Cooling method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, processing device, and recording medium

Abstract

The present application provides a cooling method for shortening the cooling time of a processed substrate. In a method for cooling a processed substrate held by a substrate holder, a first cooling step of supplying gas to the substrate holder disposed at a reference position to cool the substrate, a stop step of stopping the supply of the gas, and a second cooling step of cooling the processed substrate held by the lower portion of the substrate holder.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a cooling method for cooling a substrate, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a processing apparatus, and a recording medium. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, a vertical substrate processing apparatus has a transfer chamber adjacent to the processing chamber where the substrate is processed. The substrate processed in the processing chamber is cooled to a specified temperature in the transfer chamber while being held by a substrate holder.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a substrate being cooled in a transfer chamber while being held by a substrate holder.

[0004] However, sometimes the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder is reheated using radiant heat from surrounding components. Therefore, an increased cooling time is required to bring the substrate down to the specified temperature, which can sometimes lead to delays in substrate handling.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: WO2017 / 163376 Publication Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure provides a technique for shortening the cooling time for cooling a processed substrate.

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a technique for cooling a processed substrate in a state held by a substrate holder is provided, comprising: a first cooling step of supplying gas toward the substrate holder disposed at a predetermined reference position to cool the substrate; a stopping step of stopping the gas supply; and a second cooling step of cooling the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder.

[0010] Invention Effects

[0011] According to this disclosure, the cooling time for cooling the processed substrate can be shortened. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the transfer chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3(A) is a longitudinal sectional view of the transfer chamber with the vessel in the reference position, and (B) is a longitudinal sectional view of the transfer chamber with the vessel in the raised position.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the cooling process for a processed wafer in a transfer chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the transfer chamber of a first modified embodiment of the present disclosure, (A) showing the boat in the reference position, and (B) showing the boat in the raised position.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the transfer chamber of a second variation of the embodiment of the present disclosure. (A) shows the boat in the reference position, and (B) shows the boat in the raised position.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the transfer chamber of a third variation of the embodiments of the present disclosure. (A) shows the boat in the reference position, and (B) shows the boat in the raised position.

[0019] Figure 8 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the transfer chamber of a fourth variation of the embodiments of the present disclosure. (A) shows the boat in the reference position, and (B) shows the boat in the raised position.

[0020] Figure 9 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the transfer chamber of a fifth variation of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a fifth variation of the embodiments of the present disclosure, showing the cooling process for a processed wafer in a transfer chamber.

[0022] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0023] 1 Processing device

[0024] 2 Transfer Chamber

[0025] 13 boats

[0026] 17 substrate transfer machine

[0027] 39 Cooling Gas Nozzle

[0028] 41 Transfer Chamber Gas Supply Mechanism

[0029] 42 controllers

[0030] 59 thermometer Detailed Implementation

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to reality. Additionally, the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements in multiple drawings do not necessarily need to be consistent with each other. Moreover, in all drawings, the same or corresponding constituent elements are labeled with the same or corresponding reference numerals, and sometimes repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0032] In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus is configured as a vertical substrate processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as processing apparatus) 1 that performs a substrate processing step, such as heat treatment, as a manufacturing step in a semiconductor device manufacturing method. Figure 1 As shown, the processing apparatus 1 has a transfer chamber 2 and a processing furnace 3 disposed above the transfer chamber 2.

[0033] The processing furnace 3 includes a cylindrical reaction tube 4 and a heater 5 located on the outer periphery of the reaction tube 4 as a first heating means (heating mechanism). The reaction tube 4 is formed, for example, by quartz or SiC (silicon carbide). A processing chamber 6 is formed inside the reaction tube 4 for processing a wafer W, which serves as a substrate. A temperature detection unit 7, which is a temperature detector, is provided in the reaction tube 4.

[0034] A cylindrical manifold 8 is connected to the lower opening of the reaction tube 4 via a sealing member such as an O-ring, supporting the lower end of the reaction tube 4. The manifold 8 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. The lower opening of the manifold 8 is opened and closed by a disc-shaped gate 9 or a cover 11. The cover 11 is made of a metal in a disc shape, for example. Sealing members such as O-rings are provided on the upper surface of the gate 9 and the cover 11, thereby sealing the gas inside and outside the reaction tube 4 in an airtight manner.

[0035] A boat 13 serving as a substrate holder is provided on the cover portion 11. A heat insulation portion 12 is provided at the lower part of the boat 13. The heat insulation portion 12 is formed, for example, by quartz. A substrate holding area of ​​the boat 13 is provided above the heat insulation portion 12. The boat 13 is composed of a top plate 13a, a bottom plate 13c, and multiple pillars 13b provided between the top plate 13a and the bottom plate 13c. The boat 13 vertically and in multiple layers supports the wafer W by multi-layered grooves formed on the pillars 13b. The boat 13 is formed, for example, by quartz or SiC. During substrate processing, the boat 13 is housed in the processing chamber 6. Furthermore, the heat insulation portion 12 forms a heat insulation area, and the boat 13 and the heat insulation portion 12 can be separate components.

[0036] like Figure 3 (A) Figure 3As shown in (B), the substrate holding area of ​​the boat 13 can be divided into two areas: an upper substrate holding area 13d and a lower substrate holding area 13e which is adjacent to the upper substrate holding area 13d in the vertical direction. The upper substrate holding area 13d and the lower substrate holding area 13e are respectively filled with wafers W and the wafers W are held.

[0037] The heat insulation part 12 is connected to the rotating shaft 15 that passes through the cover part 11. The rotating shaft 15 is connected to the rotating mechanism 16 located below the cover part 11. By rotating the rotating shaft 15 using the rotating mechanism 16, the heat insulation part 12 and the boat 13 can be rotated.

[0038] The transfer chamber 2 is equipped with a substrate transfer machine 17, a boat 13, and a boat lift 18 as a lifting mechanism. The substrate transfer machine 17, for example, has an arm (tweezers) 17a capable of picking up five wafers W. The substrate transfer machine 17 is configured to move wafers W between the wafer cassette 21 and the boat 13, located at the wafer cassette opener 19, by rotating the 17a up and down using a drive means (not shown). Furthermore, the substrate transfer machine 17 is configured to perform wafer mapping. Here, wafer mapping refers to confirming the presence or placement of wafers. In particular, since sensors (light-emitting and light-receiving portions) are provided on the left and right sides of the front end of the tweezers 17a of the substrate transfer machine 17, the presence or absence of wafers can be detected by observing the arc of the wafer W passing between the sensors. Additionally, the placement state (position) of the wafer W can be detected by measuring the sensor approaching the wafer W in three stages.

[0039] The boat lift 18 moves the boat 13 in and out relative to the reaction tube 4 by raising and lowering the cover 11. Furthermore, the boat lift 18 is configured to raise and lower the boat 13 within the transfer chamber 2, holding it at a reference position (first cooling position) and a rising position (second cooling position), as described later. Details of the transfer chamber 2 will be explained later. The rising position refers to the transport reference position when the wafer W held by the boat 13 is removed using the substrate transfer machine 17, at the beginning of wafer W transport using the substrate transfer machine 17.

[0040] The processing apparatus 1 includes a gas supply mechanism 22 that supplies gas for substrate processing to the processing chamber 6. The gas supplied by the gas supply mechanism 22 is appropriately changed according to the type of film to be formed. The gas supply mechanism 22 includes a raw material gas supply section (raw material gas supply system), a reaction gas supply section (reaction gas supply system), and an inactive gas supply section (inactive gas supply system).

[0041] The feed gas supply system includes a supply pipe 23a. On the supply pipe 23a, a mass flow controller (MFC) 24a (serving as a flow controller, or flow control unit) and a valve 25a (serving as an on / off valve) are sequentially arranged from upstream. The supply pipe 23a is connected to a nozzle 26a that penetrates the side wall of the manifold 8. The nozzle 26a is vertically positioned within the reaction tube 4, forming multiple supply holes that open toward the wafer W held in the boat. Feed gas is supplied to the wafer W through the supply holes of the nozzle 26a.

[0042] Hereinafter, using the same configuration, reactive gas is supplied to wafer W from the reactive gas supply system via supply pipe 23a, MFC 24a, valve 25a, and nozzle 26a. Inactive gas is supplied to wafer W from the inactive gas supply system via supply pipe 23b, MFC 24b, valve 25b, and nozzle 26a.

[0043] An exhaust pipe 27 is installed in the manifold 8. A vacuum pump 31, serving as a vacuum exhaust device, is connected to the exhaust pipe 27 via a pressure sensor 28 (pressure detector, pressure sensing unit) and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 29 (pressure regulator, pressure regulating unit). This configuration allows the pressure in the processing chamber 6 to be set to a processing pressure corresponding to the processing.

[0044] Next, in Figures 1-3 The structure of the transfer chamber 2 in this embodiment will be explained below.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the transfer chamber 2 is configured as a planar polygon, for example, a planar quadrilateral shape, using its top, bottom, and surrounding side walls. A cleaning unit 32, serving as a first air supply unit (first gas supply unit), is provided on one side of the transfer chamber 2. The cleaning unit 32 supplies clean air (clean ambient gas) to the transfer chamber 2. Furthermore, a circulation path (not shown) is formed in the space surrounding the transfer chamber 2 for gas circulation. The gas supplied to the transfer chamber 2 is exhausted through an exhaust unit 34 and then supplied back to the transfer chamber 2 via the cleaning unit 32 through the circulation path. A radiator is provided midway through the circulation path, through which the gas is cooled.

[0046] The cleaning unit 32 is configured such that an upper cleaning unit 32a and a lower cleaning unit 32b are adjacent vertically. The upper cleaning unit 32a is configured to supply gas toward the transfer chamber 2, particularly toward the boat 13. The lower cleaning unit 32b is configured to supply gas toward the interior of the transfer chamber 2, particularly toward the heat insulation section 12. Hereinafter, the term "cleaning unit 32" may refer to the upper cleaning unit 32a, the lower cleaning unit 32b, or both.

[0047] The cleaning unit 32, starting from the upstream side, sequentially includes a fan (not shown) as an air supply unit, a buffer zone 36 as a buffer chamber, a filter 37, and a gas supply port 38. The buffer zone 36 is a diffusion space for uniformly blowing gas out from the entire surface of the gas supply port 38. The filter 37 is configured to remove particles contained in the gas. Each cleaning unit 32a, 32b includes a fan, a buffer zone 36, a filter 37, and a gas supply port 38.

[0048] An exhaust section 34 and a vessel lift 18 are provided on one side opposite to the cleaning unit 32. Gas supplied from the cleaning unit 32 to the transfer chamber 2 is exhausted through the exhaust section 34 and then resupplyed by the cleaning unit 32 via a circulation path. As a result, a horizontal gas flow (side flow) is formed in the upper region (wafer W region) of the transfer chamber 2.

[0049] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, a cooling gas nozzle 39, serving as a second air supply unit (second gas supply unit), is provided on the side where the cleaning unit 32 is located. In this embodiment, the cooling gas nozzle 39 is located on the side opposite to the boat lift 18 of the transfer chamber 2 across the boat 13, and extends upward (in the stacking direction of the wafer W).

[0050] The cooling gas nozzle 39 includes a first branch nozzle 39a extending towards the boat 13 by curving, a second branch nozzle 39b extending towards the boat 13 upstream of the first branch nozzle 39a, and a third branch nozzle 39c extending towards the boat 13 upstream of the second branch nozzle 39b. Cooling gas is supplied to the transfer chamber 2, particularly to the substrate holding region, via each branch nozzle 39a to 39c. Preferably, each branch nozzle 39a to 39c is configured to supply gas to the region between the top plate 13a of the boat 13 and the uppermost wafer W of the upper substrate holding region 13d, and the region between the bottom plate 13c of the boat 13 and the lowermost wafer W of the lower substrate holding region 13e.

[0051] Cooling gas nozzle 39 is connected to transfer chamber gas supply mechanism 41 for supplying cooling gas to transfer chamber 2. Transfer chamber gas supply mechanism includes supply pipe 23c, and MFC 24c and valve 25c are sequentially provided from the upstream side of supply pipe 23c. In addition, cooling gas nozzle 39, branch nozzles 39a to 39c, and transfer chamber gas supply mechanism 41 function as a cooling unit for cooling the processed wafer W held by boat 13.

[0052] The boat-shaped elevator 18 is able to... Figure 3 As shown in (A), the reference position for performing the first cooling process, and as shown in (A). Figure 3 The boat 13 is held at a certain position in the rising position, as shown in (B), where the second cooling process is performed. The rising position is above the reference position. In the reference position, cooling gas ejected from the first branch nozzle 39a is supplied between the top plate 13a and the uppermost wafer W in the upper substrate holding region 13d, and cooling gas ejected from the third branch nozzle 39c is supplied between the bottom plate 13c and the lowermost wafer W in the lower substrate holding region 13e. In the rising position, cooling gas ejected from the second branch nozzle 39b is supplied between the bottom plate 13c and the lowermost wafer W in the lower substrate holding region 13e. As a result, a barrier (air curtain) of cooling gas can be formed between the bottom plate 13 and the lowermost wafer W in the lower substrate holding region 13e. Therefore, the wafer W held at the bottom of the boat 13 can be cooled, and the ambient gas in the wafer W region can be separated from the ambient gas in the heat insulation region 12 region by the air curtain.

[0053] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a controller 42 is connected to the rotating mechanism 16, the substrate transfer machine 17, the boat lift 18, the gas supply mechanism 22 (MFC24a, 24b and valves 25a, 25b), the APC valve 29, the cleaning unit 32, and the transfer chamber gas supply mechanism 41 (MFC24c and valve 25c) to control these units. The controller 42 is configured to control the operation of the processing device 1, for example, a microprocessor (computer) equipped with a CPU. An input / output device 43, for example, configured as a touch panel, is connected to the controller 42.

[0054] The controller 42 is connected to a storage unit 44, which serves as a storage medium. The storage unit 44 contains control programs that control the operation of the processing device 1, or programs (processes such as manufacturing processes or cleaning processes) that are used to cause each component of the processing device 1 to perform processing according to processing conditions.

[0055] The storage unit 44 can be a storage device (hard disk or flash memory) built into the controller 42, or it can be an external recording device (a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory or memory card). Alternatively, providing programs to the computer can be done using communication methods such as the Internet or dedicated lines. As needed, a program is read from the storage unit 44 using instructions from the input / output device 43, and the controller 42 executes processing corresponding to the read program. Thus, the processing device 1 executes the desired processing based on the control of the controller 42.

[0056] Next, the process of forming a film on a substrate (film formation process) will be described using the above-described processing apparatus 1. Here, an example of forming a film on a wafer W by supplying a raw material gas and a reactant gas relative to the wafer W will be described. Furthermore, in the following description, the operation of each part constituting the processing apparatus 1 is controlled by a controller 42.

[0057] (Transfer process)

[0058] The wafer W is transferred from the wafer cassette 21 to the carrier 13 using the substrate transfer machine 17 (wafer loading). At this time, gas is supplied to the transfer chamber 2 using the cleaning unit 32. In addition, based on the cleaning unit 32, cooling gas can also be supplied from each branch nozzle 39a to 39c via the cooling gas nozzle 39.

[0059] (Moving-in process)

[0060] Next, the gate 9, which closes the wafer transfer outlet at the bottom of the processing chamber 6, is moved toward a gate receiving section (not shown), opening the wafer transfer outlet of the processing chamber 6. Then, the cover 11 is raised using the boat lift 18, and the boat 13 is transferred from the transfer chamber 2 into the processing chamber 6 (boat installation). As a result, the cover 11 is sealed at the lower end of the manifold 8 by means of a sealing component. At this time, gas continues to be supplied from the cleaning unit 32 to the transfer chamber 2 under the same conditions as in the transfer process.

[0061] (Substrate processing process)

[0062] If the boat 13 is moved into the processing chamber 6, the processing chamber 6 is vented using the exhaust pipe 27, and the pressure of the processing chamber 6 is set to the desired pressure (vacuum). Additionally, the processing chamber 6 is heated using the heater 5, and the rotating mechanism 16 is activated to rotate the boat 13. The gas supply mechanism 22 also supplies raw material gas and reactive gas to the processing chamber 6. As a result, a film is formed on the surface of the wafer W. Once a film of the desired thickness is formed on the surface of the wafer W, the gas supply mechanism 22 stops supplying raw material gas and reactive gas to the processing chamber 6 and supplies an inactive gas instead. This replaces the processing chamber 6 with the inactive gas, and the pressure of the processing chamber 6 is restored to atmospheric pressure. At this time, gas continues to be supplied from the cleaning unit 32 to the transfer chamber 2 under the same conditions as in the transfer process.

[0063] (Transfer process)

[0064] When the substrate processing step is completed, the cover 11 is lowered using the boat lift 18 to open the lower end of the manifold 8, and the boat 13 is moved from the processing chamber 6 to the transfer chamber 2. Then, the wafer transfer outlet of the processing chamber 6 is closed using the gate 9, and the boat 13 is positioned in the reference position (boat unloading). At this time, gas continues to be supplied to the transfer chamber 2 from the cleaning unit 32, or the cleaning unit 32 and the cooling gas nozzle 39, under the same conditions as the transfer step.

[0065] (Cooling process)

[0066] Once the transfer of wafer 13 to transfer chamber 2 is complete, a cooling process (cooling process) is performed in transfer chamber 2 to lower the temperature of wafer W until the wafer W reaches a preset set temperature. Here, the set temperature refers to the temperature at which wafer W can be transferred out, and is stored in advance in storage unit 44. The set temperature is below the heat resistance temperature of the tweezers 17a or wafer cassette 21, for example, 100°C. Furthermore, the set temperature is generally set to a range of 60°C to 100°C depending on the material of the tweezers 17a or wafer cassette 21. Hereinafter, refer to... Figure 4 The flowchart illustrates the detailed cooling process of wafer W.

[0067] STEP: 01

[0068] If the substrate processing in the processing chamber 6 is completed, the controller 42 drives the boat lift 18 to lower the boat 13 to the reference position. At this time, the cleaning unit 32 supplies gas at a predetermined flow rate. Alternatively, in this embodiment, the boat 13 may be lowered from the processing chamber 6 and moved to the reference position, but after lowering, it may be further moved and positioned at the reference position. Furthermore, in this process (STEP: 01), cooling gas may be supplied from the cooling gas nozzle 39 toward the boat 13 at a predetermined flow rate.

[0069] STEP: 02

[0070] If the boat 13 is positioned at the reference position, the controller 42 controls the MFC 24c and the valve 25c to inject cooling gas from each of the branch nozzles 39a to 39c at a first flow rate and only during the first cooling time. At the reference position, the cooling gas injected from the first branch nozzle 39a flows between the top plate 13a of the boat 13 and the uppermost wafer W in the upper substrate holding region 13d. Additionally, the cooling gas injected from the third branch nozzle 39c flows between the bottom plate 13c of the boat 13 and the lowermost wafer W in the lower substrate holding region 13e. The cooling gas flowing in from each of the branch nozzles 39a to 39c cools the wafer W packed within the boat 13. Furthermore, an air curtain is formed between the boat 13 and the heat insulation section 12, which cools the wafer W below the boat 13 and blocks radiant heat from the heat insulation section 12.

[0071] Here, the first flow rate is, for example, 75 L / min. Furthermore, the first cooling time is the time it takes for the temperature of the wafer W packed in the boat 13 to drop below 100°C, and is preset based on the processing temperature of the wafer W or the first flow rate, etc. In addition, STEP:01 and STEP:02 are collectively referred to as the first cooling process.

[0072] STEP: 03

[0073] After cooling gas is ejected from each of the branch nozzles 39a to 39c only during the first cooling time, the controller 42 controls the MFC 24c and the valve 25c to stop the supply of cooling gas.

[0074] STEP: 04

[0075] The controller 42 drives the boat lifting mechanism 18, raising the boat 13 to the raised position. At this time, the cooling gas from each branch nozzle 39a to 39c is stopped. Furthermore, the process of moving the boat 13 from the reference position to the raised position is referred to as the moving process.

[0076] STEP: 05

[0077] With the supply of cooling gas stopped, the controller 42 performs the mapping of the wafer W. That is, the controller 42 operates the substrate transfer machine 17 and uses a sensor (sometimes called a wafer sensor) pre-installed on the substrate transfer machine 17 to confirm the transfer status of the wafer W held by the boat 13. Specifically, the controller 42 raises and lowers the substrate transfer machine 17 and, based on information from the sensor, confirms whether any abnormalities such as the wafer W flying out, breaking, or misalignment have occurred. Alternatively, a temperature sensor, described later as a temperature measuring unit, can be installed on the substrate transfer machine 17 to measure the temperature of the wafer W held by the boat 13. These temperature measurements of the wafer W held by the boat 13 and the confirmation of the transfer status can be performed at least once, but both can also be performed. In addition, the wafer sensor or temperature sensor described above is a sensor capable of measuring the object (wafer W) in a non-contact manner, but this embodiment does not particularly limit the installation position, which is just one example.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, STEP:03 to STEP:05 are collectively referred to as the stop process. In the stop process, after the first cooling process has ended, the controller 42 starts wafer mapping at a time point, for example, after a preset time has elapsed. If the rise of the boat 13 ends before the preset time has elapsed, the boat 13 is held in the raised position. If the rise of the boat 13 does not end even after the preset time has elapsed, the controller 42 issues an alarm notification as an abnormality. Furthermore, if the rise of the boat 13 ends before the preset time has elapsed, wafer mapping can be performed on the boat 13 without waiting for the preset time to elapse.

[0079] After wafer mapping, controller 42 checks whether the wafer W's mounting state is abnormal. If an abnormality occurs, controller 42 issues an alarm notification. Alternatively, the substrate processing can be stopped without transitioning to the wafer unloading process by immediately performing recovery processing after the next process (STEP: 06) based on the abnormality.

[0080] STEP: 06

[0081] The controller 42 controls the MFC 24c and the valve 25c to inject cooling gas from each of the branch nozzles 39a to 39c at a second flow rate and only during the second cooling time. In the rising position, the cooling gas injected from the second branch nozzle 39b flows into the space between the bottom plate 13c of the boat 13 and the lowest layer of the wafer W in the lower substrate holding area 13e. The cooling gas injected from the second branch nozzle 39b is used to cool the wafer W filled in the boat 13, and an air curtain is formed between the boat 13 and the heat insulation section 12 to block radiant heat from the heat insulation section 12.

[0082] Here, the second flow rate is smaller than the first flow rate, for example, 15 L / min. Furthermore, the second cooling time is shorter than the first cooling time, and is the time until the temperature of the wafer W, which did not completely drop to the set temperature in the first cooling process, drops below 100°C. This time is preset based on the processing temperature of the wafer W, or the first and second flow rates, etc. Additionally, STEP:06 is also referred to as the second cooling process.

[0083] Furthermore, each branch nozzle 39a to 39c branches from all the cooling gas nozzles 39, and the flow rate of the cooling gas flowing through the cooling gas nozzles 39 is controlled simultaneously using MFC 24c and valve 25c. That is, cooling gas is supplied to the three branch nozzles 39a to 39c using a single system. Therefore, in the first cooling process at the reference position, cooling gas is supplied from the second branch nozzle 39b to the middle section of the substrate holding area at a first flow rate. In addition, in the second cooling process at the rising position, cooling gas is supplied from the first branch nozzle 39a to the middle section of the substrate holding area at a second flow rate, and cooling gas is supplied from the third branch nozzle 39c to the heat insulation area of ​​the heat insulation section 12 at a second flow rate.

[0084] (Transfer process)

[0085] When the wafer W has been cooled for a specified time, the wafer W is transferred from the boat 13 to the wafer cassette 21 using the substrate transfer machine 17 (wafer unloading). At this time, it is also possible to configure the wafer W in the lower substrate holding region 13e to be removed at the rising position, and then the boat 13 is lowered to the reference position to remove the wafer W in the upper substrate holding region 13d.

[0086] Furthermore, when performing the transfer process according to different categories of wafers W, such as monitoring wafers, product wafers, and dummy wafers, the boat 13 is raised and lowered between the reference position and the rising position each time, and the wafer W is removed at each position. Additionally, during the wafer W transfer process, a predetermined flow rate of cooling gas is supplied from the cleaning unit 32 when the wafer W is removed. Alternatively, the cooling gas can be supplied at a predetermined flow rate from each branch nozzle 39a-39c. On the other hand, during the raising and lowering of the boat 13, the supply of cooling gas from each branch nozzle 39a-39c is stopped.

[0087] As described above, in this embodiment, the cooling gas nozzle 39, which provides a common cooling gas, is configured to branch into branch nozzles 39a to 39c. Cooling gas is supplied from each branch nozzle 39a to 39c to the space between the lowest layer of the wafer W and the heat insulation portion 12 of the boat 13 at each of the reference positions for transferring the wafer W held in the upper substrate holding region 13d and the rising positions for transferring the wafer W held in the lower substrate holding region 13e.

[0088] Therefore, in either the reference position or the rising position, cooling gas is supplied to the boundary between the heat insulation area and the substrate holding area to form an air curtain. This cools the wafer W below the substrate holding area and blocks radiant heat from the heat insulation area, preventing the temperature of the wafer W held by the substrate holding area from rising again.

[0089] In addition, cooling gas can be supplied to the area between the substrate holding area and the top plate 13a, the area between the substrate holding area and the bottom plate 13c, the middle part of the substrate holding area, and the entire boat 13 via branch nozzles 39a to 39c. Therefore, the first cooling time can be shortened, and the time of the first cooling process can be shortened.

[0090] In addition, since the temperature of the wafer W can be prevented from rising again, the time required to set the wafer W to the set temperature that can be transported by the substrate transfer machine 17 can be shortened, and the transport of the wafer W can start within the preset time, so that the transport of the wafer W is not delayed.

[0091] Furthermore, the boat 13 can be raised and lowered between a reference position and an upward position above the reference position, allowing the substrate transfer machine 17 to transport wafers W held by the upper substrate holding region 13d at the reference position, and wafers W held by the lower substrate holding region 13e at the upward position. Therefore, all wafers W held by the boat 13 can be transported using the substrate transfer machine 17 without changing its structure.

[0092] Furthermore, the device is configured to perform wafer mapping when the boat 13 is moved from the reference position to the raised position. Therefore, after the first cooling process, it is possible to determine whether there is any abnormality in the wafer W or whether the wafer W can be transported during the movement of the boat 13.

[0093] Furthermore, the flow rate of the cooling gas supplied in the second cooling step (second flow rate) is smaller than the flow rate of the cooling gas supplied in the first cooling step (first flow rate), and the supply time of the cooling gas in the second cooling step (second cooling time) is shorter than the supply time of the cooling gas in the first cooling step (first cooling time). Therefore, waste of cooling gas can be suppressed. In addition, inert gases such as N2 are used as the cooling gas.

[0094] Furthermore, the configuration is such that during the stop process, the time from stopping the cooling gas to performing wafer mapping is preset, and wafer mapping begins at a point after the preset time has elapsed. Therefore, wafer mapping and wafer W transfer from the carrier 13 begin without delay at the preset first cooling time, thereby enabling verification of the configuration status of the processed wafer W placed on the carrier 13 and detection of any abnormalities in the wafer W's mounting status. Alternatively, wafer mapping can be performed immediately after stopping the cooling gas (the preset time can be zero).

[0095] This embodiment is not limited to the above aspects and can be modified in the manner shown below.

[0096] Figure 5 (A) Figure 5 (B) shows a first modification of this disclosure. In the first modification, the cooling gas nozzle 45 includes a first branch nozzle 45a extending towards the vessel 13 by bending, a third branch nozzle 45c branching towards the vessel 13 on the upstream side compared to the first branch nozzle 45a, and a switching valve 46a located on the upstream side compared to the third branch nozzle 45c. Additionally, the cooling gas nozzle 45 has a second branch nozzle 45b branching in a predetermined direction on the upstream side compared to the switching valve 46a. The second branch nozzle 45b is configured to extend towards the vessel 13 after extending in the predetermined direction and is equipped with the switching valve 46b.

[0097] The first variation is similar to the embodiments disclosed herein, in that the cooling gas ejected from the first branch nozzle 45a is supplied between the top plate 13a at the reference position and the uppermost wafer W in the substrate holding region, the cooling gas ejected from the second branch nozzle 45b is supplied between the bottom plate 13c at the rising position and the lowermost wafer W in the substrate holding region, and the cooling gas ejected from the third branch nozzle 45c is supplied between the bottom plate 13c at the reference position and the lowermost wafer W in the substrate holding region.

[0098] In the first modified example, when switching valve 46a is open and switching valve 46b is closed, cooling gas is injected only from the first branch nozzle 45a and the third branch nozzle 45c, and not from the second branch nozzle 45b. Alternatively, when switching valve 46a is closed and switching valve 46b is open, cooling gas is injected only from the second branch nozzle 45b, and not from the first branch nozzle 45a and the third branch nozzle 45c.

[0099] In the first modified example, switching valve 46a is opened and switching valve 46b is closed during the first cooling process, and switching valve 46a is closed and switching valve 46b is opened during the second cooling process. This allows for reliable supply of cooling gas between the substrate 13c and the lowest layer of the wafer W in the substrate holding area, while preventing direct injection of cooling gas into the wafer W. It also suppresses the consumption of cooling gas.

[0100] Figure 6 (A) Figure 6 (B) shows a second variation of this disclosure. In the second variation, the cooling gas nozzle is composed of a first cooling gas nozzle 47 and a second cooling gas nozzle 49 branching from the first cooling gas nozzle 47. The first cooling gas nozzle 47 has a first branch nozzle 47a extending towards the vessel 13 by bending, and a switching valve 48a disposed upstream of the first branch nozzle 47a. The second cooling gas nozzle 49 branches upstream of the first cooling gas nozzle 47 in a predetermined direction compared to the switching valve 48a.

[0101] Additionally, the second cooling gas nozzle 49 includes: a second branch nozzle 49b extending upstream of the first branch nozzle 47a and curving toward the vessel 13; a third branch nozzle 49c branching toward the vessel 13 upstream of the second branch nozzle 49b; and a switching valve 48b located upstream of the third branch nozzle 49c. That is, the second branch nozzle 49b extends toward the vessel 13 from between the first branch nozzle 47a and the third branch nozzle 49c.

[0102] In the second variation, similar to the embodiments disclosed herein, cooling gas ejected from the first branch nozzle 47a is supplied to the region between the top plate 13a at the reference position and the uppermost wafer W of the substrate holding region; cooling gas ejected from the second branch nozzle 49b is supplied to the region between the bottom plate 13c at the rising position and the lowermost wafer W of the substrate holding region; and cooling gas ejected from the third branch nozzle 49c is supplied to the region between the bottom plate 13c at the reference position and the lowermost wafer W of the substrate holding region.

[0103] In the second variation, during the first cooling step, the switching valve 48a is opened and the opening of the switching valve 48b is adjusted such that the flow rate of the cooling gas supplied to the second cooling gas nozzle 49 is less than the flow rate of the cooling gas supplied to the first cooling gas nozzle 47. Furthermore, the total flow rate of the cooling gas in the first cooling step is 75 slm, and the flow rate ratio of the cooling gas to the first cooling gas nozzle 47 to the cooling gas to the second cooling gas nozzle 49 is, for example, 5:1.

[0104] Additionally, during the second cooling process, switching valve 48a is closed and switching valve 48b is opened, and the flow rate of the cooling gas is reduced to a level lower than the flow rate at the reference position. For example, the total flow rate of the cooling gas during the second cooling process is 15 slm.

[0105] During the first cooling process, a large flow rate of cooling gas is supplied from the first branch nozzle 47a to the space between the top plate 13a and the uppermost wafer W in the substrate holding area, and a small flow rate of cooling gas is supplied from the branch nozzles 49b and 49c to the middle portion of the substrate holding area and the space between the bottom plate 13c and the lowermost wafer W in the substrate holding area. During the second cooling process, cooling gas is supplied from the second branch nozzle 49b to the space between the bottom plate 13c and the lowermost wafer W in the substrate holding area, and cooling gas is supplied from the third branch nozzle 49c to the heat insulation section 12.

[0106] In the second variation, during the first cooling process, the opening of the switching valve 46b is adjusted so that the cooling gas flow rate of the second cooling gas nozzle 49 is smaller than that of the first cooling gas nozzle 47, and during the second cooling process, the total cooling gas flow rate is reduced compared to the first cooling process. Therefore, in either the first or second cooling process, a cooling gas flow rate with a limited amount is supplied between the substrate 13c and the wafer W at the bottommost layer of the substrate holding region, thus suppressing the consumption of cooling gas.

[0107] Furthermore, in the second variation, a switching valve 48b that adjusts the opening degree to limit the flow rate of the cooling gas is provided at the branch cooling gas nozzle, but a throttling orifice with a specified flow path resistance may be provided instead of the switching valve 48b.

[0108] Figure 7 (A) Figure 7 (B) illustrates a third variation of this disclosure. In this third variation, the cooling gas nozzle comprises a first cooling gas nozzle 51 and a second cooling gas nozzle 52 branching from the first cooling gas nozzle 51. The first cooling gas nozzle has a first branch nozzle 51a extending towards the vessel 13 by bending, a second branch nozzle 51b branching towards the vessel 13 on the upstream side compared to the first branch nozzle 51a, and a switching valve 53a disposed on the upstream side compared to the second branch nozzle. The second cooling gas nozzle 52 branches from the first cooling gas nozzle 51 in a predetermined direction on the upstream side compared to the switching valve 53a.

[0109] Additionally, the second cooling gas nozzle 52 has a third branch nozzle 52c that extends downstream compared to the first branch nozzle 51a, a fourth branch nozzle 52d that branches towards the boat 13 on the upstream side compared to the third branch nozzle 52c and the first branch nozzle 51a and on the downstream side compared to the second branch nozzle 51b, and a switching valve 53b that is located on the upstream side compared to the fourth branch nozzle 52d.

[0110] In the third variation, cooling gas ejected from the first branch nozzle 51a is supplied to the region between the top plate 13a at the reference position and the uppermost wafer W in the substrate holding region, and cooling gas ejected from the second branch nozzle 51b is supplied to the region between the bottom plate 13c at the reference position and the lowermost wafer W in the substrate holding region. Furthermore, cooling gas ejected from the third branch nozzle 52c is supplied to the region between the top plate 13a at the rising position and the uppermost wafer W in the substrate holding region, and cooling gas ejected from the fourth branch nozzle 52d is supplied to the region between the bottom plate 13c at the rising position and the lowermost wafer W in the substrate holding region.

[0111] In the third variation, during the first cooling step, the switching valve 53a is opened and the opening of the switching valve 53b is adjusted such that the flow rate of the cooling gas supplied to the second cooling gas nozzle 52 is less than the flow rate of the cooling gas supplied to the first cooling gas nozzle 51. Furthermore, the total flow rate of the cooling gas in the first cooling step is 75 slm, and the flow rate ratio of the cooling gas to the first cooling gas nozzle 51 to the cooling gas to the second cooling gas nozzle 52 is, for example, 5:1.

[0112] Furthermore, during the second cooling step, switching valve 53a is closed and switching valve 53b is opened, and the flow rate of the cooling gas is reduced to a level lower than that in the first cooling step. For example, the total flow rate of the cooling gas in the second cooling step becomes 15 slm. That is, in the first cooling step, a large flow rate of cooling gas is injected from the first branch nozzle 51a and the second branch nozzle 51b, and a small flow rate of cooling gas is injected from the third branch nozzle 52c and the fourth branch nozzle 52d; in the second cooling step, only a small flow rate of cooling gas is injected from the third branch nozzle 52c and the fourth branch nozzle 52d.

[0113] In the third variation, the total flow rate of cooling gas is reduced in the second cooling step compared to the first cooling step, thus suppressing the consumption of cooling gas.

[0114] Figure 8 (A) Figure 8(B) shows a fourth modification of this disclosure. In the fourth modification, the cooling gas nozzle 54 has a flow regulating valve 55, which branches downstream of the flow regulating valve 55 toward a first cooling gas nozzle 56 and a second cooling gas nozzle 57. The first cooling gas nozzle 56 includes: a first branch nozzle 56a extending toward the vessel 13 by bending; a second branch nozzle 56b branching toward the vessel 13 upstream of the first branch nozzle 56a; and a first solenoid valve 58a located upstream of the second branch nozzle 56b. The second cooling gas nozzle 57 includes: a third branch nozzle 57c extending toward the vessel 13 by bending downstream of the first branch nozzle 56a; a fourth branch nozzle 57d branching toward the vessel 13 upstream of the third branch nozzle 57c and the first branch nozzle 56a and downstream of the second branch nozzle 56b; and a second solenoid valve 58b located upstream of the fourth branch nozzle 57d.

[0115] In the fourth variation, cooling gas ejected from the first branch nozzle 56a is supplied to the region between the top plate 13a at the reference position and the uppermost wafer W of the substrate holding region, and cooling gas ejected from the second branch nozzle 56b is supplied to the region between the bottom plate 13c at the reference position and the lowermost wafer W of the substrate holding region. Alternatively, cooling gas ejected from the third branch nozzle 57c is supplied to the region between the top plate 13a at the raised position and the uppermost wafer W of the substrate holding region, and cooling gas ejected from the fourth branch nozzle 57d is supplied to the region between the bottom plate 13c at the raised position and the lowermost wafer W of the substrate holding region.

[0116] In addition, the flow regulating valve 55 is configured to control the opening degree of the flow regulating valve 55 in sync with the signals issued during the lifting and lowering of the boat 13, at the end of the movement to the reference position, and at the end of the movement to the rising position, and to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valves 58a and 58b.

[0117] When the boat 13 finishes moving towards the reference position (first cooling step), the opening of the flow control valve 55 is increased, and the first solenoid valve 58a is opened while the second solenoid valve 58b is closed. Conversely, when the boat 13 finishes moving from the rising position (second cooling step), the opening of the flow control valve 55 is decreased, and the first solenoid valve 58a is closed while the second solenoid valve 58b is opened. Furthermore, during the raising and lowering process of the boat 13 (stopping step), the flow control valve 55 is closed, and each of the solenoid valves 58a and 58b is closed.

[0118] In the fourth variation, during the first cooling step, for example, 75 slm of cooling gas is supplied to the first cooling gas nozzle 56, and a large flow rate of cooling gas is injected only from the first branch nozzle 56a and the second branch nozzle 56b. Conversely, during the second cooling step, for example, 15 slm of cooling gas is supplied to the second cooling gas nozzle 57, and a small flow rate of cooling gas is injected only from the third branch nozzle 57c and the fourth branch nozzle 57d.

[0119] In the fourth variation, the total flow rate of cooling gas is reduced in the second cooling step compared to the first cooling step, thus suppressing the consumption of cooling gas.

[0120] Figure 9 A fifth variation of this disclosure is shown. In this fifth variation, a thermometer 59, serving as a temperature sensor, is provided at the front end of the substrate transfer machine 17. The thermometer 59 may be, for example, a radiation thermometer capable of measuring temperature in a non-contact manner.

[0121] Furthermore, the thermometer 59 can measure the temperature of all wafers W loaded in the boat 13, for example, when the boat 13 is in the raised position. For example, the measurement can be performed while the substrate transfer machine 17 is raised and lowered, as is the case when performing wafer mapping, or the measurement can be performed after the substrate transfer machine 17 is moved to a position determined in advance for the substrate processing area.

[0122] The following is for reference Figure 10 The flowchart illustrates the details of the cooling process for wafer W in the fifth variation. Furthermore, in Figure 10 In the middle, STEP:11 to STEP:14 and Figure 4 Similarly, STEP:01 to STEP:04, STEP:06 and STEP:17 are also cooling processes. Therefore, the explanation of the same parts is omitted and the different parts are mainly explained. Therefore, STEP:15, 16, 18 and 19 will be explained below.

[0123] STEP: 15

[0124] After the boat 13 moves from the reference position to the raised position, the temperature of the wafers W is measured using thermometer 59. The substrate transfer machine 17 moves up and down with the thermometer 59 facing the boat 13. The thermometer 59 measures the temperature of all wafers W non-contactly based on the emitted light from all the wafers W packed in the boat 13.

[0125] STEP: 16

[0126] After temperature measurements were performed on all wafers W, controller 42 (reference) Figure 1The temperature of all wafers W that underwent temperature measurement was compared with a pre-set temperature, and it was determined whether all measurement results were lower than the set temperature, for example, 100°C. If it was determined that the measured temperature was higher than the set temperature, the process transitioned to STEP:17 and performed the same second cooling process as STEP:06. Furthermore, as the second cooling process, the gas supply described in the first to fourth modifications described above can also be performed, but details are omitted.

[0127] STEP: 17

[0128] After measuring the wafer temperature in STEP:15, in STEP:16, if it is determined that any one of the measured temperatures of all wafers W is greater than the set temperature, then STEP:17 (second cooling step) is performed as described in STEP:06. Alternatively, if it is determined using STEP:19 (described later) that any one of the measured temperatures of all wafers W is greater than the set temperature, then STEP:17 (second cooling step) is performed. In this case, in the second cooling step after the second step, at least one of the gas flow rate and the gas supply time can be changed compared to the first cooling step. For example, it can be configured to change the gas flow rate or the gas supply time based on the difference from a preset temperature (e.g., 100°C).

[0129] STEP: 18

[0130] After the second cooling process is completed, the tweezers 17a of the substrate transfer machine 17 are moved to the vicinity of the wafer W to be transported, and a temperature measurement based on the thermometer 59 is performed relative to the wafer W to be transported. In addition, the temperature measurement after the second cooling process does not need to measure all the wafers W to be transported, only the wafer W located at the bottom of the boat 13 needs to be measured, and only the wafer W loaded at the lowest position of the boat 13 needs to be measured.

[0131] STEP: 19

[0132] If the temperature of the wafer W to be transported is lower than the set temperature, the substrate transfer machine 17 begins to transport the wafer W from the boat 13. Alternatively, if the temperature of the wafer W to be transported is higher than the set temperature, the temperature of the wafer W is measured continuously, and at the point when the temperature of the wafer W becomes lower than the set temperature, the substrate transfer machine 17 begins to transport the wafer W from the boat 13. Furthermore, STEP: 18 and STEP: 19 are also referred to as transfer preparation steps that bridge the gap between the cooling process and the transfer process.

[0133] In the fifth variation, a thermometer 59 capable of non-contact temperature measurement is installed. Temperature measurement of the wafer W relative to the transport object is performed before transfer from the boat 13, and the wafer W is transported when its temperature is lower than the set temperature. Therefore, after the first cooling process, it can be confirmed whether there has been reheating using radiant heat from the heat insulation section 12. This prevents the wafer W from being transported to the substrate transfer machine 17 when it has been reheated to a temperature higher than the set temperature, and prevents damage to the tweezers 17a.

[0134] Furthermore, by measuring the temperature of all wafers W loaded in the boat 13 and performing wafer mapping, the loading state of the wafers W relative to the boat 13 can be confirmed based on the above-mentioned effects.

[0135] According to this embodiment, the boat 13 is moved from the reference position to the rising position as described above. However, unless there is a special need, it can also be configured to perform the following steps: a first cooling step of supplying gas toward the boat 13 at the reference position; a stop step of stopping the gas supply in the first cooling step; and a second cooling step of cooling at least the processed wafer W held by the lower part of the substrate holding area of ​​the boat 13. Moreover, the stop step can also be configured to perform either wafer mapping or wafer temperature measurement. In this case, the effects of the present embodiment described above can certainly be achieved.

[0136] Furthermore, the type of thin film formed on the substrate in the processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is not particularly limited. For example, the processing apparatus 1 can be applied to the processing of various types of thin films, such as nitride films (SiN, etc.), oxide films (SiO, etc.), films including metals, CVD, PVD, etc. Additionally, the processing for forming the thin film on the substrate can also be, for example, annealing, oxidation, nitriding, diffusion, etc. Moreover, the processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment can be applied not only to semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, but also to other processing apparatuses such as those used for processing glass substrates, such as LCD devices.

[0137] (appendix)

[0138] In addition, this disclosure includes the following implementation methods.

[0139] (Appendix 1)

[0140] According to one aspect of this disclosure,

[0141] A method is provided for cooling a processed substrate in a state held by a substrate holder, comprising: a first cooling step of supplying gas toward the substrate holder disposed at a predetermined reference position to cool the substrate; a stop step of stopping the supply of gas in the first cooling step; and a second cooling step of cooling the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder.

[0142] (Appendix 2)

[0143] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0144] In the first cooling process, the gas is supplied to the top plate of the substrate holder, the substrate holding area of ​​the substrate holder containing the substrate, and the boundary of the substrate holding area of ​​the substrate holder.

[0145] (Appendix 3)

[0146] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0147] The first cooling process is performed until the temperature of the substrate held by the center portion of the substrate holder reaches below 100°C.

[0148] (Appendix 4)

[0149] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0150] The stopping process also includes a moving process that moves the substrate holder from a reference position to a position where the substrate can be transported.

[0151] (Appendix 5)

[0152] In the method of Appendix 4, preferably,

[0153] The transfer process is configured such that at least one of the following is performed during the transfer process: temperature measurement of the substrate held by the substrate holder and confirmation of the transfer state.

[0154] (Appendix 6)

[0155] In the method of Appendix 4, preferably,

[0156] The transfer process is configured such that at least one of the following is performed during the transfer process: temperature measurement of the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder and confirmation of the transfer state.

[0157] (Appendix 7)

[0158] In the method of Appendix 4, preferably,

[0159] The transfer process is configured such that, during the transfer process, at least one of the following is performed: temperature measurement of the substrate held at least by the lower end of the substrate holder and confirmation of the transfer state.

[0160] (Appendix 8)

[0161] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0162] The flow rate of the gas supplied in the second cooling step is smaller than the flow rate of the gas supplied in the first cooling step.

[0163] (Appendix 9)

[0164] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0165] The gas supply time in the second cooling step is shorter than the gas supply time in the first cooling step.

[0166] (Appendix 10)

[0167] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0168] The gas is supplied to at least one of the substrate holding region, the heat insulation region of the substrate holding member, and the boundary between the substrate holding region and the heat insulation region during the second cooling process.

[0169] (Appendix 11)

[0170] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0171] The gas is supplied to the top plate of the substrate holder and the boundary of the substrate holding area of ​​the substrate holder where the substrate is loaded, during the first cooling step and the second cooling step.

[0172] (Appendix 12)

[0173] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0174] The gas is supplied to the boundary between the substrate holding region of the substrate holder and the heat insulation region of the substrate holder during the second cooling process.

[0175] (Appendix 13)

[0176] In any of the methods in Appendices 5 to 7, preferably,

[0177] The second cooling process is omitted when the temperature of the substrate is lower than a predetermined set temperature.

[0178] (Appendix 14)

[0179] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0180] The configuration includes performing at least one of temperature measurement of the substrate and confirmation of the mounting state prior to the first cooling process.

[0181] (Appendix 15)

[0182] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0183] The system is configured such that, during the stopping process, if a predetermined time is reached, at least one of the following is performed: a temperature measurement of the substrate held by the substrate holder and a confirmation of the mounting state.

[0184] (Appendix 16)

[0185] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0186] The system is configured such that, during the stopping process, if a predetermined time is reached, at least one of the following is performed: a temperature measurement of the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder and a confirmation of the mounting state.

[0187] (Appendix 17)

[0188] In the method of Appendix 1, preferably,

[0189] The system is configured such that, during the stopping process, if a predetermined time is reached, at least one of the following is performed: a temperature measurement of the substrate held by the lower end of the substrate holder and a confirmation of the mounting state.

[0190] (Appendix 18)

[0191] In any of the methods in Appendices 15 to 17, preferably,

[0192] The second cooling process is omitted when the temperature of the substrate is lower than a predetermined temperature.

[0193] (Appendix 19)

[0194] According to another aspect of this disclosure,

[0195] A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided, including a step of cooling a processed substrate held in a state by a substrate holder. In this method, the step of cooling the substrate includes: a first cooling step of supplying gas to the substrate holder disposed at a predetermined reference position to cool the substrate; a stop step of stopping the gas supply; and a second cooling step of cooling the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder.

[0196] (Appendix 20)

[0197] According to another aspect of this disclosure,

[0198] A processing apparatus is provided, comprising a cooling section for cooling a processed substrate that is held by a substrate holder, and a control section for controlling the cooling section in such a way that: gas is supplied toward the substrate holder disposed at a predetermined reference position to cool the substrate, and after the gas supply is stopped, at least the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder is cooled.

Claims

1. A cooling method for cooling a processed substrate held in a state by a substrate holder, the substrate holder holding a plurality of said substrates in a vertical direction, the cooling method being characterized by comprising: In the first cooling process, gas is supplied to the substrate holder, which is positioned at a predetermined reference position after being removed from the processing chamber that processes the substrate, to cool the substrate. Stop the process, stop the gas supply, and move the substrate holder from the predetermined reference position to an elevated position where the substrate can be transported; as well as In the second cooling process, the gas is supplied at the rising position to cool the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder.

2. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system is configured such that, during the stopping process, at least one of the following is performed: temperature measurement of the substrate held by the substrate holder and confirmation of the mounting state.

3. The cooling method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second cooling process is omitted when the temperature of the substrate is lower than a preset temperature.

4. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the first cooling process, the gas is supplied to the top plate of the substrate holder, the substrate holding area of ​​the substrate holder containing the substrate, and the boundary of the substrate holding area of ​​the substrate holder.

5. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cooling process is performed until the temperature of the substrate held by the center portion of the substrate holder reaches below 100°C.

6. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system is configured such that, during the stopping process, after moving to the rising position, at least one of the following is performed: temperature measurement of the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder and confirmation of the transfer state.

7. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The configuration is such that, during the stopping process, after moving to the rising position, at least one of the following is performed: temperature measurement of the substrate held at least by the lower end of the substrate holder and confirmation of the transfer state.

8. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas supplied in the second cooling step is configured such that the flow rate of the gas supplied in the first cooling step is smaller than the flow rate of the gas supplied in the first cooling step.

9. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas supply time in the second cooling step is configured to be shorter than the gas supply time in the first cooling step.

10. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas is supplied to at least one of the substrate holding region, the heat insulation region of the substrate holding member, and the boundary between the substrate holding region and the heat insulation region during the second cooling process.

11. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas is supplied to the top plate of the substrate holder and the boundary of the substrate holding area of ​​the substrate holder where the substrate is filled, during the first cooling step and the second cooling step.

12. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas is supplied to the boundary between the substrate holding region of the substrate holder and the heat insulation region of the substrate holder during the second cooling process.

13. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second cooling process is omitted when the temperature of the substrate is lower than a predetermined set temperature.

14. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The configuration is such that, prior to the first cooling process, one of the following is performed: temperature measurement of the substrate and confirmation of its placement state.

15. The cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system is configured such that, during the stopping process, if a predetermined time is reached, one of the following is performed: a temperature measurement of the substrate held by the substrate holder or a confirmation of the mounting state.

16. The cooling method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second cooling process is omitted when the temperature of the substrate is lower than a predetermined temperature.

17. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising a step of cooling a processed substrate held in a state by a substrate holder, wherein the substrate holder holds a plurality of said substrates in a vertical direction, characterized in that... The process of cooling the substrate includes: A first cooling step involves supplying gas to the substrate holder, which is positioned at a predetermined reference position after the substrate has been removed from the processing chamber that processes the substrate, to cool the substrate. The process includes stopping the gas supply, moving the substrate holder from the predetermined reference position to a raised position where the substrate can be transported, and supplying the gas at the raised position to cool the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder in a second cooling process.

18. A program product containing a program for instructing a substrate processing apparatus to perform a step of cooling a substrate held by a substrate holder, the substrate holder holding a plurality of said substrates in a vertical direction, characterized in that the program instructs the substrate processing apparatus to perform the following steps: The steps include: supplying gas to a substrate holder positioned at a predetermined reference position after the substrate has been removed from the processing chamber where the substrate is processed, thereby cooling the substrate; stopping the gas supply and moving the substrate holder from the predetermined reference position to a raised position where the substrate can be transported; and supplying gas to the raised position to cool the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder.

19. A processing apparatus, characterized in that, have: A cooling section for cooling a substrate held in a state by a substrate holder, wherein the substrate holder holds a plurality of said substrates in a vertical direction; and The control unit is configured to control the cooling unit in such a way that it supplies gas to the substrate holder, which is positioned at a predetermined reference position after being removed from the processing chamber where the substrate is processed, to cool the substrate, and after stopping the gas supply and moving the substrate holder from the predetermined reference position to a rising position where the substrate can be transported, it supplies gas to the rising position to cool the substrate held by the lower part of the substrate holder.

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