Gas-tight module and exhaust method therefor

Abstract

The present invention provides a gas-tight module and an exhaust method using the gas-tight module, capable of preventing the collapse of a pattern formed on a principal surface of a substrate, without lowering throughput. A load lock module of a substrate processing system includes a transfer arm, a chamber, and a load lock module exhaust system. A plate-like member is disposed in the chamber such as to face the principal surface of a wafer transferred into the chamber. An exhaust passage isolated from the remaining space in the chamber is defined by the wafer and the plate-like member at a location right above the principal surface of the wafer. The sectional area of the exhaust passage is smaller than that of the remaining space in the chamber.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to an airtight module and a method for exhausting the airtight module, and more particularly to an airtight module having a chamber into which a substrate having a pattern formed on its main surface is subjected to predetermined processing. Background technique [0002] A substrate processing system that performs predetermined processing, such as plasma processing, on a wafer as a substrate includes: a processing module (process module) that accommodates a wafer and performs plasma processing on the wafer; a load lock module for carrying out the processing module; and a loader module for taking out wafers from a container for storing a plurality of wafers and delivering them to the load lock module. [0003] Generally, a load lock module of a substrate processing system has a function of having a chamber for receiving a wafer, receiving the wafer under atmospheric pressure, and opening the processing module after the chamb...

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Problems solved by technology

[0007] When the pattern falls on the main surface of the wafer, it will cause short circuit and other defects in the semiconductor device manufactured from the wafer, which will eventually lead to a decrease in the productivity of the manufactured semiconductor device

[0008] In the prior art, in order to cope with this situation, in the load lock module, the movement amount of the gas molecules in the chamber is reduced by reducing the exhaust velocity during vacuum exhaust, so as to prevent the pattern from falling over, but the following will occur Problem, that is, if the exhaust speed during vacuum exhaust is reduced, it takes a long time to reach the specified vacuum degree, so the productivity of the substrate processing system is significantly reduced

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