Processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020227293-A1
Application number	US-202016737512-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2020
Priority date	Jan 10, 2019
Publication date	Jul 16, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A processing apparatus includes: a plurality of process modules concatenated with one another; and a loader module configured to receive a carrier accommodating a plurality of substrates to be processed by the plurality of process modules, wherein each of the plurality of process modules includes: a heat treatment unit including a processing container configured to accommodate the plurality of substrates and perform a heat treatment on the plurality of substrates; and a gas supply unit disposed on one side surface of the heat treatment unit and configured to supply a gas into the processing container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A processing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of process modules concatenated with one another; and a loader module configured to receive a carrier accommodating a plurality of substrates to be processed by the plurality of process modules, wherein each of the plurality of process modules comprises:
a heat treatment unit including a processing container configured to accommodate the plurality of substrates and perform a heat treatment on the plurality of substrates; and
a gas supply unit disposed on one side surface of the heat treatment unit and configured to supply a gas into the processing container.

2 . The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas supply unit is spaced apart from a floor.

3 . The processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the heat treatment unit includes a gas introduction port disposed at a side of the gas supply unit and configured to introduce the gas into the processing container.

4 . The processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of process modules includes an exhaust duct facing the gas supply unit with the heat treatment unit interposed between the gas supply unit and the exhaust duct, and including an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust the gas in the processing container

5 . The processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the heat treatment unit includes an exhaust port disposed at a side of the exhaust duct and configured to exhaust the gas in the processing container.

6 . The processing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of process modules includes a load unit disposed below the heat treatment unit, and configured to accommodate a substrate holder with which the plurality of substrates is delivered between the heat treatment unit and the load unit.

7 . The processing apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a substrate transfer module that includes a substrate transfer mechanism configured to deliver the plurality of substrates between the loader module and the load unit provided in each of the plurality of process modules.

8 . The processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the gas supply unit overlaps with the substrate transfer module in a plan view.

9 . The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment unit includes a gas introduction port disposed at a side of the gas supply unit and configured to introduce the gas into the processing container.

10 . The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of process modules includes an exhaust duct facing the gas supply unit with the heat treatment unit interposed between the gas supply unit and the exhaust duct, and including an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust the gas in the processing container.

11 . The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of process modules includes a load unit disposed below the heat treatment unit, and configured to accommodate a substrate holder with which the plurality of substrates is delivered between the heat treatment unit and the load unit.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Kadobe Masato
• Nasukawa Shinya
• Nitadori Hiromi
• Kikuchi Kazuyuki
• Kaneko Hirofumi

Classifications

• H10P72/3312

  Vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces · CPC title

• H10P72/0431

  Apparatus for thermal treatment · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10P72/0456 Primary

  in-line arrangement · CPC title

• H10P72/0452

  characterised by the layout of the process chambers · CPC title