JP7478969B2 - SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for processing a substrate in a chamber.

In the manufacturing process of a substrate, substrate processing equipment such as a plasma processing equipment or a thin film forming equipment (e.g., a CVD equipment or a sputtering equipment) may be used for cleaning, etching, film formation, heating, exposure, etc. of the substrate. For example, a plasma processing equipment generally includes a chamber and a mounting part installed in the chamber. After the substrate is placed on the mounting part, the chamber is sealed, a process gas is supplied under reduced pressure, and high frequency power is applied to the mounting part. This generates plasma in the chamber and the substrate is plasma processed.

The substrate is usually carried into the chamber while being guided by a guide, and after processing, is carried out of the chamber while being guided by a guide. Patent Document 1 teaches that by moving the substrate together with the guide, transportation errors can be prevented.

JP 2002-273197 A

However, the method described in Patent Document 1 tends to reduce productivity.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus including an openable and closable chamber, a placement section disposed within the chamber on which a substrate is placed, a guide for guiding the substrate from the upstream side to the downstream side in a transport direction at least when the substrate is transferred from outside the chamber to the placement section and when the substrate is transferred from the placement section to outside the chamber, a substrate moving section for moving the substrate along the guide, and a guide moving section for moving the guide along the transport direction, the guide having a plurality of guide portions aligned in the transport direction, the guide portions including a first guide portion disposed on the placement section side and a second guide portion disposed on the opposite side of the first guide portion from the placement section, the guide moving section moving the first guide portion to a first position outside the chamber when the chamber is closed, and moving the first guide portion from the first position to a second position on the placement section side when the chamber is opened.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a substrate processing method comprising: a loading step of loading a substrate on a placement section disposed within a chamber; a processing step of processing the substrate after the loading step; and an unloading step of opening the chamber and unloading the substrate from the chamber after the processing step, in which the substrate is guided by a plurality of guide sections arranged in the transport direction and transported from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction, the guide sections including a first guide section disposed on the placement section side and a second guide section disposed on the opposite side of the first guide section from the placement section, in which the first guide section is disposed at a first position outside the chamber, and the unloading step comprises: a first guide approaching step of moving the first guide section at the first position to a second position on the placement section side from the first position after the chamber is opened; a substrate moving step of moving the substrate from the placement section downstream of the first guide section after the first guide approaching step; and a first guide separating step of moving the first guide section at the second position to the first position after the substrate moving step.

Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a substrate processing method comprising: a loading step of opening a chamber and loading a substrate on a loading section disposed within the chamber; a processing step of processing the substrate after the loading step; and an unloading step of unloading the substrate from the chamber after the processing step, in which the substrate is guided by a plurality of guide sections aligned in the transport direction and transported from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction, the guide sections including a first guide section disposed on the loading section side and a second guide section disposed on the opposite side of the first guide section from the loading section, and the loading step comprises: a first guide approaching step of moving the first guide section, which is located at a first position outside the chamber, to a second position on the loading section side from the first position after the chamber is opened; a substrate moving step of moving the substrate, which is located upstream of the first guide section, to the loading section after the first guide approaching step; and a first guide separating step of moving the first guide section, which is located at the second position, to the first position after the substrate moving step.

The present invention makes it possible to reduce substrate transport errors without reducing productivity.

2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a part of the substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed according to the embodiment of the 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a part of a substrate processing apparatus when a chamber is opened according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a part of another substrate processing apparatus when a chamber is opened according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a part of another substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a portion of still another substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a part of still another substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is opened according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of a main portion of an example of an external guide according to an embodiment of the present invention; 4B is a perspective view showing a state in which the outer guide shown in FIG. 4A is separated. FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating an example of a guide portion on the downstream side according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of another example of a guide portion on the downstream side according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a schematic diagram of yet another example of a guide portion on the downstream side according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a flowchart showing another example of a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic external appearance of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a perspective view showing a base portion and an external guide of the substrate processing apparatus in FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus taken along line XX in FIG. 8 when the chamber is closed. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a conventional substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a conventional substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is opened. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a conventional substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is opened.

When processing substrates in a sealed chamber, the guide cannot be extended into the chamber because it would interfere with opening and closing the chamber. This creates a gap between the guide and the placement section on which the substrate is placed. The substrate is loaded and unloaded across this gap. When this happens, the substrate is prone to becoming misaligned.

Therefore, attempts have been made to eliminate this gap by moving the guide closer to the placement section when the chamber is opened. However, as the guide moves, a new gap is created in the transport path. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the substrate is moved together with the guide. Figures 11A, 11B, and 11C show how the guide moves in a conventional substrate processing apparatus. In the illustrated example, the substrate is shown being unloaded and stored in a magazine.

Figure 11A is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a portion of a conventional substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed. The lid portion 120 and the base portion 110 are in close contact with each other to form a sealed chamber. Inside the chamber, the substrate 300 is being processed. At this time, the guide 2141 is waiting outside the chamber. A position regulating member 2143 is attached to the guide 2141.

Figure 11B is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a portion of a conventional substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is opened. When the lid portion 120 rises and the chamber is opened, the guide 2141 approaches the chamber. The position of the guide 2141 is regulated by a position regulating member 2143, and the guide 2141 is positioned at a predetermined position. When the guide 2141 stops at the predetermined position, the substrate 300 is pushed out and handed over to the guide 2141.

Figure 11C is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a part of a conventional substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is opened. When the substrate 300 is delivered to the guide 2141, the guide 2141 moves to approach the magazine 500 and stops. The substrate 300 is then pushed out again and stored in the magazine 500. The guide 2141 waits in place until processing of the next substrate is completed.

In this way, the substrate 300 is repeatedly stopped and moved along with the guide 2141, which can easily reduce productivity.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a guide having multiple guide parts (hereinafter referred to as an external guide) is used for loading and unloading the substrate. These guide parts are lined up in the transport direction. In other words, one transport path is formed by the multiple guide parts. Among the guide parts, a first guide part that is closer to the placement part is made movable. The first guide part is movable between a first position outside the chamber and a second position that is closer to the placement part than the first position.

When the first guide portion is in the first position, a gap is formed between the placement portion and the first guide portion. When the first guide portion is moved to the second position, the gap is dispersed into a smaller gap between the placement portion and the first guide portion and a new gap formed between the first guide portion and the other guide portion. When the first guide portion is in the second position, the substrate is transported on the external guide. That is, when the substrate is transported, only a small gap is formed on the transport path. Therefore, the substrate is prevented from shifting in position when crossing the gap. In addition, the gap between the second guide portion and the device further upstream or downstream (e.g., a magazine) is prevented from becoming large. Therefore, the substrate is prevented from shifting in position when it is handed over to or from the second guide. Furthermore, since there is no need to move any of the guide portions while the substrate is being transported, the substrate is not hindered from being transported. That is, the substrate can be transported continuously, and a decrease in productivity is suppressed.

Even when transporting a substrate that is longer than the longitudinal length of the guide, as described above, the gap between the first guide portion and its upstream or downstream side is small, so the substrate is unlikely to become misaligned.

That is, the external guide of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment has multiple guide portions aligned in the transport direction. The guide portions include a first guide portion disposed on the side of the mounting portion, and a second guide portion disposed on the opposite side of the first guide portion from the mounting portion. The guide moving portion moves the first guide portion to a first position outside the chamber when the chamber is closed. The guide moving portion also moves the first guide portion from the first position to a second position closer to the mounting portion when the chamber is opened.

When the first guide portion is disposed in the first position, the second end portion opposite the end portion (first end portion) of the first guide portion on the side of the placement portion may be in contact with the second guide portion or may be spaced apart from the second guide portion.

The second position may be any position closer to the mounting portion than the first position. The second position is preferably a position where the first end of the first guide portion enters the chamber. In particular, the second position is a position where the distance between the first end of the first guide portion and the mounting portion is preferably 5 mm or less, more preferably 2 mm or less.

External guides include both guides used when loading a substrate and guides used when unloading a substrate. The external guide in this embodiment is used for at least one of loading and unloading.

The external guide may have three or more guide portions. However, the first guide portion and the second guide portion are adjacent to each other, and the first guide portion is the guide portion closest to the placement portion. A third guide portion may be disposed on the opposite side of the second guide portion from the first guide portion.

When the first guide portion is disposed at the second position, it is preferable that at least a portion of the first guide portion and at least a portion of the second guide portion overlap in a planar view. In other words, it is preferable that the ends of the first guide portion and the second guide portion overlap even when the first guide portion moves. This prevents gaps from being created between the guide portions that could cause the substrate to fall out, further reducing substrate transport errors. "Overlapping" in a planar view means that at least a portion of the two guide portions overlap when viewed from the normal direction of the main surface of the substrate.

The ends of the first guide part and the second guide part may have a mating L-shaped part or may have an engaging inclined surface. Of these, it is preferable that the ends of the first guide part and the second guide part have the latter inclined surface. This is because the shape is simple, making it easy to manufacture the guide parts and making it less likely that problems will occur due to movement of the first guide part. Furthermore, the distance between the surface (support surface) that supports the main surface of the substrate of the first guide part and the support surface of the second guide part when the chamber is opened and/or closed can be adjusted as desired.

The upstream end of the downstream guide portion is preferably inclined upward from upstream to downstream in the transport direction. When the substrate crosses the downstream guide portion, it may bend downward. If this occurs, the downstream end of the substrate may hit the end of the downstream guide portion, causing damage to the substrate, preventing it from moving to the corresponding guide portion, or causing it to shift out of position. If the downstream guide end has an inclined surface that rises from upstream to downstream in the transport direction, the substrate that has been bent downward can move along the inclined surface as if it were scooped up, and can then be placed on the support surface of the downstream guide portion. This allows for smooth transfer between the guide portions, making it less likely that misalignment will occur.

It is preferable that the upstream end of the upstream guide section also slopes upward from the upstream to the downstream in the transport direction. In this case, the substrate can be smoothly transferred from the upstream device or placement section to the guide section.

If the external guide is an unloading guide, the "guide portion on the downstream side" is the second guide portion. If the external guide is an loading guide, the "guide portion on the downstream side" is the first guide portion.

The inclination angle of the inclined surface at the end is not particularly limited as long as it is less than 90°. The inclination angle is preferably 60° or less, more preferably 45° or less, and particularly preferably 30° or less. The inclination angle of the inclined surface is the acute angle formed by the inclined surface and the support surface of the guide portion. When the inclined surface is a curved surface or includes multiple inclined surfaces, the inclination angle can be considered to be the acute angle formed by the straight line connecting the start point and end point of the inclination and the support surface in a cross section along the conveying direction of the guide portion.

When the upstream end of the downstream guide portion is inclined so as to rise from upstream to downstream in the transport direction, it is preferable that the downstream end of the upstream guide portion is also inclined so as to rise from upstream to downstream in the transport direction. In other words, it is preferable that the respective ends engage with each other and have inclined surfaces that rise from upstream to downstream in the transport direction. This not only makes it easier to transfer the substrate between the guide portions, but also makes it easier to adjust the opposing ends of the first guide portion and the second guide portion to overlap when the first guide portion is positioned in the second position.

The shapes of the downstream end of the downstream guide portion and the upstream end of the upstream guide portion are not particularly limited. The upstream end of the upstream guide portion may have an inclined surface that rises from upstream to downstream in the transport direction. This allows the substrate to be smoothly transferred to the upstream guide portion.

The second guide portion may also be movable. For example, when the chamber is open, the second guide portion may be positioned farther from the placement portion than when the chamber is closed. This reduces the gap between the fourth end of the second guide portion, which is opposite the third end, and the device further upstream or downstream, making it easier to prevent conveying errors due to this gap. Since the gap between the support surface of the first guide portion and the support surface of the second guide portion may widen, it is desirable to overlap the end of the first guide portion in the second position with the end of the second guide portion, as described above.

[Substrate Processing Apparatus]
Examples of substrate processing apparatus include plasma processing apparatuses, thin film forming apparatuses (e.g., CVD apparatuses, sputtering apparatuses), heating apparatuses, etc. used for cleaning, etching, film formation, heating, exposure, etc. in the substrate manufacturing process.

(substrate)
The substrate to be processed is not particularly limited. The substrate can be broadly interpreted and includes, for example, a substrate used in the manufacture of electronic devices, a circuit board having a circuit formed thereon, a mounting board having electronic components mounted on a circuit board, a wafer, and the like.

(Chamber)
The chamber can be opened and closed. The chamber includes, for example, a lid and a base. The lid can be raised and lowered above the base. When the lid is lowered and abuts against the base, an airtight space is formed. The lid is, for example, box-shaped having a ceiling and a side wall extending from the periphery of the ceiling. In this case, the end face of the side wall of the lid and the periphery of the base are in close contact with each other to form the airtight space.

(Placement section)
The placement part is provided in the chamber, and a substrate is placed thereon. The placement part is, for example, disposed on the base part and faces the lid part. The placement part may be divided into a plurality of regions by an internal guide. This allows a plurality of substrates to be placed on the placement part at the same time and processed.

The mounting part of the plasma processing device is an electrode. When high-frequency power is applied to the mounting part in the presence of a process gas, plasma is generated in the chamber and the substrate is plasma-processed.

(External guide)
The external guide supports the substrate and guides the substrate to move along the transport direction.

The shape of the external guide is not particularly limited, as long as it has a support surface that supports the main surface of the substrate. For example, the external guide may be a simple rod-like shape. Alternatively, the cross section of the external guide may be L-shaped. In these cases, the substrate is supported by being spanned between a pair of external guides arranged in parallel. When the cross section of the external guide is L-shaped, it becomes easier to suppress misalignment of the substrate. A groove may be formed on each of the opposing side surfaces of the pair of external guides. In this case, the substrate is supported by being fitted into the groove on the side surface. The external guide may also be flat.

The number and arrangement of the external guides may be set appropriately depending on the number of substrates to be processed, their shapes, etc. When two or more pairs of external guides are arranged, adjacent external guides may be integrated with each other.

As described above, the external guide has multiple guide portions. At least the first guide portion closest to the placement portion is movable along the conveying direction.

(Substrate moving part)
The substrate moving section moves the substrate from upstream to downstream along the external guide.
The substrate moving part is, for example, disposed adjacent to the chamber and includes an end effector movable in the transport direction and a motor for moving the end effector.

(Guide moving part)
The guide moving portion moves at least the first guide portion along the transport direction.
The guide movement portion includes, for example, a ball screw and a linear guide mechanism. When the ball screw rotates, the guide portion moves translationally along the conveying direction.

Below, an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figures 1A and 1B. In the illustrated example, an external guide according to this embodiment is used when unloading a substrate.

Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a portion of the substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed. Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a portion of the substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is open. In the illustrated example, the multiple guide portions have a shape that divides the external guide diagonally into two, but is not limited to this.

In FIG. 1A, the lid portion 120 and the base portion 110 are in close contact with each other to form a sealed chamber. The base portion 110 comprises a base body 111 and a mounting portion 112. The external guide 141 comprises a first guide portion 1411 and a second guide portion 1412. In the chamber, the substrate 300 is placed on the mounting portion 112 and processed. At this time, the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 on the mounting portion 112 side is positioned at a first position outside the chamber. A position restricting member 143 is attached to the first guide portion 1411.

In FIG. 1B, the lid 120 is raised and the chamber is open. The first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is located at a second position closer to the placement portion than the first position. The second position is regulated by a position regulating member 143. Meanwhile, the second guide portion is located at the same position as in FIG. 1A. Therefore, the support surfaces 141b of the first guide portion 1411 and the second guide portion 1412 are spaced apart. However, the second end T12 of the first guide portion 1411 and the third end T21 of the second guide portion 1412 overlap. Therefore, a transport path is formed that extends almost continuously from the placement portion 112.

Next, another example of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. In the illustrated example, the external guide according to this embodiment is used when loading the substrate.

Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a portion of the substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is open. Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a portion of the substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed. In the illustrated example, the multiple guide portions have a shape that divides the external guide diagonally into two, but is not limited to this.

In FIG. 2A, the lid 120 is raised and the chamber is open. The external guide 141 includes a first guide portion 1411 and a second guide portion 1412. A position regulating member 143 is attached to the first guide portion 1411. A first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is disposed at a second position close to the chamber. The second position is regulated by the position regulating member 143. The support surfaces 141b of the first guide portion 1411 and the second guide portion 1412 are spaced apart from each other. However, the second end T12 of the first guide portion 1411 and the third end T21 of the second guide portion 1412 overlap. Therefore, a transport path is formed that extends almost continuously toward the placement portion 112.

In FIG. 2B, the lid portion 120 and the base portion 110 are in close contact with each other to form a sealed chamber. In the chamber, the substrate 300 is placed on the placement portion 112 and processed. At this time, the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 on the placement portion 112 side is positioned at a first position outside the chamber.

Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic of a part of another substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is closed. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic of a part of another substrate processing apparatus when the chamber is open. This substrate processing apparatus has a similar configuration to the substrate processing apparatus shown in Figures 1A and 1B, except that the second guide portion also moves.

In FIG. 3A, the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is located at a first position outside the chamber. The fourth end T22 of the second guide portion 1412 is located at a third position away from the magazine 500.

When the process is completed and the chamber is opened, as shown in FIG. 3B, the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 approaches the placement portion 112 and is moved to a second position closer to the placement portion than the first position. Meanwhile, the fourth end T22 of the second guide portion 1412 approaches the magazine 500 and is moved to the fourth position. However, the second end T12 of the first guide portion 1411 and the third end T21 of the second guide portion 1412 overlap. Therefore, a transport path that extends almost continuously from the placement portion 112 is formed. The movement of the first guide portion 1411 and the second guide portion 1412 may be performed simultaneously or with a time lag.

Figures 4A and 4B are perspective views that show a schematic view of a main portion of an example of an external guide according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the cross-sectional shape of the external guide is L-shaped, but is not limited to this. In the illustrated example, an external guide for conveying out is shown, and the first guide portion is located upstream in the conveying direction. In Figure 4A, the first end of the first guide portion is located at the second position. In Figure 4B, the first end of the first guide portion is located at the first position. The fourth end of the second guide portion is omitted.

The external guide 141 has a first guide portion 1411 and a second guide portion 1412. Each guide portion has a side guide surface 141a that guides the side of the substrate, and a support surface 141b that supports the main surface of the substrate. The substrate is suspended between a pair of external guides 141 arranged facing each other, and slides on the support surface 141b.

The second end T12 of the first guide portion 1411 and the third end T21 of the second guide portion 1412 each have an inclined surface 141c that overlaps with each other. The inclined surface 141c is inclined so as to rise from the upstream to the downstream in the transport direction A. This allows the substrate to smoothly cross between the support surface 141b of the first guide portion 1411 and the support surface 141b of the second guide portion 1412. Furthermore, the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is also inclined so as to rise from the upstream to the downstream in the transport direction A. This allows the substrate to be smoothly transferred from the placement portion to the support surface 141b of the first guide portion 1411.

Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C are side views that show an example of a guide portion on the downstream side according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the cross-sectional shape of the guide portion is L-shaped, but is not limited to this. In the illustrated example, the guide portion on the downstream side is the second guide portion, but is not limited to this.

The third end T21 on the upstream side of the second guide portion 1412A shown in FIG. 5A has a flat inclined surface 141c. The acute angle (inclination angle) between the inclined surface 141c and the support surface 141b is θ. The third end T21 of the second guide portion 1412B shown in FIG. 5B has a flat horizontal surface and an inclined surface 141c. The inclination angle θ is an acute angle between the inclined surface 141c excluding the horizontal surface and the support surface 141b. The third end T21 of the second guide portion 1412C shown in FIG. 5C has a curved inclined surface 141c that protrudes upward. The inclination angle θ is an acute angle between the straight line connecting the start point and end point of the inclined surface 141c and the support surface 141b. The fourth end T22 on the downstream side of the second guide portions 1412A to 1412C has a surface that is approximately perpendicular to the support surface 141b, but is not limited to this.

[Substrate Processing Method]
The substrate processing method according to this embodiment is carried out by using the above-described substrate processing apparatus.
That is, the substrate processing method according to this embodiment includes a loading step of opening the chamber and loading the substrate on a loading part arranged in the chamber, a processing step of closing the chamber after the loading step and processing the substrate, and an unloading step of opening the chamber again after the processing step and unloading the substrate from the chamber. In at least one of the loading step and the unloading step, the substrate is guided by the external guide and transported from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of a substrate processing method according to this embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the substrate processing method according to the present embodiment.

(1) Carry-in process (S1)
The carrying-in process using the above-mentioned external guide will now be described.
The loading process in this embodiment includes a first guide approach process in which, after the chamber is opened, the first guide portion is moved from the first position to a second position closer to the mounting portion, a substrate moving process in which, after the first guide approach process, the substrate located upstream of the first guide portion is moved to the mounting portion, and a first guide moving away process in which, after the substrate moving process, the first guide portion located at the second position is moved to the first position.

(1-1) First guide approach step (S11)
When the chamber is opened, the first guide portion is disposed at a first position outside the chamber. After the chamber is opened, the first guide portion is moved to a second position closer to the placement unit than the first position. This forms a substantially continuous transport path extending from the second guide portion through the first guide portion to the placement unit.

(1-2) Second guide separation process (S12)
Before the substrate moving step, the second guide portion may be moved to a position further away from the first guide portion. This reduces the gap between the fourth end of the second guide portion and a device further upstream, making it easier to suppress transport errors caused by this gap. The second guide separating step may be performed in parallel with the first guide approaching step, or may be performed before or after the first guide approaching step. From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferable that the second guide separating step is performed in parallel with the first guide approaching step.

(1-3) Substrate moving step (S13)
During the first guide approaching step, the substrate is waiting, for example, on the second guide portion or a guide portion upstream of the second guide portion, or is stored in a magazine. Alternatively, the substrate is waiting straddling the above-mentioned guides. After the first guide approaching step, the substrate is moved from the waiting location to the placement portion. Since a nearly continuous transport path is formed, the substrate moves smoothly and transport errors are suppressed.

(1-4) First guide separation process (S14)
After the substrate moving step, the first guide portion in the second position is moved again to the first position outside the chamber, whereby the chamber is placed in a sealable state, and the first guide portion waits in this position until the substrate processing is completed and the substrate is removed.

(2) Treatment step (S2)
The substrate placed on the platform is subjected to processing, such as cleaning, etching, film formation, heating, and exposure.

(3) Carry-out process (S3)
The carrying-out process using the above-mentioned external guide will now be described.
The unloading process in this embodiment includes a first guide approaching process in which, after the chamber is opened, the first guide portion, which is in a first position, is moved to a second position closer to the mounting portion than the first position, a substrate moving process in which, after the first guide approaching process, the substrate is moved from the mounting portion to downstream of the first guide portion, and a first guide separating process in which, after the substrate moving process, the first guide portion, which is in the second position, is moved to the first position.

(3-1) First guide approach step (S31)
When the chamber is opened, the first guide portion is disposed at a first position outside the chamber. After the chamber is opened, the first guide portion is moved to a second position closer to the placement portion, thereby forming a substantially continuous transport path extending from the placement portion through the first guide portion to the second guide portion.

(3-2) Second guide separation process (S32)
Before the substrate moving step, the second guide portion may be moved to a position further away from the first guide portion. This reduces the gap between the fourth end of the second guide portion and a device (e.g., a magazine) further downstream, making it easier to suppress conveyance errors caused by this gap. The second guide separating step may be performed in parallel with the first guide approaching step, or may be performed before or after the first guide approaching step. From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferable that the second guide separating step is performed in parallel with the first guide approaching step.

(3-3) Substrate moving step (S33)
During the first guide approach, the substrate waits on the placement section. After the first guide approach step, the substrate is moved from the placement section to the first guide. Since a nearly continuous transport path is formed, the substrate moves smoothly and transport errors are suppressed.

(3-4) First guide separation process (S34)
After the substrate moving step, the first guide portion in the second position is moved again to the first position outside the chamber, whereby the chamber is placed in a sealable state. For example, the first guide portion waits at this position until the next substrate is loaded and processing is completed.

From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferable that the loading process and the unloading process are performed in parallel. In this case, the first guide approaching process in the loading process and the unloading process may be performed simultaneously. The substrate moving process in the loading process and the unloading process may also be performed simultaneously. Furthermore, the first guide separating process in the loading process and the unloading process may also be performed simultaneously. In addition, the second guide separating process in the loading process and the unloading process may also be performed simultaneously.

The following describes in detail the removal process using the external guide, again with reference to Figures 1A and 1B.

During the processing step, the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is positioned at a first position outside the chamber (see FIG. 1A). When the processing is completed, the chamber is opened (see FIG. 1B), the first guide portion 1411 is moved, and the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is positioned at a second position closer to the placement portion (first guide approach step).

When the first guide portion 1411 is placed in the second position, the substrate 300 is pushed out and placed on the first guide portion 1411 (substrate moving process). The substrate 300 moves as it is over the first guide portion 1411 and the second guide portion 1412, and is stored in the magazine 500. The substrate 300 that is removed from the chamber is transported without stopping.

When the substrate 300 is stored in the magazine 500, the first guide portion 1411 moves again to the first position (first guide separation process). Meanwhile, the next substrate 300 is placed on the placement portion 112. When the first guide portion 1411 is placed in the first position, the cover portion 120 is lowered to form a chamber. Then, processing is started again (see FIG. 1A). Next, the operation shown in FIG. 1B is performed again. In this manner, substrate processing is continuously repeated.

Next, referring again to Figures 2A and 2B, the loading process using the external guide will be described in detail.

After the chamber is opened (see FIG. 2A), the first guide portion 1411 moves, and the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411, which is outside the chamber, is positioned at a second position closer to the placement portion (first guide approach process). When the first guide portion 1411 is positioned at the second position, the substrate 300 is pushed out of the magazine 500. The substrate 300 moves as it is over the second guide portion 1412 and the first guide portion 1411, and is placed on the placement portion 112 (substrate movement process). The substrate 300 removed from the magazine 500 is transported without stopping.

When the substrate 300 is placed on the placement portion 112 (see FIG. 2B), the first guide portion 1411 moves to a first position (first guide separation step). The lid portion 120 then moves down to form a chamber, and processing of the substrate 300 begins. When processing is completed and the chamber is opened, the first guide portion 1411 moves again, and the first end T11 of the first guide portion 1411 is positioned at a second position closer to the placement portion (see FIG. 2A). Then, another substrate is pushed out of the magazine. In this manner, substrate processing is continuously repeated.

The substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described in more detail below, taking as an example a substrate processing apparatus that performs plasma processing (hereinafter referred to as a plasma processing apparatus). FIG. 8 is a perspective view that shows a schematic appearance of the substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 9 is a perspective view that shows a schematic base portion and an external guide. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus with the chamber closed, taken along line X-X in FIG. 8. The external guide is omitted in FIG. 10.

In the illustrated example, external guides are arranged on both the loading side and the unloading side of the plasma processing device, but this is not limited to this. In the illustrated example, the substrate is loaded into the chamber while sliding on the external guide, and plasma processing is performed. The substrate is then handed over from the chamber to another external guide 141 and transported to a magazine or the like. In the illustrated example, three pairs of external and internal guides are shown, but this is not limited to this.

The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a chamber 130 and a number of external guides 141 that transport the substrate 300 from the outside of the chamber 130 to the inside, or transport the substrate 300 from the chamber 130 to the outside.

The external guides 141 are arranged outside the chamber 130 with their longitudinal direction aligned with the transport direction A. The substrate 300 is supported by the external guides 141 and slides along the external guides 141 by a substrate moving unit (not shown). The substrate moving unit is arranged, for example, adjacent to the base unit 110 and includes an end effector movable in the transport direction A. In the loading process, the end effector pushes the end face of the substrate 300 supported by the external guides 141 opposite the chamber 130 toward the chamber 130 side, thereby placing the substrate 300 on the placement unit 112. In the unloading process, the end effector pushes the same end face of the substrate 300 placed on the placement unit 112, thereby moving the substrate 300 to the external guide 141 arranged on the opposite side to the loading side.

The external guide 141 is positioned at a position corresponding to the internal guide 150 that is positioned inside the chamber. As a result, the substrate 300 that has moved into the chamber 130 along the external guide 141 is easily accommodated between the pair of internal guides 150 and placed at a predetermined position on the placement section 112. Similarly, the substrate 300 in the chamber 130 is easily transferred from the internal guide 150 to the external guide 141 and removed from the chamber 130. These operations can be performed simultaneously for multiple substrates 300.

The chamber 130 comprises a box-shaped lid 120 having a ceiling and side walls extending from the periphery of the ceiling, and a base 110 having a mounting portion 112 and a base 111 supporting the mounting portion 112. An airtight space is formed by the end faces of the side walls of the lid 120 coming into close contact with the periphery of the base 110.

The base portion 110 is provided with a number of internal guides 150 that determine the position of the substrate 300 on the placement portion 112. The internal guides 150 are arranged on the placement portion 112, and divide the area above the placement portion 112 into a number of regions. This allows the multiple substrates 300 to be positioned at predetermined positions within the chamber 130. The substrate 300 is positioned by having both ends sandwiched between a pair of internal guides 150. Furthermore, the substrate 300 moves on the placement portion 112 while being guided by the pair of internal guides 150.

The shape of the internal guide 150 is not particularly limited, and has the same variations as the external guide 141. The internal guide 150 may be integrally held by a frame-shaped holder (not shown) arranged to surround the mounting portion 112. In this case, the holder may have a lifting mechanism that allows it to be raised and lowered relative to the mounting portion 112 between the lid portion 120 and the base portion 110 in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the lid portion 120.

The mounting part 112 is disposed on the surface of the base part 110 facing the lid part 120. The mounting part 112 is supported by the base body 111. The mounting part 112 is an electrode, and is composed of an upper electrode body 112a that faces the substrate 300 during plasma processing, and a lower electrode body 112b that faces the base body 111 via a first insulating member 114. A frame-shaped second insulating member 115 is attached to the outer edge of the mounting part 112 so as to be sandwiched between the upper electrode body 112a and the lower electrode body 112b. The base body 111 is grounded. The mounting part 112 is connected to the power supply unit 400, but is insulated from the base body 111.

By introducing process gas into the chamber from the gas supply means and applying high frequency power from the power supply unit 400 to the mounting unit 112, plasma is generated in the chamber 130. The lid unit 120 functions as a counter electrode for the mounting unit 112. The power supply unit 400 is composed of, for example, a high frequency power supply 401 and an automatic matching box 402. The automatic matching box 402 prevents interference caused by reflected waves of the high frequency applied between the mounting unit 112 and the lid unit 120.

A reduced pressure atmosphere can be maintained inside the chamber via an exhaust port 117 that communicates with the chamber. The exhaust port 117 communicates with a vacuum suction means (not shown). The vacuum suction means is composed of a vacuum pump, exhaust piping, a pressure adjustment valve, and the like. A seal member 116 is provided between the periphery of the substrate 111 and the end face of the side wall of the lid portion 120, enhancing the airtightness inside the chamber. Although not shown, the substrate processing apparatus 100 is equipped with a gas supply means for introducing a process gas that is a plasma raw material into the chamber. The gas supply means is composed of a gas cylinder that supplies a process gas such as argon, oxygen, or nitrogen, and piping that introduces the process gas into the chamber.

When the substrate 300 is loaded into the chamber or unloaded from the chamber, the lid 120 is moved away from the base 110 to open the chamber. On the other hand, when the substrate 300 is subjected to plasma processing, the end face of the side wall of the lid 120 is brought into close contact with the periphery of the base 111 as shown in FIG. 10, and the chamber is closed. The chamber is opened and closed by raising and lowering the lid 120. The raising and lowering of the lid 120 is controlled by a predetermined drive source (not shown).

The substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method according to the present invention can process substrates with high productivity while suppressing transport errors, and can be used for a variety of substrate processing.

100: Substrate processing apparatus 110: Base portion 111: Substrate 112: Mounting portion 112a: Upper electrode body 112b: Lower electrode body 114: First insulating member 115: Second insulating member 116: Sealing member 117: Exhaust port 120: Lid portion 130: Chamber 141: External guide 141a: Side guide surface 141b: Support surface 141c: Inclined surface 1411: First guide portion 1412: Second guide portion 143: Position regulating member 150: Internal guide 300: Substrate 400: Power supply portion 401: High frequency power supply 402: Automatic matching device 500: Magazine 2141: Guide 2143: Position regulating member

Claims (9)

An openable and closable chamber;
a mounting part disposed in the chamber and on which a substrate is placed;
a guide that guides the substrate from an upstream side to a downstream side in a transport direction at least one of when the substrate is carried from outside the chamber to the placement unit and when the substrate is carried from the placement unit to outside the chamber;
a substrate moving unit that moves the substrate along the guide;
a guide moving unit that moves the guide along the conveying direction,
The guide has a plurality of guide portions aligned in a conveying direction,
the guide portion includes a first guide portion disposed on the placement portion side and a second guide portion disposed on an opposite side of the first guide portion from the placement portion,
The guide movement part moves the first guide part to a first position outside the chamber when the chamber is closed, and moves the first guide part to a second position closer to the placement part than the first position when the chamber is opened. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first guide portion arranged at the second position and a portion of the second guide portion overlap in a plan view. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first guide portion and the second guide portion have inclined surfaces that engage with each other. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guide portion has an inclined surface at the upstream end that rises from the upstream to the downstream in the transport direction. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide movement unit moves the second guide portion to a position farther away from the first guide portion when the chamber is opened than when the chamber is closed. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate moving section moves the substrate downstream in the transport direction along the first guide portion at the second position. a loading step of placing the substrate on a placement part disposed in the chamber;
a processing step of processing the substrate after the carrying-in step;
and a carrying-out step of opening the chamber after the processing step and carrying the substrate out of the chamber,
In the carrying-out step, the substrate is guided by a plurality of guide portions aligned in a transport direction and transported from an upstream side to a downstream side in the transport direction,
the guide portion includes a first guide portion disposed on the placement portion side and a second guide portion disposed on an opposite side of the first guide portion from the placement portion,
During the processing step, the first guide portion is disposed at a first position outside the chamber;
The carrying-out step includes:
a first guide approaching step of moving the first guide portion in the first position to a second position closer to the placement portion than the first position after the chamber is opened;
a substrate moving step of moving the substrate from the placement portion to a position downstream of the first guide portion after the first guide approach step;
a first guide separating step of moving the first guide portion from the second position to the first position after the substrate moving step ;
a second guide separating step of moving the second guide portion to a position separated from the placement part before the substrate moving step;
A substrate processing method comprising : a loading step of opening the chamber and placing a substrate on a placement part disposed within the chamber;
a processing step of processing the substrate after the carrying-in step;
and a carrying-out step of carrying the substrate out of the chamber after the processing step,
In the carrying-in step, the substrate is guided by a plurality of guide portions aligned in a transport direction and transported from an upstream side to a downstream side in the transport direction;
the guide portion includes a first guide portion disposed on the placement portion side and a second guide portion disposed on an opposite side of the first guide portion from the placement portion,
The carrying-in step includes:
a first guide approaching step of moving the first guide portion located at a first position outside the chamber to a second position closer to the placement unit than the first position after the chamber is opened;
a substrate moving step of moving the substrate located upstream of the first guide portion to the placement section after the first guide approach step;
a first guide separating step of moving the first guide portion located at the second position to the first position after the substrate moving step ;
a second guide separating step of moving the second guide portion to a position separated from the placement part before the substrate moving step;
A substrate processing method comprising : The substrate processing method according to claim 7 , wherein the carrying-in step and the carrying-out step are performed in parallel.

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