KR102174063B1 - Transfer unit, apparatus for treating substrate including the same and substrate treating method - Google Patents

Abstract

A transfer unit and a substrate processing apparatus including the same are provided. A substrate processing apparatus in the present invention comprises: a process chamber for performing predetermined processing on a substrate; A transfer unit for transferring a substrate and a member to the process chamber, the process chamber comprising: a housing having a processing space therein; A support unit supporting the substrate in the processing space; A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the processing space; And a plasma source for generating plasma from the process gas, the support unit comprising: a support on which a substrate is placed; And an edge ring provided to surround a substrate placed on the support, and provided detachably from the support, and the transfer unit includes: a robot arm; A hand coupled to the robot arm, the hand comprising: a plurality of first vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the substrate; And a plurality of second vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the edge ring. The first circle formed by the combination of the plurality of first vacuum holes and the second circle formed by the combination of the plurality of second vacuum holes are provided concentrically, and the radius of the first circle is that of the second circle. It can be provided smaller than the radius.

Description

A transport unit, a substrate processing apparatus including the same, and a substrate processing method TECHNICAL FIELD [0002]

The present invention relates to a transfer unit, a substrate processing apparatus including a transfer unit, and a substrate processing method.

In order to manufacture a semiconductor device, a desired pattern is formed on the substrate by performing various processes such as photolithography, etching, ashing, ion implantation, thin film deposition, and cleaning. In order to sequentially proceed with these various steps, the substrate must be transported. The substrate is transferred between the units by the substrate transfer device. A conventional substrate transfer apparatus used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process is composed of a plurality of articulated arms and finger portions, and the articulated arms and hands (also referred to as end effectors) are operated in conjunction with each other. Among the various processes, in the etching process facility, the internal parts must be replaced in consideration of the amount of etching and the change of the internal electric field after a certain usage time. In a semiconductor process, in order to improve productivity, a technology for replacing and maintaining components other than the substrate as well as the substrate using a robot is required.

The present invention is to provide a transfer unit capable of stably adsorbing and fixing members other than a substrate by using a robot.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a device capable of adsorbing and fixing a member in a desired chamber according to a purpose using a single transfer unit.

In addition, the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method capable of improving the conveyance precision and productivity of a ring surrounding a substrate.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the problems mentioned above. Other technical problems that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

The transfer unit according to the present invention comprises: a robot arm; A hand coupled to the robot arm, the hand comprising: a plurality of first vacuum holes; And a plurality of second vacuum holes.

In a first circle formed by a combination of the plurality of first vacuum holes and a second circle formed by a combination of the plurality of second vacuum holes, the radius of the first circle is smaller than the radius of the second circle. Can be provided.

The first circle and the second circle may be provided concentrically.

The plurality of first vacuum holes and the plurality of second vacuum holes may be formed on an upper surface of the hand.

The hand included in the conveyance unit of the present invention includes a base; It extends forward from the base portion and includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of first vacuum holes and the plurality of second vacuum holes include the base portion, the first extension portion, At least one or more may be provided on the second extension part.

The conveying unit may include a main line; A first branch line branched from the main line and connected to the plurality of first vacuum holes; A second branch line branched from the main line and connected to the plurality of second vacuum holes; A first valve installed on the first branch line; A second valve installed on the second branch line; A control unit for opening and closing the first valve and the second valve independently; It may further include.

Further, the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate. According to an embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a process chamber for performing a predetermined process on a substrate; A transfer unit for transferring a substrate and a member to the process chamber, the process chamber comprising: a housing having a processing space therein; A support unit supporting the substrate in the processing space; A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the processing space; And a plasma source for generating plasma from the process gas, the support unit comprising: a support on which a substrate is placed; And an edge ring provided to surround a substrate placed on the support, and provided detachably from the support, and the transfer unit includes: a robot arm; A hand coupled to the robot arm, the hand comprising: a plurality of first vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the substrate; And a plurality of second vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the edge ring.

The plurality of first vacuum holes may be provided at positions corresponding to the substrate, and the plurality of second vacuum holes may be provided at positions corresponding to an edge ring surrounding the substrate.

In one embodiment, the control unit included in the transfer unit of the present invention controls to close the first valve and open the second valve when transferring the substrate, and close the second valve when transferring the edge ring. It can be controlled to close and open the first valve.

In addition, a substrate processing method is provided. In the substrate processing method according to the present invention, a carrying step of carrying a substrate into the processing space; A substrate processing step of processing the substrate by generating plasma into the processing space; A carrying out step of carrying out the processed substrate into the processing space; And a maintenance step of maintaining the edge ring; In the carry-in step, the carry-out step, and the maintenance step, the substrate and the edge ring may be transported by adsorption using a plurality of vacuum holes formed in the hand included in the transport unit.

First vacuum holes and second vacuum holes are respectively formed in the hand, the first vacuum holes are formed in a position corresponding to the substrate in the hand, and the second vacuum holes are formed in the hand and the edge ring It is formed in a corresponding position, the hand, the main line; A first branch line branched from the main line and connected to first vacuum holes; A second branch line branched from the main line and connected to second vacuum holes; A first valve installed on the first branch line; A second valve installed on the second branch line; A control unit for independently opening and closing the first valve and the second valve, respectively, wherein the control unit controls to close the first valve and open the second valve when transporting the substrate, and to transport the edge ring. When the second valve can be closed and the first valve can be controlled to open.

In addition, in the substrate processing method according to the present invention, in the carrying in step and in the carrying out step, the substrate is transported by placing the substrate on the upper surface of the hand. can do.

The present invention can stably adsorb and fix members other than the substrate by using a robot.

Further, according to the present invention, a member in a desired chamber can be adsorbed and fixed according to the purpose by using a single conveying unit.

In addition, the present invention can improve the conveyance precision and productivity of the ring surrounding the substrate.

The effect of the present invention is not limited to the above-described effects. Effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

1 is a plan view showing a substrate processing facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view showing the process chamber of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the transfer unit of FIG. 1.
4 is a plan view showing a hand of a conveying unit according to the present invention.
5 is a plan view showing a hand of a transfer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a plan view showing a hand of a transfer unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a side view of a hand of a transfer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a side view of a hand of a transfer unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a diagram showing the overall structure of the conveying unit of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art may easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in describing a preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for portions having similar functions and functions.

"Including" a certain component means that other components may be further included, rather than excluding other components unless specifically stated to the contrary. Specifically, terms such as "comprises" or "have" are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features or It is to be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof does not preclude the possibility of preliminary exclusion.

Terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. These terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation.

The'~ unit' used throughout this specification is a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may mean, for example, a hardware component such as software, FPGA, or ASIC. However,'~ part' is not limited to software or hardware. The'~ unit' may be configured to be in an addressable storage medium, or may be configured to reproduce one or more processors.

As an example,'~ unit' refers to components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, processes, functions, properties, procedures, and subs. Routines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The components and functions provided by the'~ unit' may be performed separately by a plurality of elements and the'~ units', or may be integrated with other additional elements.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus for etching a substrate using plasma will be described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any apparatus that processes a substrate using gas can be applied in various ways.

1 is a plan view showing a substrate processing facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes an index module 10, a load lock module, and a process module 20, and the index module 10 includes a load port 120 and a transfer frame 140. Have. The load port 120, the transfer frame 140, and the process module 20 are sequentially arranged in a line. Hereinafter, the direction in which the load port 120, the transfer frame 140, the load lock module 30, and the process module 20 are arranged is referred to as the first direction 12, and when viewed from the top, the first direction A direction perpendicular to (12) is referred to as a second direction (14), and a direction perpendicular to a plane including the first direction (12) and the second direction (14) is referred to as a third direction (16).

A carrier 18 in which a plurality of substrates W are accommodated is mounted on the load port 120. A plurality of load ports 120 are provided, and they are arranged in a line along the second direction 14. In FIG. 1, it is shown that three load ports 120 are provided. However, the number of load ports 120 may increase or decrease according to conditions such as process efficiency and footprint of the process module 20. The carrier 18 is formed with a slot (not shown) provided to support the edge of the substrate. A plurality of slots are provided in the third direction 16, and the substrates are positioned in the carrier to be stacked in a state spaced apart from each other along the third direction 16. As the carrier 18, a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) may be used.

The transfer frame 140 transfers the substrate W between the carrier 18 and the load lock module 30 seated on the load port 120. The transport frame 140 is provided with an index rail 142 and an index robot 144. The index rail 142 is provided in its longitudinal direction parallel to the second direction 14. The index robot 144 is installed on the index rail 142 and moves linearly in the second direction 14 along the index rail 142. The index robot 144 has a base 144a, a body 144b, and an index arm 144c. The base 144a is installed to be movable along the index rail 142. The body 144b is coupled to the base 144a. The body 144b is provided to be movable along the third direction 16 on the base 144a. In addition, the body (144b) is provided to be rotatable on the base (144a). The index arm 144c is coupled to the body 144b, and is provided to move forward and backward with respect to the body 144b. A plurality of index arms 144c are provided to be individually driven. The index arms 144c are disposed to be stacked apart from each other along the third direction 16. Some of the index arms 144c are used to transfer the substrate W from the process module 20 to the carrier 18, while others transfer the substrate W from the carrier 18 to the process module 20. Can be used when doing. This may prevent particles generated from the substrate W before the process treatment from adhering to the substrate W after the process treatment during the process of the index robot 144 carrying in and carrying out the substrate W.

The load lock module 30 is disposed between the transfer frame 140 and the transfer unit 240. The load lock module 30 replaces the atmospheric pressure atmosphere of the index module 10 with the vacuum atmosphere of the process module 20 with respect to the substrate W carried into the process module 20, or is carried out to the index module 10. With respect to the substrate W, the vacuum atmosphere of the process module 20 is replaced with the atmospheric pressure atmosphere of the index module 10. The load lock module 30 provides a space in which the substrate W stays between the transfer unit 240 and the transfer frame 140 before the substrate W is transferred. The load lock module 30 includes a load lock chamber 32 and an unload lock chamber 34.

In the load lock chamber 32, the substrate W transferred from the index module 10 to the process module 20 temporarily stays. The load lock chamber 32 maintains an atmospheric pressure atmosphere in an atmospheric state, and is blocked from the process module 20, while maintaining an open state with respect to the index module 10. When the substrate W is carried in the load lock chamber 32, the inner space is sealed with respect to the index module 10 and the process module 20, respectively. Thereafter, the internal space of the load lock chamber 32 is replaced with a vacuum atmosphere from an atmospheric pressure atmosphere, and is opened to the process module 20 while being blocked from the index module 10.

In the unload lock chamber 34, the substrate W transferred from the process module 20 to the index module 10 temporarily stays. The unload lock chamber 34 maintains a vacuum atmosphere in the atmospheric state and is blocked with respect to the index module 10, while maintaining an open state with respect to the process module 20. When the substrate W is carried into the unload lock chamber 34, the inner space is sealed with respect to the index module 10 and the process module 20, respectively. Thereafter, the internal space of the unload lock chamber 34 is replaced from a vacuum atmosphere to an atmospheric pressure atmosphere, and is opened to the index module 10 while being blocked from the process module 20.

The process module 20 includes a transfer unit 240 and a plurality of process chambers.

The transfer unit 240 transfers the substrate W between the load lock chamber 32, the unload lock chamber 34, and a plurality of process chambers 260. The transfer unit 240 includes a transfer chamber 242 and a transfer robot 250. The transfer chamber 242 may be provided in a hexagonal shape. Optionally, the transfer chamber 242 may be provided in a rectangular or pentagonal shape. A load lock chamber 32, an unload lock chamber 34, and a plurality of process chambers 260 are positioned around the transfer chamber 242. The inside of the transfer chamber 242 is provided in a transfer space 244 for transferring the substrate W.

The transfer robot 250 transfers the substrate W in the transfer space 244. The transfer robot 250 may be located in the center of the transfer chamber 242. The transfer robot 250 may move in a horizontal or vertical direction, and may have a plurality of hands 252 capable of moving forward, backward, or rotating on a horizontal plane. Each hand 252 may be independently driven, and the substrate W may be mounted on the hand 252 in a horizontal state.

The process chamber 260 performs a process of processing a substrate using plasma. According to an example, the substrate treatment process may be an etching process. Alternatively, the process performed in the process chamber 260 may be a process of treating a substrate using a gas other than plasma.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing the process chamber 260 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the process chamber includes a housing 1100, a substrate support unit 1200, a gas supply unit 1300, a plasma source 1400, and an exhaust baffle 1500.

The housing 1100 has a processing space 1106 in which the substrate W is processed. The chamber 1100 is provided in a circular cylindrical shape. The chamber 1100 is made of a metal material. For example, the chamber 1100 may be made of aluminum. An opening is formed in one side wall of the chamber 1100. The opening functions as an inlet through which the substrate W is carried. The opening is opened and closed by the door 1120. A lower hole 1150 is formed in the bottom surface of the chamber 1100. The lower hole 1150 is connected to a pressure reducing member (not shown). The processing space 1106 of the chamber 1100 is exhausted by the decompression member, and a decompression atmosphere may be formed.

The substrate support unit 1200 supports the substrate W in the processing space 1106. The substrate support unit 1200 may be provided as an electrostatic chuck 1200 supporting the substrate W using electrostatic force. Optionally, the substrate support unit 1200 may support the substrate W in various ways such as mechanical clamping.

The electrostatic chuck 1200 includes a dielectric plate 1210, a base 1230, and an edge ring 1250. The dielectric plate 1210 is provided as a dielectric plate 1210 including a dielectric material. The substrate W is directly placed on the upper surface of the dielectric plate 1210. The dielectric plate 1210 is provided in a disk shape. The dielectric plate 1210 may have a radius smaller than that of the substrate W. An internal electrode 1212 is installed inside the dielectric plate 1210. A power source (not shown) is connected to the internal electrode 1212, and power is applied from a power source (not shown). The internal electrode 1212 provides electrostatic force so that the substrate W is adsorbed to the dielectric plate 1210 from the applied power (not shown). A heater 1214 for heating the substrate W is installed inside the dielectric plate 1210. The heater 1214 may be located under the internal electrode 1212. The heater 1214 may be provided as a spiral coil.

The base 1230 supports the dielectric plate 1210. The base 1230 is located under the dielectric plate 1210 and is fixedly coupled to the dielectric plate 1210. The upper surface of the base 1230 has a stepped shape such that the central region thereof is higher than the edge region. The base 1230 has an area in which the central region of the upper surface corresponds to the lower surface of the dielectric plate 1210. A cooling passage 1232 is formed inside the base 1230. The cooling passage 232 is provided as a passage through which the cooling fluid circulates. The cooling passage 1232 may be provided in a spiral shape inside the base 1230. The base is connected to an externally located high frequency power supply 1234. The high frequency power supply 1234 applies power to the base 1230. The power applied to the base 1230 guides the plasma generated in the chamber 1100 to move toward the base 1230. The base 1230 may be made of a metal material. When processing a substrate in a processing unit, one or a plurality of edge rings 1250 are provided around the substrate. The edge ring 1250 may be a focus ring or an insulating ring.

The edge ring 1250 concentrates the plasma onto the substrate W. Edge ring 1250 includes an inner ring 1252 and an outer ring 1254. The inner ring 1252 is provided in an annular ring shape surrounding the dielectric plate 1210. The inner ring 1252 is located in the edge region of the base 1230. A portion of the inner ring 1252 is provided to have the same height as the top surface of the dielectric plate 1210. The inner portion of the upper surface of the inner ring 1252 supports an edge region of the bottom surface of the substrate W. The outer ring 1254 is provided in an annular ring shape surrounding the inner ring 1252. The outer ring 1254 is located adjacent to the inner ring 1252 in the edge region of the base 1230. The outer ring 1254 may have a higher upper end than the inner portion of the inner ring 1252.

The gas supply unit 1300 supplies a process gas onto the substrate W supported by the substrate support unit 1200. The gas supply unit 1300 includes a gas storage unit 1350, a gas supply line 1330, and a gas inlet port 1310. The gas supply line 1330 connects the gas storage unit 1350 and the gas inlet port 1310. The process gas stored in the gas storage unit 1350 is supplied to the gas inlet port 1310 through the gas supply line 1330. The gas inlet port 1310 is installed on the upper wall of the chamber 1100. The gas inlet port 1310 is positioned to face the substrate support unit 1200. According to an example, the gas inlet port 1310 may be installed at the center of the upper wall of the chamber 1100. A valve is installed in the gas supply line 1330 to open and close the inner passage or to adjust the flow rate of gas flowing through the inner passage. For example, the process gas may be an etching gas.

The plasma source 1400 excites the process gas in the chamber 1100 into a plasma state. As the plasma source 1400, an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source may be used. The plasma source 1400 includes an antenna 1410 and an external power supply 1430. The antenna 1410 is disposed on the outside of the chamber 1100. The antenna 1410 is provided in a spiral shape that is wound a plurality of times, and is connected to an external power supply 1430. The antenna 1410 receives power from an external power supply 1430. The antenna 1410 to which power is applied forms a discharge space in the inner space of the chamber 1100. The process gas remaining in the discharge space may be excited in a plasma state.

The exhaust baffle 1500 uniformly exhausts the plasma for each area in the processing space 1106. The exhaust baffle 1500 has an annular ring shape. The exhaust baffle 1500 is located between the inner wall of the chamber 1100 and the substrate support unit 1200 in the processing space 1106. A plurality of exhaust holes 1502 are formed in the exhaust baffle 1500. The exhaust holes 1502 are provided to face the vertical direction. The exhaust holes 1502 are provided as holes extending from the top to the bottom of the exhaust baffle 1500. The exhaust holes 1502 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the exhaust baffle 1500. Each of the exhaust holes 1502 has a slit shape and has a longitudinal direction in a radial direction.

Next, the above-described transfer unit 240 will be described in more detail.

3 is a view briefly showing the transfer unit 240 of FIG. 1. The transfer unit 240 may include a hand 252 capable of mounting a substrate and a robot arm 253. The robot body 251 has a driving means such as a stepping motor therein, and controls the operation of the robot arm 253. The robot arm 253 may receive power from the robot body 251 and perform an operation of being unfolded or folded to transport the substrate W, and may also perform an upward or downward operation. The hand 252 may be provided in various shapes. In the present invention, the substrate and other members may be provided in a Y-shape connected to the front end of the robot arm 253 to facilitate taking over and handing over to other components. In the present embodiment, the shape of the hand 252 is illustrated and described in a "Y" shape, but the shape of the hand 252 may be changed and provided in various forms such as an "I" shape.

Hereinafter, the structure of the hand 252 of the present invention will be described in more detail.

4 is a plan view showing the hand 252 of the transfer unit 240 according to the present invention.

The hand 252 included in the transfer unit 240 of the present invention is a base portion 2521. It may be configured to include a first extension part 2522 and a second extension part 2523. The base portion 2521 may be connected to the robot arm 253. The base portion 2521 is provided to have a large area in the hand 252 and may be a portion on which the center of gravity of the hand is carried. The first extension part 2522 and the second extension part 2523 may be formed to extend in one direction from the base part 2521. The first extension part 2522 and the second extension part 2523 may be formed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval. The first extension part 2522 and the second extension part 2523 are formed to have a relatively thin width compared to the width of the base part 2521, and thus may perform a role of lifting a conveyance object such as a substrate or an edge ring. .

The shape of the hand 252 configured to include the first extension part 2522, the second extension part 2523, and the base part 2521 may be "C" or may be provided in a "Y" shape. .

At least one vacuum hole may be formed in each of the first extension part 2522, the second extension part 2523, and the base part 2521 included in the hand 252. According to the structure of the first extension part 2522, the second extension part 2523, and the base part 2521 included in the hand 252, the first extension part 2522, the second extension part 2523, and the base Since the parts 2521 are provided in equilibrium with each other, in order to more stably transport objects to be transported, at least the base part 2521, the first extension part 2522, and the second extension part 2523 One by one, vacuum holes must be formed. If the vacuum hole is formed only in the first extension part 2522 and the second extension part 2523, the vacuum adsorption force is not formed in the substrate or edge ring part located in the part corresponding to the base part 2521. There is a fear that the transfer process may be performed relatively unstable. For more stable conveyance, at least one vacuum hole is formed in each part of the hand, so that the object to be conveyed can be adsorbed. The detailed location and shape of the vacuum hole will be described in detail below.

5 is a plan view showing a hand of a transfer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The hand 252 of the transfer unit 240 may be provided with a plurality of vacuum holes formed. A first vacuum hole 310 and a second vacuum hole 320 may be formed in the hand 252. The first vacuum hole 310 and the second vacuum hole 320 may be used to adsorb and fix different objects, respectively. According to an embodiment, the first vacuum hole 310 may be used to adsorb and fix the substrate W. According to an embodiment, the second vacuum hole 320 may be used to adsorb and fix the edge ring. The first vacuum hole 310 may be provided at a position corresponding to the substrate W placed on the hand. For example, the first vacuum hole 310 may be provided at a position corresponding to the center of the substrate W. For example, the first vacuum hole 310 may be provided at a position corresponding to the edge of the substrate W. The second vacuum hole 320 may be provided at a position corresponding to the edge ring 1250 placed on the hand 252. For example, each size of the second vacuum holes 320 may be provided to have a size smaller than the width of an edge ring surrounding the substrate. For example, the second vacuum hole 320 may be provided and formed along the circumference of the edge ring surrounding the substrate W. The corresponding position is when the hand 252 of the transfer unit 240 is stopped at a position for transferring the substrate W or the edge ring 1250, the hand 252 is the substrate W or the edge ring 1250. ) And overlapping.

The plurality of vacuum holes 311, 312, 313?? included in the first vacuum hole 310 may be combined with each other to form a circle. The plurality of vacuum holes 321, 322, 323?? included in the second vacuum hole 320 may be combined with each other to form a circle. The reason why the plurality of vacuum holes included in the hand 252 are provided in a form of a circle is that in the process of processing the object conveyed by the hand 252 using a vacuum suction method, the force of vacuum suction is This is because transport is possible stably only if it is provided uniformly distributed in

The first circle formed by the combination of the first vacuum holes 310 and the second circle formed by the combination of the second vacuum holes 320 may be provided concentrically. That is, the first circle and the second circle may have the same center in a concentric shape with respect to the center of the hand 252 and may be provided with different radii only. Positions where the vacuum holes 310 and 320 are formed may be formed at a predetermined interval at a portion overlapping with the hand 252 under a concentric shape as shown in FIG. 5. The first circle and the second circle are provided with different sizes. The radius of the first circle may be provided smaller than the radius of the second circle.

6 is a plan view showing a hand of a transfer unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. According to FIG. 6, it can be seen that five first vacuum holes 310 and five second vacuum holes 320 are provided, respectively. That is, the number of the first vacuum hole 310 and the second vacuum hole 320 is not fixed, and holes may be formed inside the hand 252 at predetermined intervals.

That is, the vacuum hole may be formed at a position where a force capable of adsorbing and fixing the substrate or the edge ring can be evenly distributed. The vacuum hole may be formed by being arranged to form a circle at an angle of 120 degrees from the center of the hand. In this case, three vacuum holes may be formed. In another embodiment, the vacuum hole may be formed to be arranged to form a circle at an angle of 90 degrees from the center of the hand. In this case, four vacuum holes may be formed.

In addition to the above examples, the vacuum hole may be provided in various shapes to adsorb and fix the edge ring and the substrate. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, there may be cases where the number of the first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 is not the same.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it is shown that the position where the vacuum hole is formed is formed by concentrating on the edge of the hand, but this is only an example, and in reality, the vacuum hole is located near the central axis of the hand. It may be formed. The formation position of the vacuum hole may be variously changed and provided within a range capable of stably adsorbing the object to be transported. The formation size of the vacuum hole can also stably adsorb the object to be transported, and can be variously changed within a range that does not interfere with the size of the object to be transported.

7 to 8 are side views of a hand of a transfer unit according to various embodiments of the present invention.

The first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 may be formed on the upper surface of the hand 252 as shown in FIG. 7. Although not shown, a lifting unit for lifting the edge ring 1250 may be provided in the process chamber according to the present invention. In the process chamber according to the present invention, a lifting unit for lifting the edge ring is provided, and when the edge ring is brought in and taken out, the edge ring is lifted to a specific position, so that it is possible to carry in and take out the edge ring through the transfer unit.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 may be formed by being divided on the bottom or the top of the hand 252 as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, the first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 may be formed on the bottom surface of the hand 252.

That is, the first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 are formed on the bottom or upper surface of the hand, so that the object to be conveyed is fixed through vacuum adsorption, so that it can be conveyed. The purpose of forming the vacuum hole may vary depending on the positions where the first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 are formed.

As shown in FIG. 7, a case where both the first vacuum hole 310 and the second vacuum hole 320 are located on the upper surface of the hand 252 will be described. Due to the nature of semiconductor processing equipment, it is necessary to derive the output at a fast moving speed within the limited time. In this case, when moving at a high speed with only the force of the hand 252, there may be a problem that the object carried by the hand 252 shakes or falls during the transfer process. At this time, by placing the first vacuum hole 310 and the second vacuum hole 320 on the upper surface of the hand 252, it is possible to stably transport the object to be transported through the vacuum adsorption force during transport at high speed. There is.

As shown in FIG. 8, a case where one of the first vacuum hole 310 and the second vacuum hole 320 is located on the upper surface of the hand 252 and the other is located on the bottom surface of the hand 252 will be described. Referring to FIG. 8, an embodiment in which vacuum holes are formed on both the bottom and top surfaces of the hand 252 is illustrated. The vacuum hole 310 formed on the upper surface of the hand 252 and the vacuum hole 320 formed on the lower surface may be provided to have an appropriate height so as not to interfere with each other. In addition, the vacuum holes 310 and 320 are connected to respective lines, so that vacuum adsorption can be controlled. The configuration of these lines will be described in detail in FIG. 9.

Since the processed substrate (W) has features on the surface of the substrate, if a vacuum hole is formed on the bottom of the hand 252 to be adsorbed and fixed, the surface of the substrate and the bottom of the hand come into contact with each other during the transfer process. There is a risk of damage to the substrate.

Accordingly, the first vacuum hole 310 may be located on the upper surface of the hand 252, and the second vacuum hole 320 may be located on the bottom surface of the hand 252. When the second vacuum hole 320 is located on the bottom of the hand 252 as described above, the object to be transported is transported using only the vacuum adsorption force. In addition, when the second vacuum hole 320 is located on the bottom of the hand 252, it is directly adsorbed to the surface of the object to be transported, as described above, so that objects with characteristics on the surface are relatively difficult to transport. exist. However, when carrying out the broken edge ring, etc., it is possible to transfer the vacuum hole by placing the vacuum hole on the bottom of the hand as described above, and the vacuum holes 310 and 320 of the hand 252 In the case of being divided and formed on the upper and lower surfaces, there is also an advantage in that stable operation is possible because the fear of interference between the lines connected to the vacuum holes is reduced. In addition, in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 8, the lifting device for lifting the edge ring is unnecessary, and thus there is an effect of further simplifying the process.

9 is a diagram showing the overall structure of the transfer unit 240 of the present invention.

The transfer unit 240 according to the present invention includes a control unit 500 and a main line 400, a first branch line 410, a second branch line 420, a first valve 411 and a second valve 421. ) May be further included.

The first vacuum holes 310 and the second vacuum holes 320 included in the hand 252 may be connected to a line and a valve for controlling pressure in each of the vacuum holes.

The controller 500 may be connected to the main line 400, and the main line 400 may be branched at a specific point and divided into a first branch line 410 and a second branch line 420. The first branch line 410 and the second branch line 420 may include a first valve 411 and a second valve 421 connected to each line. The control unit 500 is connected to the first vacuum hole 310 and the second vacuum hole 320 through the branch lines 410 and 420 to control opening and closing of the valves 411 and 421 connected to the branch line. . By controlling the opening and closing of the valves 411 and 421 in the control unit 500, the pressure applied to each of the vacuum holes 310 and 320 can be adjusted. The opening and closing of the first valve 411 and the second valve 421 may be independently controlled.

In the present embodiment, it has been described that the control unit 500 can control the pressure of the vacuum hole only through the opening and closing of the valve, but the control unit may not use the valve and control vacuum adsorption through other components.

The control unit 500 may adjust the pressure applied to the first vacuum hole 310 according to the opening and closing of the first valve 411. When the first valve 411 is opened, the first branch line 410 connected to the first vacuum hole 310 is opened and the pressure is lowered. Conversely, when the first valve 411 is closed, the first branch line 410 connected to the first vacuum hole 310 is closed, thereby increasing the pressure. Therefore, when the first vacuum holes 310 connected to the first branch line 410 are adjusted to close the first valve 411 by the control unit 500 after contacting the object to be conveyed, the vacuum adsorption force through high pressure is increased. Through this, the object to be conveyed can be adsorbed. The first vacuum hole 310 is formed at a position corresponding to the substrate, so that the substrate can be transported through the control of the first valve.

The control unit 500 may adjust the pressure applied to the second vacuum hole 320 according to the opening and closing of the second valve 421. When the second valve 421 is opened, the second branch line 420 connected to the second vacuum hole 320 is opened and the pressure is lowered. Conversely, when the second valve 421 is closed, the second branch line 420 connected to the second vacuum hole 320 is closed, thereby increasing the pressure. Therefore, when the second vacuum holes 320 connected to the second branch line 420 are adjusted to close the second valve 421 by the control unit 500 after contacting the object to be conveyed, the vacuum adsorption force through high pressure is increased. Through this, the object to be conveyed can be adsorbed. The second vacuum hole 320 is formed at a position corresponding to the edge ring, so that the edge ring can be conveyed through the adjustment of the second valve.

That is, in the present invention, after the hand is moved to the position of the object to be conveyed, the control unit 500 determines the object to be conveyed, and the valve to be opened or closed according to the object to be conveyed can be adjusted to vacuum the desired object to be conveyed. By performing the adsorption in a vacuum, it is possible to make the stability more robust during transport of the conveying member.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a substrate is processed using a substrate processing apparatus that supports a substrate with a support unit provided with an edge ring surrounding the substrate in a process chamber having a processing space, and performs predetermined processing on the substrate. A method can be provided.

The substrate processing method may include a carrying step of carrying a substrate into the processing space; A substrate processing step of processing the substrate by generating plasma into the processing space; A carrying out step of carrying out the processed substrate into the processing space; And a maintenance step of maintaining the edge ring.

In the substrate processing step, a processing process for a substrate in a chamber may be performed. In the carry-in step and the carry-out step, the substrate may be carried out of the processing space and carried into the processing space. In the maintenance step, the edge ring may be carried into the processing space or taken out of the processing space.

In the substrate processing method according to the present invention, in the carry-in step, the carry-out step, and the maintenance step, the substrate and the edge ring may be transported by adsorbing using a plurality of vacuum holes formed in the hand included in the transport unit. . The shape of the plurality of vacuum holes formed in the hand is the same as described above, and thus description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the control unit is characterized in that it is possible to transfer a desired object among the substrate and the edge ring by controlling the valve connected to the vacuum holes. According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the carry-in step and the carry-out step, the substrate is transported by placing the substrate on the upper surface of the hand, and in the maintenance step, the edge ring is placed on the upper surface of the hand to be transported. I can.

It should be understood that the above embodiments have been presented to aid understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the scope of the present invention, and various deformable embodiments are also within the scope of the present invention. The drawings provided in the present invention are merely showing an optimal embodiment of the present invention. The technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the claims, and the technical protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the literal description of the claims itself, but a scope that has substantially equal technical value. It should be understood that it extends to the invention of.

Transfer Unit: 240 Hand: 252
1st vacuum hole: 310 2nd vacuum hole: 320
Main line: 400 1st branch line: 410
2nd branch line: 420 1st valve: 411
2nd valve: 421 control unit: 500

Claims (15)

In the conveying unit,
Robot arm;
And a hand coupled to the robot arm,
In the hand,
A plurality of first vacuum holes; And a plurality of second vacuum holes; is formed,
A first circle formed by a combination of the plurality of first vacuum holes,
In the second circle formed by a combination of the plurality of second vacuum holes,
The radius of the first circle is provided smaller than the radius of the second circle,
A transfer unit, characterized in that the object to be vacuum-adsorbed by the first vacuum hole and the object to be vacuum-adsorbed by the second vacuum hole are different.
The method of claim 1,
The first circle and the second circle are provided concentrically.
The method of claim 2,
The plurality of first vacuum holes and the plurality of second vacuum holes are formed on an upper surface of the hand.
The method of claim 3,
The hand,
Base portion;
It extends forward from the base portion and includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion spaced apart from each other,
At least one of the plurality of first vacuum holes and the plurality of second vacuum holes is provided in each of the base portion, the first extension portion, and the second extension portion.
The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The conveying unit,
Main line;
A first branch line branched from the main line and connected to the plurality of first vacuum holes;
A second branch line branched from the main line and connected to the plurality of second vacuum holes;
A first valve installed on the first branch line;
A second valve installed on the second branch line; Including,
A control unit for independently opening and closing the first valve and the second valve; The conveying unit further comprises a.
In the apparatus for processing a substrate,
A process chamber for performing a predetermined process on the substrate;
Including a transfer unit for transferring the substrate and the member to the process chamber,
The process chamber,
A housing having a processing space therein;
A support unit supporting the substrate in the processing space;
A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the processing space;
Comprising a plasma source for generating plasma from the process gas,
The support unit,
A support on which the substrate is placed;
It is provided to surround the substrate placed on the support, and includes an edge ring provided detachably from the support,
The conveying unit,
Robot arm;
And a hand coupled to the robot arm,
In the hand,
A plurality of first vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the substrate; And
A substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of second vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the edge ring.
The method of claim 6,
A first circle formed by a combination of the plurality of first vacuum holes,
The second circle formed by the combination of the plurality of second vacuum holes is provided concentrically,
A substrate processing apparatus in which a radius of the first circle is provided smaller than a radius of the second circle.
The method of claim 7,
The plurality of first vacuum holes and the plurality of second vacuum holes are formed on an upper surface of the hand.
The method of claim 7,
The plurality of first vacuum holes are provided at positions corresponding to the substrate,
The plurality of second vacuum holes are provided at positions corresponding to the edge rings surrounding the substrate.
The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
The hand,
Base portion;
It extends forward from the base portion and includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion spaced apart from each other,
At least one of the plurality of first vacuum holes and the plurality of second vacuum holes is provided in each of the base portion, the first extension portion, and the second extension portion.
The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
The conveying unit,
Main line;
A first branch line branched from the main line and connected to the plurality of first vacuum holes;
A second branch line branched from the main line and connected to the plurality of second vacuum holes;
A first valve installed on the first branch line;
A second valve installed on the second branch line; Including,
The substrate processing apparatus further comprises a control unit for independently opening and closing the first valve and the second valve, respectively.
The method of claim 11,
The control unit,
A substrate processing apparatus configured to close the first valve and open the second valve when conveying the substrate, and control to close the second valve and open the first valve when conveying the edge ring.
In a method of processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus that supports a substrate with a support unit provided with an edge ring surrounding the substrate in a process chamber having a processing space and performs predetermined processing on the substrate,
A carrying step of carrying a substrate into the processing space;
A substrate processing step of processing the substrate by generating plasma into the processing space;
A carrying out step of carrying out the processed substrate into the processing space; And
A maintenance step of maintaining the edge ring;
In the carry-in step, the carry-out step, and the maintenance step, the substrate and the edge ring are transported by adsorption using a plurality of vacuum holes formed in the hand included in the transport unit,
First vacuum holes and second vacuum holes are respectively formed in the hand,
The first vacuum holes are formed at positions corresponding to the substrate in the hand,
The second vacuum holes are formed in a position corresponding to the edge ring in the hand,
The plurality of vacuum holes includes a plurality of first vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the substrate, and a plurality of second vacuum holes provided to vacuum-adsorb the edge ring.
The method of claim 13,
The hand,
Main line;
A first branch line branched from the main line and connected to first vacuum holes;
A second branch line branched from the main line and connected to second vacuum holes;
A first valve installed on the first branch line;
A second valve installed on the second branch line;
Including; a control unit for independently opening and closing the first valve and the second valve, respectively,
The control unit controls to close the first valve and open the second valve when transporting the substrate, and control to close the second valve and open the first valve when transporting the edge ring.
The method of claim 13 or 14,
In the carry-in step and the carry-out step, the substrate is placed on the upper surface of the hand and transferred,
In the maintenance step, the substrate processing method is carried by placing the edge ring on the upper surface of the hand.

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