Substrate processing apparatus for managing transfer state of substrate gas storage container based on supply flow rate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9960065-B2
Application number	US-201414318333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

Provided are a substrate processing apparatus, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, which are capable of reducing an effect on a substrate, which is caused by a change in an atmosphere in a substrate storage container, by appropriately supplying an inert gas into the substrate storage container. The substrate processing apparatus includes a purge mechanism installed in at least one of a support unit and a receiving unit accommodating a substrate storage container, and configured to supply an inert gas into the substrate storage container; a monitoring unit configured to compare a flow rate of the predetermined gas supplied into the substrate storage container via the purge mechanism with a preset reference value and output a signal indicating a result of comparison between the flow rate of the predetermined gas and the preset reference value; and a management unit configured to manage use of the substrate storage container, based on the signal outputted from the monitoring unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a gas supply unit configured to supply a gas into a substrate storage container, wherein the gas supply unit is installed in a loading port or a rotary pod shelf where the substrate storage container is placed, the gas supply unit comprising: a position sensor configured to detect whether the substrate storage container is placed on the loading port or the rotary pod shelf; a valve configured to supply the gas therethrough; and a detection unit configured to detect a flow rate of the gas supplied into the substrate storage container;
a substrate storage container transfer device configured to transfer the substrate storage container between the loading port and the rotary pod shelf;
a transfer controller configured to control the substrate storage container transfer device;
a gas supply controller configured to compare the flow rate of the gas supplied into the substrate storage container via the gas supply unit to a preset reference value and to output a signal indicating a result of comparison between the flow rate of the gas and the preset reference value; and
a controller configured to control a transfer state of the substrate storage container by controlling the substrate storage container transfer device via the transfer controller,
wherein the controller is configured to manage a state of the gas in the substrate storage container based on the signal outputted from the gas supply controller, and
the gas supply controller is configured to monitor the flow rate of the gas via the detection unit to determine whether the flow rate of the gas is equal to or higher than the preset reference value while the gas supply unit supplies the gas into the substrate storage container during a period from a loading of the substrate storage container onto the loading port to an unloading of the substrate storage container from the loading port out of the substrate processing apparatus,
wherein the controller is configured to:
receive instruction data, said instruction data including a carrier ID of the substrate storage container and a type of substrate accommodated in the substrate storage container and a purging schedule; based on said instruction data said controller is further configured to:
instruct the transfer controller to start loading the substrate storage container,
identify the substrate storage container based on the carrier ID included in the instruction data,
determine whether the substrate storage container, which has arrived at the loading port, is identical to the substrate storage container instructed to be loaded, and
control the gas supply controller to start purging the substrate storage container placed on the loading port.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas supply controller is configured to determine a state of the substrate storage container to be faulty when a gas flow state, in which the flow rate of the gas is less than the preset reference value, lasts longer than a first monitoring time period.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gas supply controller is configured to determine a faulty state of the substrate storage container to be cleared when a gas flow state, in which the flow rate of the gas is greater than the preset reference value, lasts longer than a second monitoring time period.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas supply controller is configured to: determine a state of the substrate storage container to be faulty when a gas flow state, in which the flow rate of the gas is less than the preset reference value, lasts longer than a first monitoring time period; and determine that the flow rate of the gas is recovered when the flow rate of the gas is greater than the preset reference value before the first monitoring time period elapses.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to output to the gas supply controller an instruction to supply an inert gas into the substrate storage container placed on the loading port or the rotary pod shelf according to a type of a substrate accommodated in the substrate storage container.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to output an instruction to the gas supply controller to supply the gas to the substrate storage container depending on information at least indicating whether to supply the gas into the substrate storage container, and
the gas supply controller is further configured to: supply the gas to the substrate storage container based on the instruction when the substrate storage container is placed on the loading port or the rotary pod shelf; and stop supplying the gas when the substrate storage container is supported by the substrate storage container transfer device after the substrate storage container is unloaded from the loading port or the rotary pod shelf.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein, when the instruction to supply the gas is outputted, the controller is further configured to: designate the substrate storage container as being in a faulty state when a state of the flow rate of the gas being less than the preset reference value lasts longer than a first monitoring time period; and inhibit the substrate storage container indicated as being in the faulty state from being loaded onto and unloaded from the loading port or the rotary pod shelf.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein, when the instruction to supply the gas is outputted, the controller is further configured to: clear an indication of the faulty state of the substrate storage container when a state of the flow rate of the gas being greater than the preset reference value lasts longer than a second monitoring time period; and permit the substrate storage container to be loaded onto and unloaded from the loading port or the rotary pod shelf.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to output an instruction to: supply an inert gas into the substrate storage container when a type of a substrate accommodated in the substrate storage container is a product substrate, and not supply the inert gas into the substrate storage container when the type of the substrate accommodated in the substrate storage container is a dummy substrate.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to monitor whether the flow rate of the gas is equal to or higher than the preset reference value while the gas supply unit supplies the gas into the substrate storage container in association with a moving operation of the substrate storage container by the transfer storage transfer device.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to monitor whether the flow rate of the gas is equal to or higher than the preset reference value while the gas supply unit supplies the gas into the substrate storage container in association with pick-up operation and placing operation of the substrate storage container.

Assignees

• Hitachi Int Electric Inc

Inventors

• Kawasaki Junichi
• Funakura Mitsuru

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/0616

  Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0604 Primary

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

  characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier · CPC title