Resist processing system

• US 5,972,110 A
• Filed: 09/02/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Akimoto, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LAURA ESTELLE
• Application Number:
  US08/921,716
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 118/52, 118/58, 118/66, 118/69, 118/500, 118/319, 118/320, 414/222, 414/225, 414/935, 414/937, 414/941
• US Class Current: 118/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67161 characterized by the layout of the process chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67178 vertical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67184 characterized by the presence of more than one transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67754 horizontal transfer of a batch of workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/137 including means for charging or discharging wafer cassette
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/141 includes means for gripping wafer

Abstract

A resist processing system includes a plurality of processing units each having a plurality of compartments stacked one upon the other in a vertical direction, a solution processing device arranged in a compartment positioned in a lower portion of the processing unit for applying a process solution to a substrate W while rotating the substrate, a heating device arranged in a compartment positioned in an upper portion of the processing unit for heating the substrate, a cooling device arranged in an intermediate compartment positioned between the compartment having the heating device arranged therein and the compartment having the solution processing device arranged therein for cooling the substrate, and a main arm mechanism arranged in each of the processing units and provided with a plurality of holders for transferring the substrate W into and out of each compartment, the holder being movable into and out of each of the compartments included in the processing unit, movable in a Z-axis direction, and swingable about the Z-axis by an angle θ.

Claims

1. A resist processing system, comprising:

a plurality of processing units each having a plurality of compartments stacked one upon the other in a vertical direction;

a solution processing device arranged in a compartment positioned in a lower portion of one of said processing units for applying a process solution to a substrate while rotating said substrate;

a heating device arranged in a compartment positioned in an upper portion of the one processing unit for heating the substrate;

a cooling device arranged in an intermediate positioned compartment between the compartment having said heating device arranged therein and the compartment having said solution processing device arranged therein for cooling the substrate said cooling device thermally insulating said heating device from the solution processing device to prevent heat generated in the heating device from being transmitted to the solution processing device; and

a main arm mechanism arranged in each of said processing units and provided with a plurality of holders for transferring the substrate into and out of each compartment, said holders being movable into and out of each of the compartments included in the processing units, movable in a Z-axis direction, and swingable about the Z-axis by an angle θ

.

2. The resist processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a relay section arranged between said main arm mechanisms for transfer of the substrate from one main arm mechanism to the other main arm mechanism.

3. The resist processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a sub-arm mechanism arranged for each of the processing units, movable toward and away from the heating device and the cooling device included in the same processing unit, movable in a Z-axis direction, and being equipped with a plurality of holders for transferring the substrate from the heating device to the cooling device within the same processing unit.

4. The resist processing system according to claim 3, wherein said sub-arm mechanism is adapted to transfer said substrate in and out of said heating and cooling devices in directions opposite to those of the main arm mechanism.

5. The resist processing system according to claim 3, wherein the compartment housing the heating device has two substrate transfer openings, and the compartment housing the cooling device also has two substrate transfer openings.

6. The resist processing system according to claim 1, wherein said plural processing units are arranged in series.

13. The resist processing system according to claim 1, wherein a solution processing device, a heating device and a cooling device are arranged in each of said processing units.

7. A resist processing system, comprising:

a process section for applying a resist treatment to a substrate; and

a load/unload section for loading/unloading the substrate into/out of said process section;

said process section including;

a plurality of processing units each having a plurality of compartments stacked one upon the other in a vertical direction;

a solution processing device arranged in a compartment positioned in a lower portion of one of said processing units for applying a process solution to the substrate while rotating said substrate;

a heating device arranged in a compartment positioned in an upper portion of the one processing unit for heating the substrate;

a cooling device arranged in an intermediate compartment positioned between the compartment having said heating device arranged therein and the compartment having said solution processing device arranged therein for cooling the substrate said cooling device thermally insulating said heating device from the solution processing device to prevent heat generated in the heating device from being transmitted to the solution processing device; and

a main arm mechanism arranged in each of said processing units and provided with a plurality of holders for transferring the substrate into and out of each compartment, said holders being movable into and out of each of the compartments included in the processing units, movable in a Z-axis direction, and swingable about the Z-axis by an angle θ

, at least one of said main arm mechanisms serving to transfer the substrate between the load/unload section and the processing unit.

8. The resist processing system according to claim 7, further comprising a relay section arranged between said main arm mechanisms for transfer of the substrate from one main arm mechanism to the other main arm mechanism.

9. The resist processing system according to claim 7, further comprising a sub-arm mechanism arranged for each of the processing units, movable toward and away from the heating device and the cooling device included in the same processing unit, movable in a Z-axis direction, and being equipped with a plurality of holders for transferring the substrate from the heating device to the cooling device within the same processing unit.

10. The resist processing system according to claim 9, wherein said sub-arm mechanism is adapted to transfer said substrate in and out of said heating and cooling devices in directions opposite to those of the main arm mechanism.

11. The resist processing system according to claim 9, wherein the compartment housing the heating device has two substrate transfer openings, and the compartment housing the cooling device also has two substrate transfer openings.

12. The resist processing system according to claim 7, wherein said plural processing units are arranged in series.

14. The resist processing system according to claim 7, wherein a solution processing device, a heating device and a cooling device are arranged in each of said processing units.

15. A resist processing system, comprising:

a plurality of processing units each having a stack comprising a plurality of compartments stacked one upon the other in a vertical direction;

a solution processing device arranged in a compartment positioned in a first compartment of a stack in one of said processing units;

a heating device arranged in a second compartment positioned over said first compartment in said stack in said one processing unit;

a cooling device arranged in a third compartment disposed between the first and second compartments in said stack of said one processing unit; and

a main arm mechanism arranged in each of said processing units and provided with a plurality of holders for transferring the substrate into and out of compartments in respective ones of said stacks.

16. The resist processing system according to claim 15, comprising:

said cooling device thermally insulating said heating device from the solution processing device to prevent heat generated in the heating device from being transmitted to the solution processing device.

17. The resist processing system according to claim 15, comprising:

said holders being movable into and out of each of the compartments included a stack of each of said processing units, movable in a Z-axis direction, and swingable about the Z-axis by an angle θ

.

18. The resist processing system according to claim 15, wherein said stack in said one processing device comprises:

a plurality of heating devices arranged in upper compartments of said stack in said one processing unit; and

a plurality of cooling devices arranged in compartments disposed between said plurality of heating devices and said solution processing device in said stack of said one processing unit.

19. The resist processing system according to claim 15, wherein a solution processing device, a heating device and a cooling device are arranged in each of said processing units.