SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PARTICLE ADHESION PREVENTING METHOD

• US 20100111648A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Hayashi, Teruyuki, Tamura, Akitake
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/332 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/34 operating with cathodic sputtering H01J37/36 takes precedence ; methods of cathodic sputtering C23C14/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3476 Testing and control
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67772 involving removal of lid, door, cover
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67778 involving loading and unloading of wafers

Abstract

Any particle adhesion onto the surface of a substrate to be processed is prevented. There is provided a substrate processing apparatus characterized by including a transfer chamber for, via a gate to which a substrate accommodating container for accommodation of the substrate is set, performing transfer of the substrate between the same and the substrate accommodating container, a processing chamber for applying a specific process to the substrate, a load-lock chamber for linking the processing chamber with the transfer chamber, and a temperature control unit for at the stage of transferring the substrate into at least one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber, so as for the temperature of the substrate just before the transfer thereof to be higher than the temperature of the interior of the chamber, into which the substrate will be transferred, controlling at least one of the temperature of the substrate and the temperature of the interior of the chamber.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a transfer chamber for performing delivery of a substrate, to be processed, from/to a substrate accommodating container, in which the substrate is accommodated, via a gate at which the substrate accommodating container is set;

a processing chamber for performing a specific process on the substrate;

a load-lock chamber for connecting the processing chamber with the transfer chamber; and

a temperature control unit for adjusting at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of at least one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into a selected one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the selected chamber.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit includes a means to adjust at least one of the temperature of the substrate accommodated in the substrate accommodating container and the internal temperature of the transfer chamber such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is transferred from the substrate accommodating container to the transfer chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the transfer chamber.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the temperature control unit includes a means to adjust at least one of the temperature of the substrate in the transfer chamber and the internal temperature of the load-lock chamber such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is transferred from the transfer chamber to the load-lock chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the load-lock chamber.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the temperature control unit includes a means to adjust at least one of the temperature of the substrate in the load-lock container and the internal temperature of the transfer chamber such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is transferred from the load-lock chamber to the transfer chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the transfer chamber.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit includes a light irradiator to adjust the temperature of the substrate by irradiating light having a predetermined wavelength to the substrate.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit includes a cool air supplier to adjust the internal temperature of the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, by supplying, to the selected chamber, cool air adjusted to have a temperature lower than the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into the selected chamber.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cool air supplier includes:

an air supplier for introducing exterior air into an interior of the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded; and

a cooler for generating the cool air by cooling the exterior air introduced by the air supplier.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit adjusts at least one of the temperature of the substrate and the internal temperature of the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into the selected chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the selected chamber by 2 to 12°

C.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, has an internal pressure of 200 Torr or more.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, has an internal pressure of 300 Torr or more.

11. A substrate processing apparatus, which includes a substrate accommodating container, in which a substrate to be processed is accommodated and which is set at a gate, loads the substrate from the substrate accommodating container into a transfer chamber via the gate, and performs a specific process on the substrate, comprising:

a temperature control unit to adjust at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of the transfer chamber such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded from the substrate accommodating container into the transfer chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the transfer chamber.

12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the temperature control unit includes a hot air supplier to adjust the temperature of the substrate by supplying, to an interior of the substrate accommodating container, hot air adjusted to have a temperature higher than the internal temperature of the transfer chamber.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hot air supplier is arranged in the vicinity of the substrate accommodating container, and is configured to supply the hot air to the interior of the substrate accommodating container via an air hole formed at the substrate accommodating container.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the transfer chamber has an air passage formed in the transfer chamber, to guide the hot air to the gate; and

the hot air supplier supplies the hot air through the gate to the interior of the substrate accommodating container via the air passage.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the transfer chamber has a plurality of gates, at each gate a corresponding substrate accommodating container being set; and

the air passage is provided for each of the gates.

16. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the transfer chamber includes a transfer unit having a substrate holder to hold the substrate; and

the temperature control unit includes a heater to heat the substrate when the substrate holder holds the substrate after being inserted into the substrate accommodating container, to take the substrate out of the substrate accommodating container.

17. A substrate processing apparatus, which includes a substrate accommodating container, in which a substrate to be processed is accommodated and which is set at a gate, loads the substrate from the substrate accommodating container into a transfer chamber via the gate, and performs a specific process on the substrate, comprising:

a receiving chamber connected to the transfer chamber, to temporarily receive the substrate; and

a temperature control unit arranged in the receiving chamber, to adjust a temperature of the substrate received in the receiving chamber such that the temperature of the substrate is higher than an internal temperature of the transfer chamber.

18. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the receiving chamber functions as a position aligning chamber to perform position alignment on the substrate; and

the temperature control unit adjusts the temperature of the substrate placed on a mounting table arranged in the position aligning chamber.

19. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the temperature control unit includes a light irradiator to adjust the temperature of the substrate by irradiating light having a predetermined wavelength to the substrate placed on the mounting table.

20. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the temperature control unit adjusts at least one of the temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of a target chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into the target chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the target chamber by 2 to 12°

C.

21. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 20, wherein the target chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, has an internal pressure of 200 Torr or more.

22. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 20, wherein the target chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, has an internal pressure of 300 Torr or more.

23. A method for preventing adhesion of particles to a surface of a substrate, to be processed, in a substrate processing apparatus including:

a transfer chamber for performing delivery of the substrate from/to a substrate accommodating container, in which the substrate is accommodated, via a gate at which the substrate accommodating container is set;

a processing chamber for performing a specific process on the substrate; and

a load-lock chamber for connecting the processing chamber with the transfer chamber,

the method comprising;

adjusting at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of at least one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into a selected one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the selected chamber.

24. A method for preventing adhesion of particles to a surface of a substrate, to be processed, in a substrate processing apparatus, which includes a substrate accommodating container, accommodating therein the substrate and being set at a gate, loads the substrate from the substrate accommodating container into a transfer chamber via the gate, and performs a specific process on the substrate,

the method comprising:

adjusting at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of the transfer chamber such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded from the substrate accommodating container into the transfer chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the transfer chamber.

25. A substrate processing apparatus, which transfers a substrate, to be processed, accommodated in a substrate accommodating container to a processing chamber via one or more chambers, and performs a specific process on the substrate, comprising:

a temperature control unit to adjust at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of at least one of the chambers, through which the substrate will pass between the substrate accommodating container and the processing chamber, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into a selected one of the chambers is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the selected chamber.

26. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, has an internal pressure of 200 Torr or more.

27. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the selected chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded, has an internal pressure of 300 Torr or more.

28. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a transfer chamber for performing delivery of a substrate, to be processed, from/to a substrate accommodating container, in which the substrate is accommodated, via a gate at which the substrate accommodating container is set;

a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate while moving in the transfer chamber;

a processing chamber for performing a specific process on the substrate;

a load-lock chamber for connecting the processing chamber with the transfer chamber;

a temperature control unit for adjusting at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of at least one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded by using the transfer mechanism, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into a selected one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the selected chamber; and

a flow forming means arranged in the transfer chamber, to forcibly form a flow of gas along a surface, to be processed, of the substrate transferred by using the transfer mechanism in an area where the transfer mechanism moves in the transfer chamber.

29. A method for preventing adhesion of particles to a surface of a substrate, to be processed, in a substrate processing apparatus including:

a transfer chamber for performing delivery of the substrate between the transfer chamber and a substrate accommodating container, in which the substrate is accommodated, via a gate at which the substrate accommodating container is set;

a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate while moving in the transfer chamber;

a processing chamber for performing a specific process on the substrate; and

a load-lock chamber for connecting the processing chamber with the transfer chamber,

the method comprising;

adjusting at least one of a temperature of the substrate and an internal temperature of at least one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber, into which the substrate will be loaded by using the transfer mechanism, such that the temperature of the substrate just before the substrate is loaded into a selected one of the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber is maintained to be higher than the internal temperature of the selected chamber; and

forcibly forming a flow of gas along a surface, to be processed, of the substrate transferred by using the transfer mechanism during the transfer of the substrate in the transfer chamber by using the transfer mechanism.