be reduced. Further, the rectangular shape can reduce the manufacturing cost of the wafer transfer chamber 50. The maintenance area can also be reduced. Furthermore, the distance for connecting the wafer transfer chamber 50 to other wafer transfer chambers can be shortened, and the wafer transfer chamber 50 and other wafer transfer chambers can be connected without providing a wafer transfer device at the connecting portion. The wafer 5 can be easily transferred, and the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 has a simple structure accordingly and can be manufactured at low cost.
Further, since the reaction chamber 70, the wafer transfer chamber 50, and the wafer storage chamber 30 are arranged on a substantially straight line, a plurality of semiconductor wafer processing apparatus units having such a configuration can be easily arranged in parallel to each other, and the exclusive use can be achieved. The area can be reduced.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment
The reaction chamber 70, the wafer transfer chamber 50, and the wafer storage chamber 30 are provided below the housing 900, and the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60, the screw shaft 561 for moving the wafer transfer vacuum robot 60 up and down, and the like are provided above the housing 900. Although the point is different from the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus of the first embodiment,
Other points are the same.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, six reaction chambers 70 are vertically stacked on the wafer transfer chamber wall 53 of the wafer transfer chamber 50, and four wafer storage chambers 30 are connected to the wafer transfer chamber 5.
It is stacked vertically on the wafer transfer chamber wall 54 of No. 0.
As described above, since the numbers of the reaction chambers 70 and the wafer storage chambers 30 are increased, the height of the wafer transfer chamber 50 is also increased. In order to provide a large number of reaction chambers 70 and wafer accommodating chambers 30 in the housing 900 in this manner, in the present embodiment, the projection 52 of the wafer transfer chamber 50 and the screw shaft 56 are provided.
1, bellows 562, wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 5
A part of 63 is projected from the housing 900. By projecting these from the housing 900, it is possible to project them downward from the floor surface of the clean room, and as a result, the height of the wafer transfer chamber 50 can be increased and more reaction chambers can be provided. 70 can be stacked vertically, and more wafer storage chambers 30 can also be stacked vertically, so that more wafers can be processed with a small occupied area.

FIG. 10 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the reaction chamber 70 (7
0 '), the wafer transfer chamber 50 (50'), the wafer storage chamber 30 (30 '), the cassette transfer / wafer transfer device 20 (20'), and the cassette shelf 11 (11 ') on a substantially straight line. The semiconductor wafer processing apparatus unit 2 (2 ′) having the configuration arranged in FIG. Reaction chamber 70
(70 '), the wafer transfer chamber 50 (50'), the wafer accommodating chamber 30 (30 '), the cassette transfer / wafer transfer device 20 (20'), and the cassette shelf 11 (11 ') are almost directly aligned. Since they are arranged on the line, the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus units 2 and 2'having such a configuration can be easily arranged in parallel, and the area occupied by the entire apparatus can be reduced.

The wafer transfer chamber 50 (50 ') is rectangular in plan view. Wafer transfer chamber 50 (5
If 0 ') is rectangular, the distance for connecting the wafer transfer chamber 50 and the wafer transfer chamber 50' can be shortened, and the wafer transfer chamber 90 provided at the connection portion does not need to be provided with a wafer transfer device. A wafer can be easily transferred between the wafer transfer chamber 50 and another wafer transfer chamber 50 '. Therefore, the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 1 has a correspondingly simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost. The wafer delivery chamber 90 can also be used as a cooling chamber for cooling the wafer or a preheating chamber for preheating the wafer.

Further, a large space can be secured between the reaction chamber 70 and the reaction chamber 70 ', which can be used as a common maintenance area 3 for the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus units 2 and 2'.

FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the reaction chamber 70,
A wafer transfer chamber 50, a wafer accommodating chamber 30, a cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 20, and a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus unit 6 according to the present invention having a configuration in which a cassette 11 shelf is arranged in a substantially straight line, as viewed from above. Hexagonal wafer transfer chamber 150, cassette chambers 131 and 132 provided on the sidewall of wafer transfer chamber 150, and reaction chamber 17
1, 172 and the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus unit 7 including the wafer cooling chamber 142 are connected to each other.

As described above, since the wafer transfer chamber 50 has a rectangular shape, it can be easily connected to the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus unit of another form through the wafer transfer chamber wall 51.

Also in the present embodiment, the distance for connecting the wafer transfer chamber 50 and the wafer transfer chamber 150 can be shortened, and the wafer transfer chamber 90 provided at the connecting portion can be provided with no wafer transfer device. A wafer can be easily transferred between the transfer chamber 50 and the wafer transfer chamber 150. Therefore, the entire semiconductor wafer processing equipment
It has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost. The wafer delivery chamber 90 can also be used as a cooling chamber for cooling the wafer or a preheating chamber for preheating the wafer.

FIG. 12 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the wafer transfer chamber 55 has a planar octagonal shape, and the reaction chambers 70 are stacked in a multi-tiered manner on each of the seven sides.

FIG. 13 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the reaction chamber 70a shown in FIG. 12 is used.
The wafer transfer chamber 90 connects the one obtained by removing the wafer and the one obtained by removing the reaction chamber 70b shown in FIG. The wafer delivery chamber 90 can also be used as a cooling chamber for cooling the wafer or a preheating chamber for preheating the wafer.

[0136]

According to the present invention, since the elevating means is provided outside the substrate transfer chamber, it is possible to prevent the substrate transfer chamber from being contaminated by the elevating means, and as a result, to prevent the substrate from being contaminated. it can.

Further, the elevating part of the elevating means and the substrate transfer machine are mechanically connected via the through hole by a rigid connecting member which is movable in the through hole provided on a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber. Therefore, even if the elevating means is provided outside the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means can surely raise and lower the substrate carrier.

Further, since the airtight member for keeping the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber and the connecting member penetrating the through hole of the predetermined surface airtight in a vacuum state is provided, the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is provided. Even if the through hole is provided in the board and the substrate transfer machine is moved up and down according to the elevation of the elevating part by the rigid connection member, the substrate transfer chamber can be vacuum-tight and the substrate transfer chamber can be depressurized. can do.

Furthermore, since a plurality of substrate processing chambers are vertically stacked on the first side wall of the substrate transfer chamber, the area occupied by the substrate processing chamber in the clean room can be reduced, and the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced. It is also possible to reduce the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber to make the substrate transfer chamber smaller and reduce its occupied area, and thus to reduce the occupied area of the clean room by the substrate processing apparatus.

When the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber is reduced,
The manufacturing cost of the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced, and the maintenance area in multiple directions can be reduced. Furthermore, the distance for connecting the substrate transfer chamber to other substrate transfer chambers can be shortened, and the substrate can be transferred between the substrate transfer chamber and other substrate transfer chambers without providing a substrate transfer machine at the connection part. As a result, the substrate processing apparatus has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost.

A plurality of first valves provided between the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber, respectively. When closed, a vacuum is provided between the substrate processing chamber and the substrate transfer chamber. Since the substrate is provided with a plurality of first valves that can be hermetically sealed and can move through the inside of the substrate when it is opened, the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber can be respectively vacuumed. The airtightness can be maintained, and the substrate can be moved between each of the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber.

Further, the airtight member is made of an elastic body, and the rigid connection member for connecting the elevating part and the substrate carrier is covered by the airtight member so that the connection member can move in the airtight member. Since one end of the airtight member is vacuum-tightly connected to a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber and the other end of the airtight member is vacuum-tightly connected to the connecting member, airtightness is maintained by the elastic body, The airtightness becomes reliable, and the movement of the connecting member can be separated from the problem of maintaining the airtightness, so that the movement of the connecting member becomes smooth and reliable.

Friction can be reduced and mechanical efficiency can be increased by using a screw shaft as a fixing part of the elevating means and providing a nut on the elevating part and forming a ball screw by the screw shaft and the nut.

A predetermined surface on which the through hole of the substrate transfer chamber is provided is the bottom of the substrate transfer chamber, and a ball screw is provided on the lower side of the substrate transfer chamber so that particles generated from an airtight member such as a bellows cause the substrate transfer chamber. Can be prevented from being contaminated.

The substrate carrier is provided with a drive unit, a substrate carrier which can be moved in the horizontal direction by the drive unit, and an airtight drive unit accommodating container, and the drive unit is accommodated in the airtight drive unit accommodating container. By doing so, the atmosphere in the substrate transfer chamber can be kept cleaner.

In this case, the height of the entire substrate processing apparatus can be reduced by connecting one end of the rigid connecting member and the vicinity of the end of the drive unit accommodating container on the substrate transfer unit side.

The predetermined surface on which the through hole of the substrate transfer chamber is provided is either the bottom surface or the upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber,
When this predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber, a convex portion matching the outer shape of the drive unit housing container is provided on this bottom surface, and the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is the upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber. In some cases, by providing a convex portion on the upper surface in accordance with the outer shape of the drive unit storage container and allowing the drive unit storage container to be accommodated in the convex portion, the substrate transfer chamber can be accommodated without enlarging the entire substrate transfer chamber. Since only the convex portion that houses the drive unit needs to be projected from the substrate transfer chamber, the space in the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced, and the time required for vacuuming or the like can be shortened.

If the substrate transfer chamber can be depressurized and the substrate storage chamber can also be depressurized, the oxygen concentration can be reduced to the limit,
Oxidation in the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate storage chamber can be suppressed.

Then, between the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate accommodating chamber, when closed, the space between the substrate accommodating chamber and the substrate transferring chamber can be vacuum-tight, and when opened, the substrate can be opened. By providing the second valve movable through the inside, the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate accommodating chamber can be independently kept airtight in a vacuum, and moreover, between the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate accommodating chamber. The substrate can be moved.

[0150] An atmospheric pressure portion arranged on a side different from the side where the substrate transfer chamber is provided in the substrate storage chamber, and a third valve provided between the substrate storage chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion. A third valve is provided, which is capable of forming a vacuum-tight seal between the substrate storage chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion when closed, and a third valve through which the substrate can move when opened. Thus, the substrate storage chamber can be independently kept airtight in a vacuum, and the substrate can be moved between the substrate storage chamber and the atmospheric pressure section.

By providing such a second valve and a third valve in the substrate accommodating chamber and depressurizing the substrate accommodating chamber independently of the substrate transfer chamber, the substrate accommodating chamber is kept at atmospheric pressure. It is possible to function as a load lock chamber which is a vacuum reserve chamber when loading / unloading a substrate between the substrate and the substrate transport chamber under reduced pressure.

Further, by providing the heat-resistant first substrate holding means in the substrate accommodating chamber, the substrate accommodating chamber can be used as a substrate cooling chamber for cooling the high temperature substrate which has been processed in the substrate processing chamber.

As described above, if the substrate accommodating chamber can be used as the substrate cooling chamber and the load lock chamber,
It is not necessary to provide the substrate cooling chamber and the cassette chamber on the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber. Also, the cassette can be placed in the atmospheric pressure section.

By providing the second valve between the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate accommodating chamber, the substrate accommodating chamber can be returned to atmospheric pressure while the substrate transferring chamber is kept in a depressurized state. It is possible to allow the substrate to naturally cool while the pressure is returned to the atmospheric pressure, and to lower the temperature of the substrate at the stage of leaving the substrate accommodating chamber. Therefore, even if the substrate is subsequently taken out into the atmospheric pressure, the substrate is prevented from being contaminated by the atmospheric pressure atmosphere. In this way, the step of returning the substrate to the atmospheric pressure and the step of cooling the substrate are simultaneously performed, the cooled substrate is transferred to the cassette under the atmospheric pressure, and the cassette containing the substrate is transferred to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus. be able to.

Further, by providing a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers on the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber, while the substrate is being cooled in one substrate accommodating chamber, the other substrate accommodating chamber is utilized to bring the substrate into the substrate processing chamber. You can save time.

By arranging a plurality of substrate accommodating chambers vertically stacked on the second side wall of the substrate conveying chamber, the area occupied by the substrate accommodating chamber in the clean room can be reduced, and the number of sides of the substrate conveying chamber can be reduced. It is also possible to reduce the size of the substrate transfer chamber and reduce its occupied area,
The area occupied by the substrate processing apparatus in the clean room can be reduced. When the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber is reduced,
The manufacturing cost of the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced, and the maintenance area in multiple directions can be reduced. Further, when a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses are arranged, the distance for connecting the substrate transfer chamber to other substrate transfer chambers can be shortened, and the substrate transfer chamber and other substrate transfer chambers can be connected to each other without providing a substrate transfer device at the connecting portion. Substrates can be transferred to and from other substrate transfer chambers, etc., and the substrate processing apparatus has a correspondingly simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost, and the maintenance space between the substrate processing apparatuses interferes with each other. Without doing so, a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses can be arranged efficiently.

If the cassette holding means and the substrate carrying means capable of carrying the substrate between the cassette held by the cassette holding means and the substrate accommodating chamber are arranged in the atmospheric pressure portion, the structure of the cassette holding means and The structure of the substrate transfer means can be simplified as compared with the case where these are in vacuum.

Further, preferably, a substrate processing chamber, a substrate transfer chamber, a substrate accommodating chamber, a substrate transfer means, and a cassette holding means are further provided in a housing for accommodating the substrates mounted in the cassette. It is possible to keep the surface and the surface of the substrate being conveyed by the substrate conveying means clean.

Further, a housing for accommodating at least the substrate transfer chamber, the plurality of substrate processing chambers, and the substrate accommodating chamber is further provided, and at least a part of the convex portion of the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means, and the connecting member are projected from the housing. By providing the above, it is possible to reduce particles in the substrate processing apparatus and to project at least a part of the convex portion of the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means and the connecting member downward from the floor of the clean room. Or can be projected upward from the ceiling, and as a result, the height of the substrate transfer chamber, the plurality of substrate processing chambers, and the substrate accommodating chamber can be increased, for example, more substrates are Since it can be accommodated inside, the number of processed substrates can be increased.

Further, the second substrate holding means for holding the substrate, which is provided in the substrate processing chamber, has a structure capable of holding a plurality of substrates. The efficiency of substrate processing can be improved.

Then, in this case, the first
The substrate holding means also has a structure capable of holding a plurality of substrates,
The pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means is set to the second pitch.
By setting the pitch between the substrates held by the substrate holding means to be substantially the same, the structure of the substrate transfer machine in the substrate transfer chamber capable of depressurizing can be simplified.

If the pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means and the pitch between the substrates held by the second substrate holding means are substantially the same, the structure of the substrate carrier is reduced. Even with a structure in which a plurality of substrates can be simultaneously transferred below, it is not necessary to change the pitch between the substrates during the transfer. As a result, the structure of the substrate carrier becomes simpler,
Also, vacuum contamination can be prevented. If the substrate carrier is configured to be capable of simultaneously carrying a plurality of substrates under a reduced pressure, a plurality of substrates can be carried at the same time, and the efficiency of the substrate carrying is improved.

Further, the structure of the substrate transfer means is such that a plurality of substrates can be transferred at the same time, and the pitch between the plurality of substrates is variable, so that the substrate transfer means can be operated under atmospheric pressure. Since it is used, the pitch between the substrates can be varied with a simple structure, and the cost can be reduced, and the generation of particles can be suppressed, as compared with the case under vacuum.

As described above, if the pitch between the substrates is variable under the atmospheric pressure and the pitch between the substrates is fixed under the reduced pressure so that a plurality of substrates can be simultaneously transported, the manufacturing cost of the transport device can be reduced. It is possible to reduce the size of the transfer device, suppress the size increase of the transfer device, suppress the generation of particles, and transfer the substrate in a clean environment. Further, since a plurality of substrates are simultaneously transferred, the throughput is improved, and the pitch between the substrates is variable. Therefore, the pitch can be converted into the pitch between the substrates that can perform the substrate processing with high accuracy in the substrate processing chamber.

The first substrate holding means is capable of holding at least twice the number of substrates processed at one time in each of the substrate processing chambers, and the first substrate holding means. However, it is possible to hold at least twice as many substrates as the second substrate holding means, and hold at least twice as many substrates as the substrates processed at one time in the substrate processing chamber. By making it possible, the substrate can be efficiently transported between the substrate processing chamber and the cassette, and the throughput is improved.

The first side wall and the second side wall of the substrate transfer chamber are opposed to each other, and the substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber, and the substrate storage chamber are arranged substantially in a straight line. By minimizing the number of sides of the substrate transfer chamber,
For example, it can be rectangular.

When the substrate transfer chamber has a rectangular shape in plan view, the substrate transfer chamber can be reduced in size to reduce its occupied area, and the occupied area of the clean room by the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced. Further, the rectangular shape can reduce the manufacturing cost of the substrate transfer chamber. The maintenance area can also be reduced. Further, the distance for connecting the substrate transfer chamber to other substrate transfer chambers can be shortened, and the substrate can be transferred between the substrate transfer chamber and other substrate transfer chambers without providing a substrate transfer device at the connection portion. The substrate can be easily transferred, and the substrate processing apparatus has a simple structure and can be manufactured inexpensively. Further, by arranging the substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber, and the substrate accommodating chamber in a substantially straight line, it is possible to easily arrange a plurality of substrate processing apparatus units having such a configuration in parallel and reduce the occupied area.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view for explaining a wafer holder used in the first to seventh embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining a wafer transfer vacuum robot used in the first to seventh embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view for explaining a cassette carrying / wafer carrying machine used in the first to seventh embodiments of the present invention.

6A and 6B are views for explaining the pitch conversion mechanism of the cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine used in the first to seventh embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 6A being a side view, and FIG. 6B.
FIG. 6B is a rear view seen from the line YY of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a wafer transfer operation in the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a plan view for explaining a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Semiconductor wafer processing apparatus 2, 2 ', 6, 7 ... Semiconductor wafer processing apparatus unit 3 ... Maintenance area 5 ... Wafer 10, 10' ... Cassette 11 ... Cassette shelf 12 ... Cassette stage 13 ... Cassette input port 20, 20 ' ... Cassette transfer / wafer transfer machine 21 ... Cassette transfer machine 22 ... Cassette transfer arm 23 ... Wafer transfer machine 24, 241-245 ... Tweezer 27 ... Cassette holder 29, 210, 211, 280, 561 ... Screw shaft 30, 30 '... Wafer accommodating chamber 40, 40 '... Wafer holder 41, 42 ... Prop support plate 43, 44 ... Prop 45 ... Wafer mounting groove 50, 50', 55, 55 '... Wafer transfer chamber 52 ... Convex portion 51, 51 ', 53, 54 ... Wafer transfer chamber wall 60, 60' ... Wafer transfer vacuum robot 61 ... Drive unit accommodating section 62, 6 4, 66 ... Rotating shaft 68 ... Wafer mounting arm 69 ... Driving unit 70, 70 ′, 70a, 70b ... Reaction chamber 75, 75 ′ ... Wafer boat 81, 82, 83, 84 ... Exhaust pipe 90 ... Wafer delivery chamber 91 , 191 ... Front door valve 92, 93, 94, 94 ', 192, 193 ... Gate valve 100 ... Front part 200 ... Atmospheric pressure part 220, 566 ... Motor 232-235, 270, 565 ... Nut 250, 260 ... Block 300 ... load lock module 500 ... transfer part 501 ... transfer module 560 ... ball screw 562 ... bellows 563 ... wafer transfer vacuum robot support rod 564 ... elevator 700 ... process part 701 ... process module 901 ... device front 902 ... device back 910 … The bottom of the chassis

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shinichiro Watabiki 3-14-20 Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Yuji Yoshida 3-14-20 Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Electric (72) Inventor Hideo Shimura, 3-14-20 Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeshi Sugimoto 3--14-20, Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo (Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.) 72) Inventor Yukinori Aburaya, 3-14-20 Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Kazuto Ikeda, 3-14-20 Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (26)

[Claims] 1. A substrate transfer chamber capable of decompressing, a plurality of substrate processing chambers vertically stacked on a first side wall of the substrate transfer chamber, the plurality of substrate processing chambers and the substrate transfer chamber. A plurality of first valves respectively provided between the substrate processing chamber and the substrate transfer chamber can be vacuum-tight when closed, and when opened, Is a plurality of first valves through which the substrate can move, a substrate storage chamber provided on the second side wall of the substrate transfer chamber, and a substrate transfer machine provided in the substrate transfer chamber. A substrate transfer machine capable of transferring the substrate under reduced pressure between the substrate processing chamber and the substrate storage chamber, and an elevating means provided outside the substrate transfer chamber,
An elevating means having a fixing part and an elevating part capable of elevating with respect to the fixing part; and a rigid connecting member movable in a through hole provided in a predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber, Portion and the connection member for mechanically connecting the substrate transporter via the through hole, and a vacuum seal between the predetermined surface and the connection member penetrating the through hole of the predetermined surface. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate transfer device is a substrate transfer device capable of transferring the substrate in a substantially horizontal direction. 3. The airtight member is made of an elastic body, and the connecting member is covered with the airtight member.
The connection member is movable in the airtight member, one end of the airtight member is vacuum-tightly connected to the predetermined surface, and the other end of the airtight member is vacuum-tightly connected to the connection member. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is connected to. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the airtight member is a bellows. 5. The fixing part is a screw shaft, the elevating part is provided with a nut, and the screw shaft and the nut form a ball screw. The substrate processing apparatus according to. 6. The substrate transfer chamber according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is a bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber, and the ball screw is provided below the substrate transfer chamber. Substrate processing equipment. 7. The substrate according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is an upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber, and the ball screw is provided above the substrate transfer chamber. Processing equipment. 8. The substrate transfer machine includes a drive unit, a substrate transfer unit that can be moved in a substantially horizontal direction by the drive unit, and a vacuum-tight drive unit storage container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is stored in the drive unit storage container. 9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one end of the rigid connection member is connected to the vicinity of the end of the drive unit accommodating container on the substrate transfer unit side. 10. When the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is one of a bottom surface and an upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber, and the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is a bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber. Is provided with a convex portion on the bottom surface in conformity with the outer shape of the drive unit storage container, and when the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is the upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber, the outer surface of the drive unit storage container is on the upper surface. 10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a protrusion corresponding to the above is provided, and the drive unit accommodating container can be accommodated in the protrusion. 11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined surface of the substrate transfer chamber is a bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber. 12. A space between the substrate storage chamber and the substrate transfer chamber can be vacuum-tightened between the substrate storage chamber and the substrate transfer chamber when closed, and can be opened when opened. 2. A second valve capable of moving the substrate therethrough is provided in the substrate, and the substrate storage chamber can be depressurized independently of the substrate transfer chamber.
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, 13. An atmospheric pressure portion arranged on a side of the substrate accommodation chamber different from a side on which the substrate transfer chamber is disposed, and a third pressure element disposed between the substrate accommodation chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion. When the valve is closed, the space between the substrate housing chamber and the atmospheric pressure portion can be vacuum-tight, and when the valve is opened, the substrate can move through the inside. 13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a third valve. 14. A plurality of substrate accommodating chambers are vertically stacked on the second side wall of the substrate transfer chamber,
Between the plurality of substrate storage chambers and the substrate transfer chamber, when closed, it is possible to vacuum-tighten between the plurality of substrate storage chambers and the substrate transfer chamber, respectively. Is provided with a plurality of fourth valves through which the substrate can move, and each of the plurality of substrate accommodating chambers can be depressurized independently of the other substrate accommodating chambers. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein each of the plurality of substrate storage chambers and the substrate transfer chamber can be depressurized independently of each other. 15. An atmospheric pressure portion arranged on a side of the substrate storage chamber different from a side on which the substrate transfer chamber is provided, a cassette holding unit provided in the atmospheric pressure portion, and the atmospheric pressure portion. The substrate transfer means provided, further comprising a substrate transfer means capable of transferring the substrate between the cassette held by the cassette holding means and the substrate storage chamber. 14. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of 14. 16. The substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a housing that accommodates the substrate accommodating chamber, the substrate transporting unit, and the cassette holding unit. 17. A housing for accommodating at least the substrate transfer chamber, the plurality of substrate processing chambers, and the substrate accommodating chamber, further comprising: the protrusion of the substrate transfer chamber, the elevating means, and the connecting member. 12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least a part of the substrate processing apparatus is provided so as to project from the housing. 18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heat-resistant first substrate holding means provided in the substrate storage chamber. 19. A first substrate holding means for holding the substrate, the first substrate holding means provided in the substrate housing chamber, and the second substrate holding means for holding the substrate. A second substrate holding unit provided in the substrate processing chamber, wherein the second substrate holding unit can hold a plurality of substrates, and the first substrate holding unit holds a plurality of substrates. It is possible, and the pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means is substantially the same as the pitch between the substrates held by the second substrate holding means.
19. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of 18 to 18. 20. First substrate holding means for holding the substrate, the first substrate holding means being provided in the substrate housing chamber, and the second substrate holding means for holding the substrate. A second substrate holding unit provided in the substrate processing chamber, wherein the second substrate holding unit can hold a plurality of substrates, and the first substrate holding unit holds a plurality of substrates. It is possible that the pitch between the substrates held by the first substrate holding means is substantially the same as the pitch between the substrates held by the second substrate holding means, and 17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of substrates can be simultaneously transported, and the pitch between the plurality of substrates can be changed. 21. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate carrier is capable of simultaneously carrying a plurality of the substrates under reduced pressure. 22. The first substrate holding means is capable of holding at least twice as many substrates as the number of substrates processed at one time in each of the substrate processing chambers. Item 22. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Items 18 to 21. 23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first substrate holding means is capable of holding at least twice as many substrates as the second substrate holding means. The substrate processing apparatus described. 24. The first side wall and the second side wall of the substrate transfer chamber face each other, and the substrate processing chamber, the substrate transfer chamber, and the substrate storage chamber are substantially formed. 24. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is arranged in a straight line. 25. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the substrate transfer chamber has a rectangular shape in a plan view. 26. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the cassette holding means is arranged on the opposite side of the substrate storage chamber from the substrate transfer chamber.