Substrate processing system, transfer module, substrate processing method, and method for manufacturing semiconductor element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9312153-B2
Application number	US-201113814358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2011
Priority date	Aug 6, 2010
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A substrate processing system is provided with: a first transfer unit, which extends from a loader module to a first processing chamber for processing substrates, to transfer the substrates; and a second transfer unit, which is provided below or above the first transfer unit and extends from the loader module to a second processing chamber for processing substrates, to transfer the substrates. The first processing chamber and the second processing chamber do not overlap in the vertical direction, and are disposed at positions separated from each other in a plan view. At the same time, at least a part of the first transfer unit and at least a part of the second transfer unit overlap each other in the vertical direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate processing system comprising:
a loader module which is provided with a plurality of ports configured to receive a plurality of cassettes accommodating therein first substrates and second substrates, and an atmospheric transfer robot;
a first transfer unit configured to transfer the first substrates between the loader module and at least one first processing chamber for processing the first substrates; and
a second transfer unit which is provided at a height different from that of the first transfer unit and is configured to transfer the second substrates between the loader module and at least one second processing chamber for processing the second substrates,
wherein the first transfer unit includes a first load-lock chamber, into which the first substrates are transferred by the atmospheric transfer robot, and a first transfer chamber provided with a first vacuum transfer robot for transferring the first substrates, which have been loaded into the first load-lock chamber, into said at least one first processing chamber,
wherein the second transfer unit includes a second load-lock chamber, into which the second substrates are transferred by the atmospheric transfer robot, and a second transfer chamber provided with a second vacuum transfer robot for transferring the second substrates, which have been loaded into the second load-lock chamber, into said at least one second processing chamber, and
wherein said at least one first processing chamber and said at least one second processing chamber are not vertically overlapped and at least a portion of the first transfer unit and at least a portion of the second transfer unit are vertically overlapped,
wherein at least a portion of the first load-lock chamber and a portion of the first transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with the loader module, and
wherein, when the portion of the first transfer chamber is placed on the loader module, a support member supporting the first transfer chamber is provided to prevent a weight of the first transfer chamber from being applied to the loader module.

2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the first transfer chamber of the first transfer unit and the second load-lock chamber of the second transfer unit are vertically overlapped.

3. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the ports are arranged in a line in a plan view, and the loader module includes an atmospheric transfer chamber which is elongated in an arrangement direction of the ports and which is provided with the atmospheric transfer robot,
an extension of a line connecting the center of each of said at least one first processing chamber to the center of the first transfer chamber intersects with the arrangement direction of the ports at an acute angle in a plan view, and
an extension of a line connecting the center of each of said at least one second processing chamber to the center of the second transfer chamber intersects with the arrangement direction of the ports at an acute angle in a plan view.

4. The substrate processing system of claim 3 , wherein the first transfer chamber is connected with two first processing chambers,
the second transfer chamber is connected with two second processing chambers,
a V shape is made by lines respectively connecting the centers of the two first processing chambers to the center of the first transfer chamber in a plan view, and
a V shape is made by lines respectively connecting the centers of the two second processing chambers with the center of the second transfer chamber in a plan view.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 4 , wherein the two first processing chambers are arranged closer to the loader module than the two second processing chambers, and
the second transfer unit is arranged in a space between the two first processing chambers.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 4 , wherein the two first processing chambers are respectively arranged to be directed in directions of the lines connecting the centers of the two first processing chambers with the center of the first transfer chamber, and
the two second processing chambers are respectively arranged to be directed in directions of the lines connecting the centers of the two second processing chambers with the center of the second transfer chamber.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 6 , wherein the first substrates are transferred into/out of the first processing chambers along the lines connecting the centers of the first processing chambers to the center of the first transfer chamber, and
the second substrates are transferred into/out of the second processing chambers along the lines connecting the centers of the second processing chambers to the center of the second transfer chamber.

8. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the loader module is provided with an additional atmospheric transfer robot so that two atmospheric transfer robots are provided.

9. The substrate processing system of claim 8 , wherein the ports are arranged in a line in a plan view, and the loader module includes an atmospheric transfer chamber which is extended along the arrangement direction of the ports,
the atmospheric transfer chamber has an orienter for substrate alignment in the longitudinal center of the atmospheric transfer chamber, and the two atmospheric transfer robots arranged on longitudinally opposite sides of the atmospheric transfer chamber, and
each of the two atmospheric transfer robots is able to access the orienter, the first load-lock chamber and the second load-lock chamber.

10. The substrate processing system of claim 9 , wherein the first transfer unit includes an additional first load-lock chamber so that two first load-lock chambers are provided, and the second transfer unit includes an additional second load-lock chamber so that two second load-lock chambers are provided.

11. The substrate processing system of claim 10 , wherein a length of a substrate transfer pass from the orienter to the first processing chamber via the first transfer unit remains unchanged whether the substrate transfer path goes through either of the two first load-lock chambers, and
a length of a substrate transfer pass from the orienter to the second processing chamber via the second transfer unit remains unchanged whether the substrate transfer path goes through either of the two second load-lock chambers.

12. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein an inspection device for inspecting a substrate and a storage for accommodating the substrate are connected to each of at least one of the first transfer chamber and the second transfer chamber.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one first processing chamber is arranged closer to the loader module than said at least one second processing chamber, and
the first transfer unit is disposed above the second transfer unit.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 13 , wherein said at least one first processing chamber is mounted on a base such that an installation plane on which said at least one first processing chamber is installed becomes higher than an installation plane on which said at least one second processing chamber is installed.

15. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a gas supply system and a radio frequency power supplying unit is provided at an upper portion of at least one of said at least one first processing chamber and said at least one second processing chamber, and a gas exhausting unit for vacuum-exhausting the interiors of said

Assignees

• Hiroki Tsutomu
• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Hiroki Tsutomu

Classifications

• H10P72/0454

  surrounding a central transfer chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0466

  characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0464

  characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0458

  vertical arrangement · CPC title