Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method are provided. A plurality of temperature control target portions provided in a plurality of processing modules are independently adjusted to desired temperatures using a single chiller. A substrate processing apparatus is an apparatus for processing a substrate, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has: a plurality of chambers that house the substrate; a plurality of temperature control target portions provided in the plurality of chambers; a single chiller that is provided in common for the plurality of temperature control target portions, supplies a first temperature adjustment medium and a second temperature adjustment medium; a plurality of flow adjustment portions that are connected to the plurality of temperature control target portions and to the chiller, and are configured to be able to adjust a flow ratio of the first temperature adjustment medium and the second temperature adjustment medium; and a control portion that independently adjusts the temperature of each of the temperature control target portions by controlling the flow adjustment portions.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. BACKGROUND

[0002] A vacuum processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has a plurality of processing units and a cold machine that is connected to refrigerant flow paths provided in each of sample stages in the processing units to supply and circulate refrigerant adjusted to a desired temperature. The vacuum processing apparatus includes one circulation path and another path. The one circulation path is a circulation path in which refrigerant is branched after being discharged from the cold machine, supplied to the refrigerant flow paths of the plurality of sample stages, and returned to the cold machine after flowing out of the refrigerant flow paths of the sample stages and merging. The other path is a circulation path in which refrigerant is discharged from the cold machine, bypasses the branching portion, the plurality of sample stages, and the merging portion, and is returned to the cold machine.

[0003] Prior art documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-162794 SUMMARY

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] The technology related to the present disclosure independently adjusts a plurality of temperature control target portions respectively provided in a plurality of processing modules to a desired temperature using a single cold machine.

[0008] Solution to the problem

[0009] A technical solution of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus that is an apparatus that processes a substrate, in which the substrate processing apparatus has: a plurality of chambers that house the substrate; a plurality of temperature control target portions that are respectively provided in the plurality of chambers; a single cold machine that is provided in common for the plurality of temperature control target portions to supply a first temperature adjustment medium and a second temperature adjustment medium; a plurality of flow adjustment portions that are respectively connected to the plurality of temperature control target portions and connected to the cold machine and configured to be able to adjust a flow ratio of the first temperature adjustment medium and the second temperature adjustment medium; and a control portion that independently adjusts the temperature for each of the temperature control target portions by controlling the flow adjustment portion.

[0010] Effects of the invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, a plurality of temperature control target portions respectively provided in a plurality of processing modules can be independently adjusted to a desired temperature using a single cold machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of a wafer processing apparatus to which the present embodiment is applied.

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of a processing module.

[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing the structure of a cooling module.

[0015] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of a cooling module.

[0016] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the temperature switching timing of the chamber of each processing module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer") is processed by generating plasma by exciting a processing gas. Specifically, plasma processing is performed in a state where the wafer is held on a stage provided in the inside of a chamber.

[0018] When plasma processing is performed, the temperature of the wafer needs to be adjusted according to the process for the purpose of etching processing, film forming processing, diffusion processing, and the like. Therefore, for example, a cooling medium is supplied to the stage from a chiller, and the temperature of the stage is adjusted.

[0019] Here, in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a plurality of processing modules are provided in one wafer processing apparatus, and the plurality of processing modules are operated simultaneously, so that a semiconductor device is efficiently manufactured. Also, conventionally, in order to adjust the temperature of the stages of the plurality of processing modules, chillers are provided in the respective processing modules. However, if a plurality of chillers are provided in this way, there are problems that the installation cost is consumed, the floor area (occupied area) of the wafer processing apparatus becomes large, energy is consumed by operating a plurality of chillers, maintenance becomes complicated, and the like.

[0020] In this regard, in the vacuum processing apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, a single chiller is provided with respect to a plurality of processing units (processing modules). Also, in Patent Literature 1, it is described that, among the plurality of processing modules, when processing is performed under the same or substantially equal conditions, the sample stages (stages) of the plurality of processing modules are set to the same temperature. Also, in Patent Literature 1, it is described that, among the plurality of processing modules, when different processes are performed, the temperatures of the stages of the plurality of processing modules are adjusted in a short time.

[0021] However, in the cold machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a so-called single cold machine is used, and only a single temperature cooling medium is supplied from the cold machine. Therefore, the stages of the plurality of processing modules are adjusted to the same temperature, and cannot be adjusted to different temperatures according to the processing. Thus, the conventional wafer processing apparatus has room for improvement.

[0022] The technology related to the present disclosure uses a single cold machine to independently adjust a plurality of temperature control target portions respectively provided in a plurality of processing modules to desired temperatures. Hereinafter, a wafer processing apparatus as a substrate processing apparatus and a wafer processing method as a substrate processing method related to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, in the present specification and the drawings, the same reference numerals are attached to elements having substantially the same functional structure, and repetitive description is omitted.

[0023] < WAFER PROCESSING APPARATUS >

[0024] First, the wafer processing apparatus related to the present embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the wafer processing apparatus 1 related to the present embodiment. In the wafer processing apparatus 1, a wafer W as a substrate is subjected to processing such as etching processing, film formation processing, diffusion processing, and the like.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1 , the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a structure in which an atmospheric portion 10 and a reduced pressure portion 11 are connected in one body by means of load lock modules 20, 21. The atmospheric portion 10 includes an atmospheric module that performs desired processing on the wafer W under an atmospheric atmosphere. The reduced pressure portion 11 includes a reduced pressure module that performs desired processing on the wafer W under a reduced pressure atmosphere.

[0026] The load lock modules 20, 21 are provided so as to link a load module 30 of the atmospheric portion 10 and a transfer module 50 of the reduced pressure portion 11 by means of a gate valve (not shown). The load lock modules 20, 21 are configured to temporarily hold the wafer W. In addition, the load lock modules 20, 21 are configured to be capable of switching the inside between the atmospheric atmosphere and the reduced pressure atmosphere (vacuum state).

[0027] The atmospheric portion 10 has the load module 30 provided with a wafer transport mechanism 40 described later and a load port 32 on which a ring 31 capable of storing a plurality of wafers W is placed. In addition, an orientation module (not shown) that adjusts the orientation of the wafer W in the horizontal direction, a storage module (not shown) that stores a plurality of wafers W, and the like can be provided adjacent to the load module 30.

[0028] The load module 30 includes a housing that is rectangular in internal shape, and the inside of the housing is maintained as an atmospheric atmosphere. A plurality of, for example, five load ports 32 are provided side by side on one side of the long side of the housing of the load module 30. The load lock modules 20, 21 are provided side by side on the other side of the long side of the housing of the load module 30.

[0029] A wafer conveyance mechanism 40 that conveys the wafer W is provided inside the load module 30. The wafer conveyance mechanism 40 has a conveyance arm 41 that holds the wafer W and moves, a rotary stage 42 that supports the conveyance arm 41 so as to be rotatable, and a rotary placement stage 43 on which the rotary stage 42 is mounted. In addition, a guide rail 44 that extends in the length direction of the load module 30 is provided inside the load module 30. The rotary placement stage 43 is provided on the guide rail 44, and the wafer conveyance mechanism 40 is configured to be movable along the guide rail 44.

[0030] The reduced-pressure section 11 has a transfer module 50 that simultaneously conveys the wafers W, and a processing module 60 that performs a desired process on the wafers W conveyed from the transfer module 50. The inside of the transfer module 50 and the inside of the processing module 60 are each maintained as a reduced-pressure atmosphere. With one transfer module 50, a plurality of, for example, six processing modules 60 are provided. In the following description, the six processing modules 60 are sometimes referred to as processing modules 60a to 60f, respectively. Furthermore, the number and arrangement of the processing modules 60 are not limited to this embodiment, and can be set arbitrarily.

[0031] The transfer module 50 includes a housing that is polygonal (pentagonal in the illustrated example) in internal shape, and is connected to the load lock modules 20, 21 as described above. The transfer module 50 conveys the wafers W that have been fed into the load lock module 20 to one of the processing modules 60 and have been subjected to a desired process, and feeds them out to the atmospheric section 10 via the load lock module 21.

[0032] The processing module 60 performs a process such as an etching process, a film formation process, a diffusion process, or the like. In the processing module 60, a module that performs a process corresponding to the purpose of the wafer process can be selected arbitrarily. In addition, the processing module 60 is connected to the transfer module 50 by way of a gate valve 61. In the following description, the six gate valves 61 are sometimes referred to as gate valves 61a to 61f, respectively, with respect to the processing modules 60a to 60f. Furthermore, the structure of this processing module 60 is described later.

[0033] Inside the transfer module 50, a wafer conveying mechanism 70 that conveys the wafer W is provided. The wafer conveying mechanism 70 has a conveying arm 71 that holds the wafer W and moves, a rotary stage 72 that supports the conveying arm 71 so as to be rotatable, and a rotary mounting stage 73 on which the rotary stage 72 is mounted. In addition, inside the transfer module 50, a guide rail 74 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the transfer module 50 is provided. The rotary mounting stage 73 is provided on the guide rail 74, and the wafer conveying mechanism 70 is configured to be movable along the guide rail 74.

[0034] In the transfer module 50, the wafer W held in the load lock module 20 is received by the conveying arm 71, and is conveyed to the processing module 60. In addition, the wafer W to which a desired process has been applied is held by the conveying arm 71, and is delivered to the load lock module 21.

[0035] Next, wafer processing using the wafer processing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

[0036] First, the ring 31 in which a plurality of wafers W are accommodated is placed in the load port 32.

[0037] Next, the wafer W is taken out of the ring 31 by the wafer conveying mechanism 40, and is delivered to the load lock module 20. At the time of delivery of the wafer W to the load lock module 20, the inside of the load lock module 20 is closed and depressurized. Thereafter, the inside of the load lock module 20 is communicated with the inside of the transfer module 50.

[0038] Next, the wafer W is held by the wafer conveying mechanism 70, and is conveyed from the load lock module 20 to the transfer module 50.

[0039] Next, the gate valve 61 is opened, and the wafer W is delivered to the processing module 60 by the wafer conveying mechanism 70. Thereafter, the gate valve 61 is closed, and the wafer W is subjected to a desired process in the processing module 60. Further, the process performed on the wafer W will be described later.

[0040] Next, the gate valve 61 is opened, and the wafer W is delivered from the processing module 60 by the wafer conveying mechanism 70. Thereafter, the gate valve 61 is closed.

[0041] Next, the wafer W is delivered to the load lock module 21 by the wafer conveying mechanism 70. At the time of delivery of the wafer W to the load lock module 21, the inside of the load lock module 21 is closed, and is opened to the atmosphere. Thereafter, the inside of the load lock module 21 is communicated with the inside of the load module 30.

[0042] Next, the wafer W is held by the wafer conveying mechanism 40, and is returned from the load lock module 21 via the load module 30 and is accommodated in the ring 31. Thus, a series of wafer processing in the wafer processing apparatus 1 is ended.

[0043] <Processing module>

[0044] Next, the above-described processing module 60 will be described. Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the processing module 60.

[0045] As Figure 2 shown, the processing module 60 includes a plasma processing apparatus 100 and a control section 101. The plasma processing apparatus 100 includes a plasma processing chamber 110, a gas supply section 120, an RF (Radio Frequency) power supply section 130, and an exhaust system 140. In addition, the plasma processing apparatus 100 includes a mounting table 111 and an upper electrode showerhead 112. The mounting table 111 is disposed at a lower region of a plasma processing space 110s within the plasma processing chamber 110. The upper electrode showerhead 112 is disposed above the mounting table 111 and can function as a part of a ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 110.

[0046] The mounting table 111 is configured to support a wafer W within the plasma processing space 110s. In an embodiment, the mounting table 111 includes a base table 113, a lower electrode 114, an electrostatic chuck 115, and a edge ring 116. The lower electrode 114 is disposed on the base table 113. The electrostatic chuck 115 is disposed on the lower electrode 114 and is configured to support the wafer W with an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 115. The edge ring 116 is disposed to surround the wafer W on an upper surface of a peripheral portion of the lower electrode 114. In addition, although not shown, in an embodiment, the mounting table 111 can further include a lift pin configured to penetrate the mounting table 111 and to abut against a lower surface of the wafer W in a liftable manner.

[0047] A refrigerant flow path 150 is formed inside the base 113. A cooling module 200 provided outside the plasma processing chamber 110 supplies a cooling medium (hereinafter referred to as "refrigerant") to the refrigerant flow path 150 via a refrigerant supply pipe 151. Further, the refrigerant is one example of a temperature adjustment medium. The temperature adjustment medium includes a thermal medium in addition to the refrigerant. The refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant flow path 150 is returned to the cooling module 200 via a refrigerant recovery pipe 152. In the following description, in order to distinguish from the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant described later, the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant flow path 150, the refrigerant supply pipe 151, and the refrigerant recovery pipe 152 is sometimes referred to as "circulation refrigerant". In addition, the six refrigerant supply pipes 151 and the six refrigerant recovery pipes 152 are sometimes referred to as refrigerant supply pipes 151a to 151f and refrigerant recovery pipes 152a to 152f, respectively, with respect to the processing modules 60a to 60f. Thus, by circulating the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 150, it is possible to adjust the stage 111 and the wafer W placed on the stage 111 to a desired temperature. That is, in the present embodiment, the stage 111 is a temperature control target portion in the present disclosure. Further, the structure of the cooling module 200 is described later.

[0048] Further, although not illustrated, in one embodiment, the stage 111 can further include another temperature adjustment module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 115 and the wafer W to a desired temperature. The other temperature adjustment module can include a heater, a flow path, or a combination thereof. A temperature adjustment fluid such as a heat transfer gas flows in the flow path.

[0049] The upper electrode showerhead 112 is configured to supply one or more than one kind of processing gas from the gas supply portion 120 to the plasma processing space 110s. In one embodiment, the upper electrode showerhead 112 has a gas inlet 112a, a gas diffusion chamber 112b, and a plurality of gas outlets 112c. The gas inlet 112a is in fluid communication with the gas supply portion 120 and the gas diffusion chamber 112b. The plurality of gas outlets 112c are in fluid communication with the gas diffusion chamber 112b and the plasma processing space 110s. In one embodiment, the upper electrode showerhead 112 is configured to supply one or more than one kind of processing gas from the gas inlet 112a to the plasma processing space 110s via the gas diffusion chamber 112b and the plurality of gas outlets 112c.

[0050] The gas supply section 120 can further include one or more gas sources 121 and one or more flow controllers 122. In an embodiment, the gas supply section 120 is configured to supply one or more processing gases from the gas sources 121 corresponding thereto to the gas inlet 112a via the flow controllers 122 corresponding thereto, respectively. Each of the flow controllers 122 can further include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Further, the gas supply section 120 can further include one or more flow modulation devices that modulate or pulse the flow of one or more processing gases.

[0051] The RF power supply section 130 is configured to supply RF power, for example, one or more RF signals, to one or more electrodes in a manner to supply the lower electrode 114, the upper electrode showerhead 112, or both the lower electrode 114 and the upper electrode showerhead 112. Thereby, plasma is generated from one or more processing gases supplied to the plasma processing space 110s. Thus, the RF power supply section 130 can function as at least a part of a plasma generation section configured to generate plasma from one or more processing gases in a plasma processing chamber. In an embodiment, the RF power supply section 130 includes two RF generation sections 131a, 131b and two matching circuits 132a, 132b. In an embodiment, the RF power supply section 130 is configured to supply a first RF signal from the first RF generation section 131a to the lower electrode 114 via the first matching circuit 132a. For example, the first RF signal can have a frequency in a range of 27 MHz to 100 MHz.

[0052] Further, in an embodiment, the RF power supply section 130 is configured to supply a second RF signal from the second RF generation section 131b to the lower electrode 114 via the second matching circuit 132b. For example, the second RF signal can have a frequency in a range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz. Instead of this, a DC (Direct Current) pulse generation section can be used instead of the second RF generation section 131b.

[0053] Further, although not illustrated, other embodiments are also considered in the present disclosure. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the RF power supply section 130 can be configured to supply a first RF signal from an RF generation section to the lower electrode 114, to supply a second RF signal from another RF generation section to the lower electrode 114, and to supply a third RF signal from yet another RF generation section to the lower electrode 114. Further, in another alternative embodiment, a DC voltage can be applied to the upper electrode showerhead 112.

[0054] In addition, in various embodiments, the amplitude of one or more RF signals (i.e., the 1st RF signal, the 2nd RF signal, etc.) can also be pulsed or modulated. Amplitude modulation also includes the case where the RF signal amplitude is pulsed between an on state and an off state, or between two or more different on states.

[0055] The exhaust system 140 can be connected to, for example, an exhaust port 110e provided at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 110. The exhaust system 140 can also include a pressure valve and a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump can also include a turbo molecular pump, a roughing pump, or a combination thereof.

[0056] In one embodiment, the control section 101 processes computer executable commands that cause the plasma processing apparatus 100 to perform various processes described in the present disclosure. The control section 101 can be configured to control each element of the plasma processing apparatus 100 in a manner to perform various processes described herein. In one embodiment, the control section 101 can be partially or entirely included in the plasma processing apparatus 100. The control section 101 can include, for example, a computer 160. The computer 160 can include, for example, a processing section (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 161, a storage section 162, and a communication interface 163. The processing section 161 can be configured to perform various control actions based on programs stored in the storage section 162. The storage section 162 can include, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof. The communication interface 163 can communicate with the plasma processing apparatus 100 via a communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0057] The above describes various exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made. In addition, elements in different embodiments can be combined to form other embodiments.

[0058] Next, wafer processing performed using the processing module 60 configured as described above will be described. In the processing module 60, for example, a wafer W is subjected to processing such as etching processing, film forming processing, diffusion processing, and the like.

[0059] First, the wafer W is carried into the interior of the plasma processing chamber 110, and the wafer W is placed on the electrostatic chuck 115 by raising and lowering using the lift pins. Thereafter, the wafer W is electrostatically adsorbed and held by the electrostatic chuck 115 by applying a direct current voltage to the electrodes of the electrostatic chuck 115 due to the Coulomb force. In addition, after the wafer W is carried in, the interior of the plasma processing chamber 110 is depressurized to a predetermined degree of vacuum using the exhaust system 140.

[0060] Next, a processing gas is supplied from the gas supply section 120 to the plasma processing space 110s via the upper electrode shower head 112. In addition, high-frequency power HF for plasma generation is supplied to the lower electrode 114 using the RF power supply section 130 to excite the processing gas, and plasma is generated. At this time, high-frequency power LF for ion introduction can also be supplied using the RF power supply section 130. Then, plasma processing is performed on the wafer W under the action of the generated plasma.

[0061] Furthermore, during the plasma processing, the temperature of the wafer W adsorbed and held by the electrostatic chuck 115 is adjusted using the cooling module 200. At this time, in order to efficiently transfer heat to the wafer W, a heat transfer gas such as He gas or Ar gas is supplied toward the back surface of the wafer W adsorbed on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 115.

[0062] At the end of the plasma processing, first, the supply of high-frequency power HF from the RF power supply section 130 and the supply of the processing gas using the gas supply section 120 are stopped. In addition, in the case where high-frequency power LF is supplied during the plasma processing, the supply of this high-frequency power LF is also stopped. Next, the supply of the heat transfer gas to the back surface of the wafer W is stopped, and the adsorbing and holding of the wafer W by the electrostatic chuck 115 is stopped.

[0063] Thereafter, the wafer W is raised by the lift pins to separate the wafer W from the electrostatic chuck 115. At this time, the de-electrification processing of the wafer W can also be performed. Then, the wafer W is carried out from the plasma processing chamber 110, and the series of plasma processing on the wafer W is ended.

[0064] < Cooling Module >

[0065] Next, the above-described cooling module 200 will be described. Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing the structure of the cooling module 200. Figure 4 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the cooling module 200. Furthermore, in order to make the technology easy to understand, the Figure 3 and Figure 4 elements of the cooling module 200 are schematically shown, and the arrangement and dimensions thereof do not necessarily coincide with the actual arrangement and dimensions.

[0066] As shown in Figure 3 andFigure 4 As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling module 200 includes a double chiller 210 and a plurality of flow adjustment sections 220. The cooling module 200 is arranged in a space 50s located below the transfer module 50.

[0067] The double chiller 210 is singularly provided in the cooling module 200 and is shared by the six processing modules 60a to 60f. That is, the double chiller 210 is capable of supplying refrigerant to the six processing modules 60a to 60f. The double chiller 210 supplies two different temperature-adjusted media, i.e., refrigerants, and has a first refrigerant adjustment section 211 as a first temperature-adjusted medium adjustment section and a second refrigerant adjustment section 212 as a second temperature-adjusted medium adjustment section.

[0068] The first refrigerant adjustment section 211 supplies a first refrigerant having a first temperature (low temperature). The first refrigerant adjustment section 211 has, for example, a compressor or the like because it supplies the first refrigerant at low temperature. A first supply port 211a for supplying the first refrigerant is formed on a lower surface of the first refrigerant adjustment section 211, and a first recovery port 211b for allowing circulation refrigerant to flow in is formed. The first supply port 211a and the first recovery port 211b are each formed substantially at the center of the first refrigerant adjustment section 211.

[0069] The second refrigerant adjustment section 212 supplies a second refrigerant having a second temperature (high temperature) higher than the first temperature. The second refrigerant adjustment section 212 has, for example, a heater or the like because it supplies the second refrigerant at high temperature. A second supply port 212a for supplying the second refrigerant is formed on an upper surface of the second refrigerant adjustment section 212, and a second recovery port 212b for allowing circulation refrigerant to flow in is formed. The second supply port 212a and the second recovery port 212b are each formed substantially at the center of the second refrigerant adjustment section 212.

[0070] The first refrigerant adjustment section 211 is arranged below the second refrigerant adjustment section 212. Alternatively, the first refrigerant adjustment section 211 and the second refrigerant adjustment section 212 can be arranged in reverse order to the present embodiment. However, because the first refrigerant adjustment section 211 changes pressure and temperature by compressing refrigerant, for example, to thereby supply the first refrigerant at low temperature as described above, it is necessary to provide a plurality of necessary devices, including a compressor having a large weight. In this case, it is preferable to arrange the first refrigerant adjustment section 211 below as in the present embodiment, because this allows the double chiller 210 to be stably provided.

[0071] The first refrigerant adjusting section 211 is disposed below the floor F on which the plasma processing apparatus 100 (the plasma processing chamber 110 of the processing module 60) is installed. The second refrigerant adjusting section 212 is disposed above the floor F. Here, the space 50s below the transfer module 50 is a limited space, for example, a space having a height of 1 m, and by disposing the first refrigerant adjusting section 211 below the floor as in the present embodiment, it is possible to dispose the cooling module 200 in the space 50s. Further, by effectively utilizing the space 50s by disposing the first refrigerant adjusting section 211 below the floor as such, it is possible to reduce the floor area of the wafer processing apparatus 1 as compared with the case where the cooling machine is disposed outside the wafer processing apparatus 1 as in the past.

[0072] The flow rate adjusting sections 220 are provided six corresponding to the processing modules 60a to 60f. In the following description, the six flow rate adjusting sections 220 are sometimes referred to as flow rate adjusting sections 220a to 220f, respectively, with respect to the processing modules 60a to 60f. The refrigerant supply pipes 151a to 151f and the refrigerant recovery pipes 152a to 152f are connected to the flow rate adjusting sections 220a to 220f, respectively.

[0073] The flow rate adjusting sections 220 are so-called valve chambers including a plurality of valves (not shown) such as flow rate adjusting valves. The flow rate adjusting sections 220 are configured to be able to adjust the flow rate ratio of the first refrigerant supplied from the first refrigerant adjusting section 211 and the second refrigerant supplied from the second refrigerant adjusting section 212. In the flow rate adjusting sections 220, the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are mixed at a desired flow rate ratio to generate a circulating refrigerant, and are supplied to the refrigerant supply pipe 151. Thus, by generating the circulating refrigerants at the desired flow rate ratios in the flow rate adjusting sections 220a to 220f, respectively, it is possible to generate circulating refrigerants at different temperatures, and it is possible to independently adjust the temperature for each of the stages 111 of the processing modules 60a to 60f.

[0074] Further, the flow rate adjusting sections 220 are configured to be able to adjust the flow rate ratio of the circulating refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant recovery pipe 152 after the temperature adjustment of the stage 111 is performed to be distributed to the first refrigerant adjusting section 211 and the second refrigerant adjusting section 212.

[0075] The flow rate adjusting sections 220 and the first supply port 211a of the first refrigerant adjusting section 211 are connected by a first supply path 230. The first supply path 230 uses, for example, a pipe, a hose. The first supply path 230 connected to the first supply port 211a is branched into first supply paths 230a to 230f by a first supply manifold 231 having a hexagonal shape in plan view. The first supply paths 230a to 230f are connected to the flow rate adjusting sections 220a to 220f, respectively. Further, the respective lengths of the first supply paths 230a to 230f are substantially equal.

[0076] The first recovery port 211b of the flow rate adjustment portion 220 and the first refrigerant adjustment portion 211 is connected by a first recovery passage 232. The first recovery passage 232 uses, for example, a pipe, a hose. The first recovery passage 232 connected to the first recovery port 211b is branched into first recovery passages 232a to 232f by a first recovery manifold 233 having a hexagonal shape in plan view. The first recovery passages 232a to 232f are connected to the flow rate adjustment portions 220a to 220f, respectively. In addition, the lengths of the first recovery passages 232a to 232f are substantially equal to each other.

[0077] The first supply passages 230 (first supply passages 230a to 230f), the first supply manifold 231, the first recovery passages 232 (first recovery passages 232a to 232f), and the first recovery manifold 233 are disposed below the ground surface F, respectively. The first supply manifold 231 and the first recovery manifold 233 are disposed at positions overlapping each other in plan view and at different heights. In the present embodiment, the first supply manifold 231 is disposed above the first recovery manifold 233. Therefore, the first supply port 211a and the first recovery port 211b are formed at substantially the center of the first refrigerant adjustment portion 211, respectively. In addition, in conjunction therewith, the first supply passages 230a to 230f and the first recovery passages 232a to 232f are also disposed at different heights, respectively.

[0078] The second supply port 212a of the flow rate adjustment portion 220 and the second refrigerant adjustment portion 212 is connected by a second supply passage 234. The second supply passage 234 uses, for example, a pipe, a hose. The second supply passage 234 connected to the second supply port 212a is branched into second supply passages 234a to 234f by a second supply manifold 235 having a hexagonal shape in plan view. The second supply passages 234a to 234f are connected to the flow rate adjustment portions 220a to 220f, respectively. In addition, the lengths of the second supply passages 234a to 234f are substantially equal to each other.

[0079] The second recovery port 212b of the flow rate adjustment portion 220 and the second refrigerant adjustment portion 212 is connected by a second recovery passage 236. The second recovery passage 236 uses, for example, a pipe, a hose. The second recovery passage 236 connected to the second recovery port 212b is branched into second recovery passages 236a to 236f by a second recovery manifold 237 having a hexagonal shape in plan view. The second recovery passages 236a to 236f are connected to the flow rate adjustment portions 220a to 220f, respectively. In addition, the lengths of the second recovery passages 236a to 236f are substantially equal to each other.

[0080] The second supply passage 234 (second supply passages 234a to 234f), the second supply manifold 235, the second recovery passage 236 (second recovery passages 236a to 236f), and the second recovery manifold 237 are each disposed above the ground surface F. The second supply manifold 235 and the second recovery manifold 237 are disposed at positions overlapping each other in plan view and at different heights. In the present embodiment, the second supply manifold 235 is disposed below the second recovery manifold 237. Therefore, the second supply port 212a and the second recovery port 212b are each formed at approximately the center of the second refrigerant adjusting portion 212. In addition, in conjunction therewith, the second supply passages 234a to 234f and the second recovery passages 236a to 236f are each disposed at different heights.

[0081] In addition, the first supply passage 230 (including the first supply passages 230a to 230f), the first recovery passage 232 (including the first recovery passages 232a to 232f), the second supply passage 234 (including the second supply passages 234a to 234f), and the second recovery passage 236 (including the second recovery passages 236a to 236f) each have the same length.

[0082] In addition, the upper surface of the cooling module 200 thus configured, i.e., the upper surface of a housing (not shown) in which the dual cold machine 210, the flow adjusting portions 220a to 220f, the second supply passage 234, the second supply manifold 235, the second recovery passage 236, the second recovery manifold 237, and the like are accommodated, has a flat shape. Therefore, the cooling module 200 can be disposed below the transfer module 50 as described above.

[0083] In addition, the cooling module 200 has a pump (not shown) for causing the first refrigerant, the second refrigerant, and the circulating refrigerant to flow. The pump can be provided six for each of the processing modules 60a to 60f or one for the processing modules 60a to 60f in common.

[0084] In addition, in the present embodiment, the control portion 101 described above is configured to also control each element of the cooling module 200.

[0085] In this case, the low-temperature first refrigerant supplied from the first refrigerant adjusting portion 211 of the dual cold machine 210 is distributed by the first supply manifold 231 after passing through the first supply passage 230, and flows into the flow adjusting portions 220a to 220f. In addition, the high-temperature second refrigerant supplied from the second refrigerant adjusting portion 212 is distributed by the second supply manifold 235 after passing through the second supply passage 234, and flows into the flow adjusting portions 220a to 220f. Then, in the flow adjusting portions 220a to 220f, the flow ratio of the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant is adjusted, and the circulating refrigerant at a desired temperature is generated.

[0086] The circulating refrigerant generated in the flow rate adjustment sections 220a to 220f is supplied to the refrigerant flow path 150 via the refrigerant supply pipes 151a to 151f. Then, the stages 111 of the processing modules 60a to 60f are adjusted to desired temperatures, respectively. Thereafter, the temperature-adjusted circulating refrigerant flows into the flow rate adjustment sections 220a to 220f via the refrigerant recovery pipes 152a to 152f.

[0087] In the flow rate adjustment sections 220a to 220f, the circulating refrigerant is distributed to the first refrigerant adjustment section 211 and the second refrigerant adjustment section 212 at a desired flow rate ratio. A part of the distributed circulating refrigerant ends at the first recovery manifold 233 via the first recovery path 232 and flows into the first refrigerant adjustment section 211. Another part of the distributed circulating refrigerant ends at the second recovery manifold 237 via the second recovery path 236 and flows into the second refrigerant adjustment section 212. In this way, in the cooling module 200, the refrigerant is circulated, and the stages 111 of the processing modules 60a to 60f are independently temperature-adjusted, respectively.

[0088] According to the present embodiment, since the cooling module 200 has a single dual cold machine 210 and six flow rate adjustment sections 220a to 220f, by adjusting the flow rate ratio of the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant using the flow rate adjustment sections 220a to 220f, it is possible to generate a circulating refrigerant at a desired temperature. As a result, it is possible to independently adjust the temperature for each of the stages 111 of the six processing modules 60a to 60f. For example, in a case where the processing modules 60a to 60f perform processing under different processing conditions, it is possible to adjust the temperatures of the stages 111 to different temperatures, and in a case where the processing modules 60a to 60f perform processing under the same processing conditions, it is also possible to adjust the temperatures of the stages 111 to the same temperature.

[0089] In addition, the upper surface of the cooling module 200 has a flat shape. Also, the first refrigerant adjustment section 211, the first supply path 230, the first supply manifold 231, the first recovery path 232, and the first recovery manifold 233 are each disposed below the floor F. Therefore, it is possible to dispose the cooling module 200 in the space 50s below the transfer module 50, and it is possible to efficiently use the space 50s. In addition, as a result, it is also possible to reduce the floor area of the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0090] In addition, by disposing the cooling module 200 in the space 50s, it is possible to make the lengths of the refrigerant supply pipes 151a to 151f and the refrigerant recovery pipes 152a to 152f shortest with respect to the processing modules 60a to 60f disposed around the cooling module 200.

[0091] In addition, since the manifolds 231, 233, 235, 237 have a hexagonal shape, the flow paths 230a to 230f, 232a to 232f, 234a to 234f, 236a to 236f connecting the manifolds 231, 233, 235, 237 and the flow rate adjusting sections 220a to 220f can be set to equal lengths and the shortest lengths, respectively.

[0092] In addition, since the first supply manifold 231 and the first recovery manifold 233 are set to different heights, the first supply port 211a and the first recovery port 211b can be formed at the approximate center of the first refrigerant adjusting section 211. Similarly, the second supply port 212a and the second recovery port 212b can be formed at the approximate center of the second refrigerant adjusting section 212. Thus, the flow paths 230a to 230f, 232a to 232f, 234a to 234f, 236a to 236f can be set to equal lengths and the shortest lengths, respectively.

[0093] In addition, the lengths of the flow paths 230a to 230f, 232a to 232f, 234a to 234f, 236a to 236f can be equal, respectively.

[0094] As described above, since the lengths of the flow paths 230a to 230f, 232a to 232f, 234a to 234f, 236a to 236f are equal and the shortest, the refrigerant flow paths between the cooling module 200 and the processing modules 60a to 60f can be set to the shortest lengths. In addition, along with this, the supply amounts of the refrigerants (the first refrigerant, the second refrigerant, and the circulating refrigerant) can be reduced compared to the past. In addition, since the refrigerant flow paths can be set to the shortest lengths and the supply amounts of the refrigerants can be reduced as such, the operating costs can be reduced. Also, the consumption (electric power, cooling water, etc.) of the pump for circulating the refrigerants (the first refrigerant, the second refrigerant, and the circulating refrigerant) between the cooling module 200 and the processing modules 60a to 60f can be reduced, and in addition, the time for circulating the refrigerants can be shortened, so the thermal responsiveness is improved, and the time taken to warm up or cool down the mounting table 111 can be shortened. In addition, the startup of the device can be performed in a short time, so the time taken for maintenance can also be shortened.

[0095] In addition, since a single double chiller 210 is used for the six processing modules 60a to 60f, the installation costs can be reduced compared to the case where a plurality of chillers are provided as in the past. In addition, the energy for operating the single double chiller 210 can also be reduced compared to the case where a plurality of chillers are provided as in the past. In addition, since the double chiller 210 is only one, the maintenance man-hours can also be reduced.

[0096] Here, the chiller outputs (cooling capacity) the most at the time of switching the temperature of the temperature control target portion. Therefore, in the case where the chiller is connected to the chamber of each processing module as in the conventional technology, each chiller needs to have a cooling capacity that is the cooling capacity required at the time of normal operation (in the case where the temperature of the temperature control target portion is not switched) plus the cooling capacity (surplus capacity) required at the time of temperature switching.

[0097] In contrast, in the present embodiment, the chambers of the plurality of processing modules 60a to 60f share one twin chiller 210, and therefore the above-described surplus capacity can be shared by staggering the timing of temperature switching of the temperature control target portion (the stage 111 in the present embodiment) for each chamber. For example, in the case where six chambers share one twin chiller 210, as shown in FIG. 10, the control portion 101 switches the temperature of the first temperature control target portion from low to high at time tl, and switches the temperature of the second temperature control target portion from low to high at time t2 after Δtl. Thereafter, similarly, the control portion 101 switches the temperature of the remaining temperature control target portions at predetermined intervals, and thus the surplus capacity can be shared. As a result, even in the case where six chambers share one twin chiller 210, a relatively small chiller can be used, and thus energy saving and saving of floor space can be achieved. Figure 5

[0098] <Other Embodiments>

[0099] In the above embodiment, the case where the temperature control target portion is the stage 111 is described, but the temperature control target portion is not limited thereto. For example, in the case where the temperature of the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber 110 or the temperature of the upper electrode shower head 112 is controlled, the cooling module 200 of the present embodiment can be used.

[0100] In the wafer processing apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, a temperature sensor (not shown) that measures the temperature of the stage 111 can be further provided on the stage 111. The measurement result of the temperature sensor is output to the control portion 101. In the control portion 101, based on the result of the temperature sensor, the flow rate ratio of the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant is adjusted in the flow rate adjustment portion 220, and the temperature of the circulating refrigerant is adjusted, in a manner such that the temperature of the stage 111 becomes a target temperature. In the case where the temperature sensor is thus used, real-time control can be achieved.

[0101] In the wafer processing apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, the first refrigerant adjustment portion 211, the first supply path 230, the first supply manifold 231, the first recovery path 232, and the first recovery manifold 233 are respectively arranged below the floor F. In this regard, in the case where the space 50s has sufficient space, they can be arranged above the floor F.

[0102] ​The cooling module 200 of the above embodiment has a single double cold machine 210, but can also have the same double cold machine 210 as a spare.

[0103] It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all aspects and are not restrictive. The above-described embodiments can be omitted, replaced, changed in various forms without departing from the scope of the appended claims and the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, which is an apparatus for processing substrates, wherein, The substrate processing apparatus has: Multiple chambers for housing the substrate; Multiple temperature-controlled objects are respectively disposed in the multiple chambers; A single chiller is configured to be used in the plurality of temperature-controlled units to supply a first temperature-regulating medium and a second temperature-regulating medium; Multiple flow adjustment units, each connected to one of the multiple temperature control units and to the chiller, are configured to adjust the flow ratio of the first temperature-regulating medium to the second temperature-regulating medium; and The control unit independently adjusts the temperature for each of the temperature-controlled objects by controlling the flow adjustment unit. The chiller includes: a first temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit that adjusts the first temperature-regulating medium to a first temperature; and a second temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit that adjusts the second temperature-regulating medium to a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The first temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit includes: a first supply port for supplying the first temperature-regulating medium to the temperature-controlled object unit; and a first recovery port for recovering the temperature-regulating medium after the temperature of the temperature-controlled object unit has been adjusted. The second temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit includes: a second supply port for supplying the second temperature-regulating medium to the temperature-controlled object unit; and a second recovery port for recovering the temperature-regulating medium after the temperature of the temperature-controlled object unit has been adjusted. The substrate processing apparatus also includes: The first supply path connects the first supply port and the flow adjustment unit; The first recovery path connects the first recovery port and the flow adjustment unit; A second supply path, which connects the second supply port and the flow adjustment unit; and The second recovery path connects the second recovery port and the flow adjustment unit. The first temperature-regulating medium adjustment section includes a first supply manifold that is polygonal when viewed from above and a first recovery manifold that is polygonal when viewed from above. The first supply path branches off from the first supply port via the first supply manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The first recovery path branches off from the first recovery port via the first recovery manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The second temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit has a second supply manifold that is polygonal in top view and a second recovery manifold that is polygonal in top view. The second supply path branches off from the second supply port via the second supply manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The second recovery path branches off from the second recovery port via the second recovery manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The lengths of the plurality of first supply paths, which branch off from the first supply manifold and connect to the plurality of flow adjustment units, are equal. The lengths of the plurality of first recovery paths, which branch off from the first recovery manifold and connect to the plurality of flow adjustment units, are equal. The lengths of the plurality of second supply paths branching off from the second supply manifold and connected to the plurality of flow adjustment units are equal. The lengths of the plurality of second recovery paths, which branch off from the second recovery manifold and are connected to the plurality of flow adjustment units, are equal.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The first supply port and the first recovery port are located at the center of the first temperature regulating medium adjustment section. The first supply path and the first recovery path are configured at different heights. The second supply port and the second recovery port are located at the center of the second temperature regulating medium adjustment section. The second supply path and the second recovery path are configured at different heights.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The plurality of chambers are connected to a transfer module that transports the substrate. The chiller is positioned below the transfer module.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The upper surface of the cooling module, which houses the chiller and multiple flow adjustment parts, has a flat shape.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The temperature control object is a mounting stage located inside the chamber and on which the substrate is placed, an electrode located on the upper part of the chamber and supplied with high-frequency power, or a side wall forming the chamber.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The temperature control object includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the temperature control object. The control unit controls the flow adjustment unit based on the measurement results of the temperature sensor.

7. A substrate processing method, which is a method of processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, wherein, The substrate processing apparatus includes: Multiple chambers for housing the substrate; Multiple temperature-controlled objects are respectively disposed in the multiple chambers and become the objects of temperature control; A single chiller is configured to be used in the plurality of temperature-controlled units to supply a first temperature-regulating medium and a second temperature-regulating medium; as well as Multiple flow adjustment units are respectively connected to the multiple temperature control units and to the chiller, configured to adjust the flow ratio of the first temperature-regulating medium and the second temperature-regulating medium. This substrate processing method adjusts the temperature independently for each temperature-controlled unit by controlling the flow adjustment unit. The chiller includes: a first temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit that adjusts the first temperature-regulating medium to a first temperature; and a second temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit that adjusts the second temperature-regulating medium to a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The first temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit includes: a first supply port for supplying the first temperature-regulating medium to the temperature-controlled object unit; and a first recovery port for recovering the temperature-regulating medium after the temperature of the temperature-controlled object unit has been adjusted. The second temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit includes: a second supply port for supplying the second temperature-regulating medium to the temperature-controlled object unit; and a second recovery port for recovering the temperature-regulating medium after the temperature of the temperature-controlled object unit has been adjusted. The substrate processing apparatus also includes: The first supply path connects the first supply port and the flow adjustment unit; The first recovery path connects the first recovery port and the flow adjustment unit; A second supply path, which connects the second supply port and the flow adjustment unit; and The second recovery path connects the second recovery port and the flow adjustment unit. The first temperature-regulating medium adjustment section includes a first supply manifold that is polygonal when viewed from above and a first recovery manifold that is polygonal when viewed from above. The first supply path branches off from the first supply port via the first supply manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The first recovery path branches off from the first recovery port via the first recovery manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The second temperature-regulating medium adjustment unit has a second supply manifold that is polygonal in top view and a second recovery manifold that is polygonal in top view. The second supply path branches off from the second supply port via the second supply manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The second recovery path branches off from the second recovery port via the second recovery manifold and connects to the plurality of flow adjustment units. The lengths of the plurality of first supply paths, which branch off from the first supply manifold and connect to the plurality of flow adjustment units, are equal. The lengths of the plurality of first recovery paths, which branch off from the first recovery manifold and connect to the plurality of flow adjustment units, are equal. The lengths of the plurality of second supply paths branching off from the second supply manifold and connected to the plurality of flow adjustment units are equal. The lengths of the plurality of second recovery paths, which branch off from the second recovery manifold and are connected to the plurality of flow adjustment units, are equal.

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