JPH09298136A - Treatment of substrate and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove offensive odor, which is generated from a substrate immediately after the treatment of the substrate, to prevent the offensive odor from leaking out to the outside by a method wherein when the substrate is taken out from a load-lock chamber into the atmosphere, the air in the load-lock chamber is forcedly exhausted while clean gas is sprayed on the surface of the substrate. SOLUTION: When a substrate 2 subsequent to an ion implantation is carried in a load-lock chamber 18, a valve 39 is opened and clean gas 36 is continued to spray on the surface of the substrate 2 through a nozzle 54. Therefore, the pressure in the chamber 18 gradually rises and soon returns to the atmospheric pressure when the return of the pressure to the atmospheric pressure is detected, a vacuum valve 22 is opened and the substrate 2 is put in a state that a carrying-out of it is possible. Even in this state, the spray of the gas 36 is not stopped and is continued until the time when the substrate 2 is at least taken out in the interior of an end station 42. Moreover, a forced exhaust, which is conducted by an exhaust duct 58, is also continued all through the time when the valve 22 is opened. Accordingly, offensive odor, which is generated from the substrate 2, is blown with the gas 36 in the chamber 18 and can be prevented from being made to flow and diffused in the station 42.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for extracting a substrate, which has been subjected to a process such as ion implantation, plasma etching, plasma CVD, etc., in a processing chamber into the atmosphere via a vacuum preliminary chamber, and more specifically, Relates to a means for promptly removing an offensive odor generated from a substrate immediately after processing to prevent the offensive odor from leaking to the environment of the operator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example of a substrate processing apparatus of this type is shown in FIGS.

This substrate processing apparatus is an example of the case of an ion doping apparatus (non-mass separation type ion implantation apparatus), and includes a processing chamber 4 evacuated to a vacuum (for example, about 10 ^-5 to 10 ^-7 Torr). , An ion source 8 attached to it. A substrate 2 (for example, a substrate for a liquid crystal display or a semiconductor substrate) is mounted on a holder 6 in the processing chamber 4, and an ion beam 10 extracted from an ion source 8 is attached to the substrate 2.
And irradiate the substrate 2 with, for example, phosphorus (P) or boron (B).
Etc. can be injected.

In this example, a transfer chamber 12 is connected to the processing chamber 4 via a vacuum valve 20. This transfer chamber 12
A substrate 2 having an arm 16 therein and placed on it
A transfer robot 14 is provided to transfer the liquid crystal between the processing chamber 4 and two vacuum preparatory chambers 18, which will be described later.

Two vacuum reserve chambers 18 are adjacent to the transfer chamber 12 via vacuum valves 21 in this example. A vacuum valve 22 is provided between each vacuum reserve chamber 18 and the atmosphere. Each vacuum valve 22 is a flap valve in this example, and is opened and closed as indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 5, for example. The vacuum preparatory chamber 18 is a chamber for loading and unloading the substrate 2 between the processing chamber 4 and the transfer chamber 12 without exposing the chamber to the atmosphere, and by providing this, the throughput is improved. To do.

Before opening the vacuum valve 21 and loading / unloading the substrate 2 to / from the transfer chamber 12, each vacuum preliminary chamber 18 is evacuated to, for example, about 10 ^-2 to 10 ^-3 Torr. Before opening the vacuum valve 22 to move the substrate 2 into and out of the atmosphere, as shown in FIG. 5, a clean gas (for example, nitrogen gas) 36 is introduced from the gas introduction pipe 38 to be returned to the atmospheric pressure state. (This is called a vent).

The above room is housed in a cabinet 40 for safety and protection.

An end station 42 is adjacent to the side of the both vacuum reserve chambers 18 facing the vacuum valve 22 via a partition plate 26. A tunnel-shaped cover 24 is connected between the vacuum valve 22 of each of the vacuum auxiliary chambers 18 and the end station 42. Through the inside of this cover 24, each vacuum reserve chamber 18 and end station 4
The substrate 2 is transported between the two.

The end station 42 is a room on the atmospheric pressure side for accommodating the substrates 2 before and after processing, and is hermetically sealed to some extent, more specifically, to such an extent that dust can be prevented from entering from the outside. Has been done. Furthermore, in order to prevent the contamination of the substrate 2 with dust more reliably, the cleanliness level is higher than in a general working environment (for example, class 10).
Is kept. In order to maintain this cleanliness, normally, a clean unit 44 including an air filter and a fan is used.
Is provided on the ceiling part, and the clean air 46 is kept flowing downward from there.

In this example, two detachable cassettes 34 for accommodating a plurality of substrates 2 before and after processing are provided in the end station 42. 48 is this cassette 3
It is a door (for example, an automatic door) for carrying out and putting in 4 etc. 50 is a mount. A transfer robot 28 that transfers the substrate 2 is provided between each of the cassettes 34 and the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 that faces the cassettes 34 and the positioning table 32. Each transfer robot 28 has an arm 30 on which a substrate is placed and transferred, and can be expanded and contracted in an arbitrary direction within a plane and moved up and down. The positioning table 32 is for accurately positioning the substrate 2.

An example of the overall operation of the substrate processing apparatus will be described. One cassette (for example, the lower side in FIG. 4) cassette 3
The unprocessed substrate 2 stored in the substrate 4 is transported into the processing chamber 4 through the paths indicated by arrows a to f in FIG. 4, and the substrate 2 is irradiated with the ion beam 10 to perform ion implantation. .
The substrate 2 after the ion implantation is housed in the original cassette 34 along the paths indicated by arrows g to k in FIG. However, this operation is an example, and the processed substrate 2 may be stored in a cassette 34 different from the original one.

In the above example, two vacuum preparatory chambers 18, two transfer robots 28 and two cassettes 34 are provided in order to increase the throughput. May be.
In addition, the positioning table 32 may be omitted.

[0013]

Immediately after the ion implantation of phosphorus, boron or the like as described above, the substrate 2 emits a strange odor, and the substrate 2 emits a strange odor while the cassette 34 is discharged.
The offensive odor is stored inside, and diffuses into the end station 42. Moreover, in recent years, the substrate 2 tends to have a large area, and therefore the amount of offensive odor emitted therefrom tends to increase.

Since the end station 42 is not completely sealed as described above, the offensive odor diffused in the end station 42 is indicated by arrows E to G in FIG.
As shown in, the wall surface of the end station 42 and the door 4
8 leaks into the working environment of the worker 52 from the gap existing in the portion 8. Moreover, in the end station 42, the clean air 44 continues to flow downward from the clean unit 44, which promotes the leakage of the offensive odor. Further, when the door 48 is opened to replace the cassette 34 or the like, a large amount of odor leaks from there. Such an offensive odor is generated by the worker 52.
It is not preferable because it causes discomfort.

The offensive odor from the substrate 2 immediately after the above-mentioned treatment is more or less generated immediately after the substrate 2 is subjected to a treatment other than ion implantation, for example, plasma etching or plasma CVD.

Therefore, the present invention provides a substrate processing method and apparatus capable of quickly removing an offensive odor generated from a substrate immediately after processing to prevent the offensive odor from leaking to the environment of an operator. The main purpose.

[0017]

According to the substrate processing method of the present invention, before or after taking out the processed substrate from the vacuum preliminary chamber into the atmosphere, a clean gas is blown onto the surface of the substrate while the substrate surface is being cleaned. It is characterized in that the clean gas blown onto is forcedly exhausted through an exhaust duct.

In the first substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, a nozzle provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber for blowing a clean gas for returning the inside of the vacuum preliminary chamber to the atmospheric pressure state onto the surface of the substrate, and the vacuum preliminary chamber. A tunnel-shaped cover that connects between the vacuum valve on the end station side and the end station and through which the substrate is taken out to the end station, and the inside of the cover that is connected to this cover and is forced to An exhaust duct for exhausting air is provided.

A second substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is a tunnel for connecting a periphery of a vacuum valve on the end station side of the vacuum preliminary chamber and the end station, through which the substrate is taken out to the end station. -Shaped cover, a nozzle provided on the side wall portion or inside of this cover and spraying a clean gas onto the surface of the substrate transported therethrough from a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate transport direction, and the nozzle of this cover is opposite An exhaust duct connected to the side wall portion on the side to forcibly exhaust the inside of the cover.

According to the above substrate processing method, the offensive odor can be quickly released from the substrate by spraying the clean gas on the surface of the substrate after the processing. The released offensive odor is forcibly exhausted together with the clean gas through the exhaust duct. This is performed before or when the substrate is taken out of the vacuum preliminary chamber into the atmosphere. As a result, it is possible to quickly remove the offensive odor generated from the substrate immediately after the processing, and prevent the offensive odor from leaking to the environment of the operator.

The first and second substrate processing apparatuses are suitable for carrying out the substrate processing method.

[0022]

1 is a vertical sectional view partially showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus for carrying out a substrate processing method according to the present invention, and corresponds to a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view around the vacuum preliminary chamber in FIG. 1. 4 and FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the conventional example, and differences from the conventional example will be mainly described below.

In this embodiment, a nozzle 54 for spraying a clean gas 36 for returning (that is, venting) the inside of the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 to the atmospheric pressure state (that is, venting) to the surface of the substrate 2 is provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 described above. This is the gas introduction pipe 3 described above.
8 is connected to the tip.

The clean gas 36 is, for example, nitrogen gas, but it may be other inert gas, clean air, or the like, and the point is that it is a clean gas.

The nozzle 54 may have one hole 56 for injecting the clean gas 36 toward the surface of the substrate 2, but as in this embodiment, a plurality of holes arranged along the substrate 2 are provided. Those having 56 are preferred. By doing so, the clean gas 36 can be blown in a substantially laminar manner over the entire surface of the substrate.

In the nozzle 54, as the distance from the connecting portion of the gas introducing pipe 38 gets closer to the end, the gas pressure decreases and the clean gas 36 becomes less likely to come out. Therefore, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. It is preferable to make the pitch between the portions 56 smaller toward the ends. By doing so, the clean gas 36 can be sprayed onto the surface of the substrate 2 with good uniformity. Alternatively, the pitch may be fixed and the size of the hole 56 at the end may be increased, and even in this case, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

A nozzle similar to the nozzle 54 may be arranged further toward the back surface of the substrate 2 so that the clean gas 36 is sprayed not only on the front surface of the substrate 2 but also on the back surface.

The end station 42 of the vacuum reserve chamber 18
The area around the vacuum valve 22 on the side and the end station 42 are connected by the above-mentioned tunnel-shaped cover 24, through which the substrate 2 is put in and taken out between the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 and the end station 42. It This is performed by the transfer robot 28 described above.

An opening 60 is provided in the lower portion of the cover 24, and an exhaust duct 58 is connected to the opening 60 so that the inside of the cover 24 is forcibly exhausted by the exhaust duct 58.

Further, as in this embodiment, the cover 24 is
An opening 62 is also provided in the lower part of the portion connected to the partition plate 26, and the exhaust duct 58 is also connected to the opening 62 to allow the clean gas 36 leaking from the inside of the cover 24 to the end station 42 to be in the immediate vicinity thereof. It is preferable that the exhaust duct 58 forcibly exhausts the air. By doing so, it is possible to more completely exhaust the clean gas 36 containing an offensive odor.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, an exhaust fan 66 is provided midway or at the tip of the exhaust duct 58,
This will force exhaust. When there is a common exhaust duct such as in a factory, the exhaust duct 58 may be directly connected to the common exhaust duct without providing the exhaust fan 66. Further, it is preferable that an adsorbent chamber 64 is provided in the middle of the exhaust duct 58 as in the embodiment shown in FIG.

When two or more vacuum preliminary chambers 18 are provided for one processing chamber 4 as in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the above-described structure is adopted for each vacuum preliminary chamber 18. To do.

An example of the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment will be described mainly for the case where the processed substrate 2 (after ion implantation) is taken out from the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 to the end station 42.

After the ion implantation, the substrate 2 is transferred from the processing chamber 4 described above (see FIG. 4) to the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 via the transfer chamber 12.
When loaded in, the vacuum valve 21 is closed. In this state, the vacuum valve 22 on the atmospheric pressure side is closed, and the inside of the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 is in a predetermined vacuum state.

Next, the valve 39 is opened, and the clean gas 36 is continuously blown from the nozzle 54 onto the surface of the substrate 2. By blowing the clean gas 36, the offensive odor can be promptly released from the substrate 2 immediately after the processing. Moreover, by spraying the clean gas 36 onto the surface of the substrate 2, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the surface of the substrate 2.

By continuously spraying the clean gas 36, the pressure in the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 gradually rises and eventually returns to atmospheric pressure. This can be detected, for example, by a pressure switch connected to the vacuum reserve chamber 18. When the return to atmospheric pressure is detected, the vacuum valve 22 is opened, and the substrate 2 can be carried out. Even in this state, the spraying of the clean gas 36 is not stopped and is continued at least until the substrate 2 is taken out into the end station 42. Further, the forced evacuation by the evacuation duct 58 is continued at least from when the vacuum valve 22 is opened until the substrate 2 is taken out into the end station 42.
Preferably, it will continue for as long as the vacuum valve 22 is open.

Then, in that state, the end station 4
The substrate 2 is taken out of the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 by the transfer robot 28 in the cassette 2 and stored in a predetermined position (for example, in the original position) in the cassette 34.

The offensive odor generated from the substrate 2 immediately after the processing is blown by the clean gas 36 blown from the nozzle 54 in the vacuum preliminary chamber 18, and together with the clean gas 36, as illustrated by an arrow in FIGS. 1 and 2. , Is forcibly exhausted by the exhaust duct 58 via the opening 60 at the bottom of the cover 24. Temporarily clean gas 3 containing an offensive odor
Even if 6 passes through the cover 24 and flows into the end station 42, in this embodiment, an opening 62 is provided in the lower portion of the portion where the cover 24 is connected to the partition plate 26, and the exhaust duct 58 is also provided there. Since they are connected, the clean gas 36 can be forcibly exhausted by the exhaust duct 58. The opening 62 is provided and the exhaust duct 5 is provided there.
Although it is not essential to connect 8 to each other, the above action can more reliably prevent the clean gas 36 containing an offensive odor from flowing into and diffusing into the end station 42.

Incidentally, since the offensive odor has already been removed from the substrate 2 housed in the cassette 34 as described above, the offensive odor hardly occurs.

In this way, the offensive odor generated from the substrate 2 immediately after the treatment is promptly removed, and the offensive odor is removed by the operator 5.
It is possible to prevent it from leaking into the environment of No. 2. Therefore, the working environment of the worker 52 can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the same nozzle 54 and clean gas 36 are used, and the vent of the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 and the substrate 2 are
Since both surfaces can be blown, the structure is simple, the control is simple, and the amount of the clean gas 36 used is small.

When the substrate 2 after processing from the vacuum preliminary chamber 18 to the end station 42 is to be taken out in a short cycle, the exhaust duct 58 may be constantly exhausted as described above.

Next, another embodiment will be described. Instead of providing the nozzle 54 as described above in the vacuum preliminary chamber 18, it is provided in a side portion inside the cover 24 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. Further, an opening 68 is provided in the side wall portion facing the opening 68, the exhaust duct 58 is connected thereto, and the clean gas 37 is blown onto the surface of the substrate 2 from a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction C, from the opposite side. The inside of the cover 24 may be forcibly exhausted. In that case, the vacuum reserve chamber 18
For the vent inside, the clean gas 36 may be simply introduced from the gas introduction pipe 38.

The clean gas 37 is preferably the same kind as the clean gas 36 because it is simple and convenient, but it may be another kind. The cleaning gas 37 is blown and exhausted by the substrate 2 after processing.
Is carried out through the cover 24 to the end station 42.

The arrangement of the holes 56 of the nozzle 54 in this case is the same as described above. Further, instead of providing the nozzle 54 in the cover 24, a hole corresponding to the hole 56 of the nozzle 54 may be provided in the side wall portion of the cover 24 and used as the nozzle.

Also in this embodiment, by blowing the clean gas 37, the offensive odor can be quickly released from the substrate 2 immediately after the treatment, and the clean gas 37 containing the offensive odor is forcibly discharged through the exhaust duct 58. be able to. Moreover, since the clean gas 37 is sprayed and exhausted in the direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate C transport direction C, the clean gas 37 containing an offensive odor can be effectively prevented from leaking to the end station 42 side. As a result, it is possible to quickly remove the offensive odor generated from the substrate 2 immediately after the processing and prevent the offensive odor from leaking to the environment of the operator. Further, since the surface of the substrate 2 is blown with the clean gas 37, the effect of preventing dust from adhering to the surface of the substrate 2 can be obtained.

In both of the above-mentioned two embodiments, the cover 24 is so sized that at least the substrate 2 can be housed therein, and the inside thereof serves as a deodorizing chamber, and the vacuum prechamber 18 The substrate 2 taken out may be allowed to stay in this deodorizing chamber for a while. By doing so, the offensive odor generated from the substrate 2 can be removed more completely.

[0048]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

According to the substrate processing method of the first aspect, by blowing the clean gas onto the surface of the processed substrate, the offensive odor can be quickly released from the substrate, and the released substrate is exhausted together with the clean gas. Since the air is forcibly exhausted through the duct, it is possible to quickly remove the offensive odor generated from the substrate immediately after the processing and prevent the offensive odor from leaking to the environment of the worker.

Moreover, since the clean gas is blown onto the surface of the substrate, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the surface of the substrate.

According to the substrate processing apparatus of the second aspect, in the vacuum preparatory chamber, a clean gas can be sprayed onto the surface of the processed substrate to quickly release the offensive odor from the substrate, and the released offensive odor is contained. Clean gas can be forcibly exhausted through an exhaust duct connected to a tunnel-shaped cover, so the offensive odor generated from the substrate immediately after processing can be quickly removed, and the offensive odor leaks to the environment of the worker. Can be prevented.

Moreover, since the clean gas is blown onto the surface of the substrate, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the surface of the substrate.

Further, since the same nozzle and clean gas can both perform the venting of the vacuum prechamber and the blowing of the surface of the substrate, the structure is simplified and the control is simplified and used. A small amount of clean gas is required.

According to the substrate processing apparatus of the third aspect, in the tunnel-shaped cover, a clean gas can be blown onto the surface of the processed substrate to quickly release the offensive odor from the substrate, and the offensive odor is contained. The clean gas can be forced out through the exhaust duct. Moreover, since the clean gas is blown and exhausted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate transport direction, it is possible to successfully prevent the clean gas containing an offensive odor from leaking to the end station side.
As a result, it is possible to quickly remove the offensive odor generated from the substrate immediately after the processing, and prevent the offensive odor from leaking to the environment of the operator.

Moreover, since the clean gas is blown onto the surface of the substrate, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the surface of the substrate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view partially showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus for carrying out a substrate processing method according to the present invention, which corresponds to a cross section taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view around the vacuum preliminary chamber in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the cover part.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

[Explanation of Codes] 2 Substrate 4 Processing Chamber 8 Ion Source 18 Vacuum Reserve Chamber 20-22 Vacuum Valve 24 Cover 26 Partition Plate 36, 37 Clean Gas 42 End Station 54 Nozzle 58 Exhaust Duct

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location H01L 21/68 H01L 21/302 B

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A substrate processing method for extracting a substrate processed in a processing chamber into the atmosphere via a vacuum preliminary chamber, wherein the substrate after processing is taken out from the vacuum preliminary chamber into the atmosphere or before being taken out. A substrate processing method, comprising: forcibly exhausting the clean gas sprayed onto the surface of the substrate through an exhaust duct while spraying the clean gas onto the surface. 2. A processing chamber for processing a substrate by using an ion beam or plasma, and an atmospheric pressure side chamber for storing substrates before and after processing, which end is higher in cleanness than a general environment. A station, and a vacuum reserve chamber provided between the processing chamber and the end station via a vacuum valve, respectively, and a substrate processed in the treatment chamber is taken out to the end station via the vacuum reserve chamber. In the substrate processing apparatus, a nozzle that is provided in the vacuum preliminary chamber and blows a clean gas that returns the inside of the vacuum preliminary chamber to an atmospheric pressure state on the surface of the substrate, and a vacuum valve on the end station side of the vacuum preliminary chamber. A tunnel-shaped cover that connects to the end station and through which the board is taken out to the end station, and this cover A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: an exhaust duct connected to the cover to forcibly exhaust the inside of the cover. 3. A processing chamber for processing a substrate by using an ion beam or plasma, and an atmospheric pressure side chamber for storing substrates before and after the processing, which end is higher in cleanness than a general environment. A station, and a vacuum reserve chamber provided between the processing chamber and the end station via a vacuum valve, respectively, and a substrate processed in the treatment chamber is taken out to the end station via the vacuum reserve chamber. In the substrate processing apparatus described above, a tunnel-shaped cover is provided between the vacuum valve on the end station side of the vacuum reserve chamber and the end station, through which the substrate is taken out to the end station, and a side wall of the cover. A clean gas is sprayed onto the surface of a substrate that is installed inside or inside the unit and is transported from a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate transport direction. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a nozzle for opening; and an exhaust duct, which is connected to a side wall of the cover opposite to the nozzle and forcibly exhausts the inside of the cover.