Substrate processing apparatus and substrate transfer robot

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing chamber configured to process a substrate with a liquid, a drying chamber configured to dry the liquid-processed substrate, a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber, and including a hand movable along X, Y, and Z axes and rotatably driven based on the Z axis, and on which the substrate is placed, an optical system configured to capture a shape of a liquid film of the substrate, wherein the substrate is wetted with a chemical liquid and transferred by the transfer robot in a state of forming a liquid film when the substrate is transferred from the liquid processing chamber to the drying chamber, and a controller configured to measure the shape of the liquid film captured by the optical system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer robot for transferring substrates and a substrate processing apparatus including the transfer robot. Background Technology

[0002] To manufacture semiconductor devices, desired patterns are formed on a substrate through various processes such as photography, etching, ashing, ion implantation, and thin film deposition. Various processing liquids are used in each process, thus generating contaminants and particles. To address this issue, cleaning processes are performed before and after each process to remove contaminants and particles.

[0003] Typically, the cleaning process involves a liquid treatment process and a drying process. In the liquid treatment process, a treatment liquid is supplied to the substrate, and in the drying process, any remaining liquid on the substrate is removed. The liquid treatment process includes a chemical treatment step, a rinsing operation, and a solvent replacement operation. The chemical treatment operation uses chemicals to remove foreign matter from the substrate, the rinsing operation removes any remaining chemicals from the substrate, and the solvent replacement operation uses an organic solvent to replace any remaining rinsing solution on the substrate.

[0004] This will refer to Figure 1 The following description is provided. Typically, chemical processing, rinsing, and solvent replacement operations are performed in the liquid processing chamber 260, and drying operations are performed in the drying chamber 280. Therefore, the substrate that has undergone solvent replacement is transferred to the drying chamber 280.

[0005] Semiconductor devices used for cleaning substrates typically have an n-row and m-layer structure. In this case, the liquid processing chamber 260 and the drying chamber 280 are randomly matched, rather than matched with each other on the same layer. If the substrate being processed in the liquid processing chamber 260 of the first row and first layer is matched with the drying chamber of the third layer of the second row, the substrate moves and rotates in the X, Y, and Z axes, resulting in the most severe solvent behavior. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention aims to provide a substrate processing device and a substrate transfer robot that can effectively process substrates.

[0007] The present invention also aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate transfer robot that can solve the drying defects that may occur due to the process of the substrate moving between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber.

[0008] The present invention also aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate transfer robot, which can resolve problems arising from certain units when they occur after drying is completed by providing a monitoring system for a liquid film formed on a substrate W disposed in a substrate processing facility including a liquid processing chamber.

[0009] The purpose of this invention is not limited thereto, and other purposes not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0010] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a liquid processing chamber configured to process a substrate with a liquid; a drying chamber configured to dry the liquid-processed substrate; a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber, and including a hand capable of moving along an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis and rotatably driven based on the Z-axis, wherein the substrate is placed on the hand; an optical system configured to capture the morphology of a liquid film on the substrate, wherein the substrate is wetted with a chemical liquid and transferred by the transfer robot in a state of forming a liquid film when the substrate is transferred from the liquid processing chamber to the drying chamber; and a controller configured to measure the morphology of the liquid film captured by the optical system.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical system can transmit a first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller while the transfer robot picks up the substrate in the liquid processing chamber. Before the transfer robot puts the substrate into the drying chamber, the optical system can transmit a second data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller. The controller can compare the first data with the second data, and when the morphology of the liquid film in the second data exceeds the error range compared with the first data, the controller can determine whether to load the substrate into the drying chamber and store the second data.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical system may be a camera that captures images of the edge region of the substrate from the side surface of the substrate.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the camera may be configured to capture images of a first side surface of the substrate and a second side surface that is the other side of the first side surface.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller may measure a first contact angle, which is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the first side surface of the substrate, and a second contact angle, which is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the second side surface of the substrate.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical system can transmit first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller while the transfer robot picks up the substrate in the liquid processing chamber. Before the transfer robot places the substrate into the drying chamber, the optical system can transmit second data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller. The controller can measure a first contact angle, which is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the first side surface of the substrate, and a second contact angle, which is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the second side surface of the substrate. The controller can compare the first contact angle in the first data with the first contact angle in the second data, and compare the second contact angle in the first data with the second contact angle in the second data. When the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the second data exceed the error range of the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the first data, the controller can determine whether to load the substrate into the drying chamber and store the second data.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, when a drying defect occurs in the drying chamber of the substrate, the stored second data can be provided as analysis data.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the delivery robot may further include a shielding member disposed above the hand, and the optical system may be configured to be mounted in the shielding member.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical system can measure the height of the liquid film.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of liquid processing chambers may be provided, which are stacked in an array of N columns and M rows, and a plurality of drying chambers may be provided, which are stacked in an array of n columns and m rows, and the transfer robot may transfer the substrate to a location according to the scheme between the plurality of liquid processing chambers and the plurality of drying chambers.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the drying chamber may be a supercritical processing chamber that uses supercritical fluid to dry the substrate.

[0021] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for processing a substrate by transferring the substrate from a first chamber to a second chamber, wherein the transferred substrate is wetted with a chemical liquid and transferred by a transfer robot in the form of a liquid film, the transfer robot including a hand capable of moving along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis and rotatably driven based on the Z-axis, and the substrate is placed on the hand, and the morphology of the liquid film on the substrate is photographed and the photographed morphology of the liquid film is measured.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, while the transfer robot is picking up the substrate in the first chamber, first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film can be stored. Before the transfer robot puts the substrate into the second chamber, second data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film can be stored. The controller can compare the first data with the second data, and when the morphology of the liquid film in the second data exceeds the error range compared with the first data, the controller can determine whether to load the substrate into the second chamber and store the second data.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, while the transfer robot is picking up the substrate in the first chamber, first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film can be stored. Before the transfer robot places the substrate into the second chamber, second data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film can be stored. The controller can measure a first contact angle, which is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to a first side surface of the substrate, and a second contact angle, which is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to a second side surface of the substrate. The controller can compare the first contact angle in the first data with the first contact angle in the second data, and compare the second contact angle in the first data with the second contact angle in the second data. When the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the second data exceed the error range of the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the first data, the controller can determine whether to load the substrate into the second chamber and store the second data.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, when a drying defect occurs in the drying chamber of the substrate, the stored second data can be provided as analysis data.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the first chamber may be a liquid processing chamber, and the second chamber may be a drying chamber.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the drying chamber may be a supercritical processing chamber that uses supercritical fluid to dry the substrate.

[0027] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, substrates can be processed efficiently.

[0028] According to several exemplary embodiments of the present invention, drying defects that may occur due to the process of the substrate moving between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber can be resolved.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a liquid treatment facility is provided that includes a liquid treatment chamber and a monitoring system for discharging and forming a liquid film on the surface of a substrate W, such that problems in a portion of the unit can be resolved when problems occur after drying is complete.

[0030] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand the effects not mentioned from this specification and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is an illustration showing the problems that occur in cleaning facilities in related technologies.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a top plan view showing a substrate processing facility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 3 It is observed along the AA direction. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the substrate processing facility.

[0034] Figure 4 The diagram schematically shows a top plan view of a transport robot according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic perspective view of a transport robot according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 6 It is viewed from the front. Figure 5 Front view of the delivery robot.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of solvent behavior.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] In the following description, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated. However, the invention may be implemented differently and is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, in describing exemplary embodiments of the invention in detail, detailed descriptions of related well-known functions or devices will be omitted if it is determined that such detailed descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the invention. Additionally, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for components having similar functions and effects.

[0041] Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the words “comprising” and variations such as “including” or “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated elements, but not the exclusion of any other elements. It should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “having” are intended to specify the presence of characteristics, quantities, steps, operations, constituent elements, and components described herein, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other characteristics, quantities, steps, operations, constituent elements, and components, or combinations thereof.

[0042] The singular expressions used in this article include plural expressions unless they have a clearly opposite meaning in the context. Therefore, the shape, size, etc. of the elements in the figures may be enlarged for clarity.

[0043] The expression "and / or" includes each item mentioned as well as all combinations including one or more items. Furthermore, in this specification, "connection" means not only the case where component A and component B are directly connected, but also the case where component A and component B are indirectly connected by inserting component C between component A and component B.

[0044] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the invention should not be construed as limited to the following exemplary embodiments. Exemplary embodiments of this application will be provided to explain the invention more fully to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shapes of the elements in the drawings are enlarged for clearer description.

[0045] Figure 2 This is a top plan view showing a substrate processing facility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 It is observed along the AA direction. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the substrate processing facility. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3A substrate processing facility is described. The substrate processing facility 1 for processing substrates includes a transposition module 10 and a process processing module 20. The transposition module 10 includes a loading port 120 and a transfer frame 140. The loading port 120, the transfer frame 140, and the process processing module 20 may be arranged in series sequentially. Hereinafter, the direction in which the loading port 120, the transfer frame 140, and the process processing module 20 are arranged is referred to as a first direction 12, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction 12 when viewed from above is referred to as a second direction 14, and the direction perpendicular to the plane including the first direction 12 and the second direction 14 is referred to as a third direction 16.

[0046] A carrier 18 for accommodating the substrate W is disposed on a loading port 120. Multiple loading ports 120 are provided and arranged in series in the second direction 14. Figure 2 The diagram shows four loading ports 120. However, the number of loading ports 120 can be increased or decreased depending on the processing efficiency of the process module 20 and space requirements. Slots (not shown) for supporting the edges of the substrates are formed in the carrier 18. Multiple slots are provided on the third direction 16, and the substrates are positioned in a stacked manner within the carrier, while being spaced apart from each other on the third direction 16. A front-opening wafer transfer box (FOUP) can be used as the carrier 18.

[0047] The process processing module 20 includes a buffer unit 220, a transfer chamber 240, and a liquid processing chamber 260 and a drying chamber 280 serving as processing chambers. The transfer chamber 240 is configured such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the first direction 12. The substrate is processed in the liquid processing chamber 260 and the drying chamber 280, forming an entrance through which the substrate enters and exits. The liquid processing chamber 260 is located on one side of the transfer chamber 240 along the second direction 14, while the drying chamber 280 is located on the other side of the transfer chamber 240. The liquid processing chambers 260 and the drying chamber 280 can be configured symmetrically with respect to the transfer chamber 240. Some of the liquid processing chambers 260 are located in the longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber 240. Furthermore, some of the liquid processing chambers 260 are configured to be stacked on top of each other. That is, the liquid processing chambers 260 can be arranged in an array of A×B (each of A and B is a natural number equal to or greater than 1) on one side of the transfer chamber 240. In this document, A is the number of liquid processing chambers 260 arranged in series along the first direction 12, and B is the number of liquid processing chambers 260 arranged in series along the third direction 16. When six or nine liquid processing chambers 260 are provided on one side of the transfer chamber 240, the liquid processing chambers 260 can be arranged in a 3×2 or 3×3 array. The number of liquid processing chambers 260 can also be increased or decreased. Similar to the liquid processing chambers 260, the drying chambers 280 can be arranged in an M×N array (each of M and N is a natural number equal to or greater than 1). In this document, M and N can be the same as A and B, respectively. Unlike the foregoing, both the liquid processing chambers 260 and the drying chambers 280 can be provided only on one side of the transfer chamber 240. Furthermore, unlike the foregoing description, each of the liquid processing chambers 260 and the drying chambers 280 can be arranged in a single layer on one side and the other side of the transfer chamber 240. Optionally, the liquid processing chamber 260s can be positioned and stacked on one side of the transfer chamber 240, and the drying chamber 280 can be positioned and stacked on the other side of the transfer chamber 240. Furthermore, unlike the aforementioned, the liquid processing chamber 260s and the drying chamber 280 can be arranged in various configurations.

[0048] A buffer unit 220 is disposed between the transfer frame 140 and the transfer chamber 240. The buffer unit 220 provides space for the substrate W to remain in the transfer chamber 240 before it is transferred between the transfer frame 140 and the transfer chamber 240. A slot (not shown) for placing the substrate W is provided inside the buffer unit 220, and multiple slots (not shown) are spaced apart from each other in a third direction 16. The surfaces of the buffer unit 220 facing the transfer frame 140 and the surfaces facing the transfer chamber 240 are open.

[0049] A transfer frame 140 transfers substrate W between a carrier 18 disposed on a loading port 120 and a buffer unit 220. A transposition track 142 and a transposition robot 144 are provided to the transfer frame 140. The transposition track 142 is configured such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to a second direction 14. The transposition robot 144 is mounted on the transposition track 142 and moves linearly along the transposition track 142 in the second direction 14. The transposition robot 144 includes a base 144a, a body 144b, and a transposition arm 144c. The base 144a is mounted to be movable along the transposition track 142. The body 144b is coupled to the base 144a. The body 144b is configured to be movable on the base 144a in a third direction 16. Furthermore, the body 144b is configured to be rotatable on the base 144a. The transposition arm 144c is coupled to the body 144b and configured to be movable forward and backward relative to the body 144b. Multiple indexing arms 144c are configured to be driven individually. The indexing arms 144c are stacked, spaced apart from each other along a third direction 16. A portion of the indexing arms 144c can be used when transferring the substrate W from the process module 20 to the carrier 18, and another portion of the multiple indexing arms 144c can be used when transferring the substrate W from the carrier 18 to the process module 20. This prevents particles generated from the substrate W before process processing from adhering to the substrate W after process processing during the loading and unloading of the substrate W by the indexing robot 144.

[0050] A transfer robot 244, which transports substrate W in and out of the liquid processing chamber 260 and the drying chamber 280 (which serve as processing chambers), is provided to the transfer chamber 240. According to an exemplary embodiment, the transfer robot 244 transports substrate W between the buffer unit 220, the liquid processing chamber 260, and the drying chamber 280. The transfer robot 244 is configured to move along a rotation track 242. The track 242 is configured such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to a first direction 12. The transfer robot 244 is mounted on the track 242 and moves linearly along the first direction 12 on the track 242. Furthermore, the transfer robot 244 can move up and down along a third direction 16. Additionally, the transfer robot 244 can rotate along a third direction as an axis. In the transfer chamber 240, a fan unit 246 is provided to generate a downward airflow in the transfer area therein. The downward airflow prevents internal foreign matter (such as particles and smoke) from floating. When the substrate W is transferred from the liquid processing chamber 260 to the drying chamber 280, the substrate W is transferred while retaining the liquid supplied from the liquid processing chamber 260.

[0051] Figure 4 This is a schematic top plan view of a transport robot according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 4Describing a transfer robot. A transfer robot 2441 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is an example of a transfer robot 244. The transfer robot 2441 includes a base 710 and a hand 720.

[0052] The base 710 is linearly movable in both the horizontal and vertical directions and can be configured to rotate based on an axis parallel to the vertical direction. A hand 720 is attached to the base 710. According to an exemplary embodiment, the hand 720 is disposed above the base 710.

[0053] Hand 720 grasps substrate W. Hand 720 is configured to move linearly back and forth. For example, hand 720 moves forward from the top of base 710 to receive substrate W at a position where the seat 721 of hand 720 is offset from the upper surface of base 710. Then, transfer robot 244 moves base 710 backward while hand 720 is in a position where substrate W is placed and facing the upper surface of base 710, to move base 710 to a position adjacent to the target position where substrate W will be placed. Then, hand 720 receives substrate W at the target position while moving forward to place it above the target position.

[0054] According to an exemplary embodiment, the hand portion 720 includes a base portion 721 and guide protrusions 725. A substrate W is disposed on the base portion 721. A plurality of protrusions supporting the bottom surface of the substrate W may be provided on the upper surface of the base portion 721. The guide protrusions 725 support the front portion of the substrate W disposed in a suitable position on the base portion 721. The guide protrusions 725 protrude upward from the base portion 721. The plurality of guide protrusions 725 may be spaced apart from each other.

[0055] A drive member (not shown) moves the hand 720 back and forth. According to an exemplary embodiment, the drive member (not shown) includes a motor that provides the driving force for moving the hand 720.

[0056] According to an exemplary embodiment, a camera 910 is provided to a transfer robot 244. The camera 910 includes a first camera 911 that captures a first side view and a second camera 912 that captures a second side view. The camera 910 captures images of the substrate W in a horizontal direction and monitors the edge region of the liquid film L. The data captured by the camera 910 is transmitted to a controller 920. The controller 920 measures the contact angle of the liquid film L. As a more specific example, the controller 920 measures the contact angle of the edge region of the liquid film L. The use of the measured contact angle will be described in detail below. The camera 910 may be positioned above a pusher guide (not shown) for adjusting the position of the substrate W placed on the seat 721 to the appropriate location.

[0057] Figure 5This is a schematic perspective view of a transport robot according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 It is viewed from the front. Figure 5 A front view of the delivery robot. (Refer to...) Figure 5 and Figure 6 Description as Figure 2 and Figure 3 The example of the transfer robot 244 provided is a transfer robot 2442. The transfer robot 2442 includes a base 710, a hand 720, and a shielding member 730.

[0058] The base 710 is configured to move along the guide rail 242. The base 710 supports the hand 720.

[0059] The substrate W is placed on the hand 720. The hand 720 is configured to be retractable relative to the base 710. The hand 710 directly loads or unloads the substrate W into or from the liquid processing chamber 260 and the drying chamber 280, which serve as processing chambers, through the inlet. Multiple hands 720 can be configured to stack on top of each other.

[0060] The shielding member 730 minimizes the impact of the downward airflow generated by the fan unit 246 on the substrate placed on the hand part 720. The shielding member 730 is fixedly connected to the base 710 so as to be positioned above the hand part 720. When the hand part 720 loads or unloads the substrate W into or from the liquid processing chamber 260 and drying chamber 280, which serve as processing chambers, the shielding member 730 can be positioned higher than the upper ends of the inlets 261 and 281. When viewed from above, the shielding member 730 has an area larger than that of the substrate W.

[0061] The shielding member 730 is inclined, causing its height to decrease from the center towards both sides. Therefore, downward airflow flows along the inclined surface of the shielding member 730 from the region of the hand 720 where the substrate W is provided. When viewed from above, the shielding member 730 can be configured such that one side surface of the two plates is fixedly connected to each other in the central region of the hand 720. Each plate can be configured to slope downwards from the central region to the edge region of the hand 720. When the hand 720 loads or unloads the substrate into or from the liquid processing chamber 260 and drying chamber 280, which serve as processing chambers, the shielding member 730 can be positioned higher than the upper end of the inlet of the liquid processing chamber 260 and drying chamber 280. The shielding member 730 is configured sufficiently adjacent to the inlets 261 and 281 to prevent downward airflow from being introduced through the inlets 261 and 281. As described above, the shielding member 730 is disposed above the hand 720 to prevent the downward airflow from directly contacting the substrate W placed on the hand 720 during the transfer of the substrate within the transfer chamber 240.

[0062] Furthermore, the transfer robot 2442 can prevent the introduction of downward airflow through the inlet when loading / unloading the substrate W into / from the liquid processing chamber 260 and drying chamber 280, which serve as processing chambers. The shielding member 730 is provided with an uninterruptible material to prevent the generation of static electricity. For example, the shielding member 730 can be made of uninterrupted vinyl chloride resin (PVC).

[0063] According to an exemplary embodiment, camera 1910 is mounted in shielding member 730. Camera 1910 may be mounted at the highest position of shielding member 730. Camera 1910 may be configured to measure the height of liquid film. Camera 1910 photographs substrate W from above and monitors the height of liquid film L. Data captured by camera 1910 is transmitted to controller 920. Controller 920 calculates the height of each region of liquid film L. As a more specific example, controller 920 calculates the height of the edge region of liquid film L. The use of the measured height will be described in detail below.

[0064] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of solvent behavior. (Refer to...) Figure 7 The behavior of solvent L, which forms a liquid film on substrate W, is described. For example, even if the amount of chemical liquid discharged onto the surface of substrate W is set to 10g at the initial setup, and the amount of chemical liquid is the same depending on its behavior, the thickness of chemical liquid L can vary for each region on the surface of substrate W as substrate W moves to drying chamber 280. For example, as shown in figures (b), (c), and (d), the cases where liquid film L rises to the left due to chemical liquid deflection to the left ((b), example of left-side rise), the cases where liquid film L rises to the right due to chemical liquid deflection to the right ((c), example of right-side rise), and the cases where liquid film L rises because chemical liquid is collected at the center ((d), example of center rise) are representative cases. Similar to the representative examples, when the behavior of chemical liquid occurs and the substrate is moved to drying chamber 280 and dried in a non-uniform state of liquid film L, localized evaporation may occur first because the evaporation rate varies depending on the thickness of chemical liquid L. Localized evaporation ultimately leads to pattern collapse or tilting as drying defects.

[0065] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 8 and Figure 9 Describe the substrate processing method.

[0066] After the substrate W is wetted with a chemical liquid (e.g., IPA) in the liquid processing chamber 260, the morphology of the liquid film is measured while the substrate W is being picked up by the transfer robot 244, and the measured morphology of the liquid film is stored as first data. Then, before the substrate W is placed into the drying chamber 280, the morphology of the liquid film is measured, and the measured morphology of the liquid film is stored as second data. The first data and the second data are compared. Figure 8 The process involves comparing the liquid film morphology based on second data with that based on first data, and if the comparison result exceeds a set error range, determining whether to load the substrate W into the drying chamber 280 and store the data. When drying defects occur in the substrate W, the stored data can be used for later analysis. Figure 9 Specifically, when the liquid film morphology based on the second data and the liquid film morphology based on the first data are compared and the comparison result is within a set error range, the substrate W is loaded into the drying chamber 280 and the data is stored. When a drying defect occurs in the substrate W, the stored data can be used for later analysis.

[0067] According to a first exemplary embodiment, the measurement of the morphology of the chemical liquid involves measuring the contact angle of the chemical liquid. After the substrate W is wetted with a chemical liquid (e.g., IPA) in the liquid processing chamber 260, the camera 910 captures an image of the edge region of the liquid film L while the transfer robot 244 picks up the substrate W. The controller 920 measures the contact angle of the liquid film L based on the captured data and stores the measured contact angle as first data. Then, before placing the substrate W into the drying chamber 280, the camera 910 captures an image of the edge region of the liquid film L. The controller 920 measures the contact angle of the liquid film L and stores the measured contact angle as second data. The controller 920 compares the first data and the second data. When the contact angle of the liquid film based on the second data is compared with the contact angle of the liquid film based on the first data, and the comparison result exceeds a set error range, it is determined whether to load the substrate W into the drying chamber 280, and the data is stored. For example, when the contact angle of the liquid film based on the second data is compared with the contact angle of the liquid film based on the first data and the comparison result exceeds the set error range, the controller 920 waits for a set time until the liquid film L on the substrate W stabilizes itself, and when the result of the remeasurement is within the error range, the substrate W can be loaded into the drying chamber 280.

[0068] According to a second exemplary embodiment, the measurement of the chemical liquid's morphology involves measuring the height of the chemical liquid in each region. After the substrate W is wetted with a chemical liquid (e.g., IPA) in the liquid processing chamber 260, the camera 1910 captures images of the entire area of ​​the liquid film L while the transfer robot 244 picks up the substrate W. The controller 1920 measures the height of the liquid film L in each region based on the captured data and stores the measured height as first data. Then, before placing the substrate W into the drying chamber 280, the camera 1910 captures images of the entire area of ​​the liquid film L. The controller 1920 measures the height of the liquid film L in each region and stores the measured height as second data. The controller 1920 compares the first data and the second data. When comparing the liquid film height of each region based on the second data with the liquid film height of each region based on the first data, and the comparison result exceeds a set error range, or when the liquid film height of each region based on the second data makes pattern collapse possible, it is determined whether to load the substrate W into the drying chamber 280, and the data is stored. For example, when the height of the liquid film based on the second data is compared with the height of the liquid film based on the first data and the comparison result exceeds the set error range, the controller 1920 waits for a set time until the liquid film L on the substrate W stabilizes on its own, and when the result of the remeasurement is within the error range, the substrate W can be loaded into the drying chamber 280.

[0069] As an exemplary embodiment of the invention, camera 910 is provided to the hand of the transfer robot 244, but camera 910 may also be provided to the end of a bowl-shaped object that collects the processing liquid in the cleaning chamber. Alternatively, camera 910 may be provided on either side of an inlet through which the substrate W is inserted into the drying chamber 280. If camera 910 is capable of measuring the contact angle of the edge region of the substrate W as in the first embodiment of the invention, the design can be modified to place camera 910 elsewhere than in this example.

[0070] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a liquid handling apparatus and facility, and a monitoring system for discharging and forming a liquid film on the surface of a substrate W are provided, so that problems in a portion of the unit can be resolved when problems occur after drying is completed.

[0071] The controller can control the components of the substrate processing equipment and facilities, thereby processing the substrate according to a set process. Furthermore, the controller may include a processor controller formed by a microprocessor (computer) that executes control of the substrate processing equipment and facilities; a keyboard that executes command input manipulation to allow the operator to manage the substrate processing equipment and facilities; a user interface formed by a display that visualizes and displays the operation of the substrate processing equipment; and a storage unit that stores control programs for executing the processes performed in the substrate processing equipment and facilities according to the control of the controller or program (that is, for executing processing schemes for each configuration based on various data and processing conditions). Furthermore, the user interface and storage unit may be connected to the process controller. The processing scheme may be stored in a storage medium in the storage unit, and the storage medium may be a hard disk, a portable disk such as a CD-ROM or DVD, or a semiconductor memory such as flash memory.

[0072] The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. Furthermore, while exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described above, the invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, modifications or alterations can be made to the foregoing within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed herein, its equivalents, and / or within the scope of knowledge or expertise of those skilled in the art. The foregoing exemplary embodiments describe the optimal state for realizing the technical spirit of the invention, and various variations are possible for specific fields of application and uses of the invention. Therefore, the above detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the appended claims should be construed as including other exemplary embodiments as well.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: A liquid processing chamber configured to utilize a liquid processing substrate; A drying chamber configured to dry a substrate that has been treated with liquid; A transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber, and including a hand capable of moving along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis and rotatably driven based on the Z-axis, with the substrate placed on the hand; An optical system configured to capture the morphology of a liquid film on the substrate, wherein the substrate is wetted with a chemical liquid and transported by the transport robot in a liquid film state when the substrate is transferred from the liquid processing chamber to the drying chamber. as well as A controller configured to measure the morphology of the liquid film as captured by the optical system. The optical system described therein is a camera that captures images of the edge region of the substrate from its side surface. The controller is configured to measure the contact angle of the liquid film relative to the substrate based on the captured data.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The optical system transmits the first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller while the transfer robot picks up the substrate in the liquid processing chamber. Before the transfer robot places the substrate into the drying chamber, the optical system transmits second data, obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film, to the controller. The controller compares the first data with the second data, and when the morphology of the liquid film in the second data exceeds the error range compared with the first data, the controller determines whether to load the substrate into the drying chamber and stores the second data.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The camera is configured to photograph the first side surface of the substrate and the second side surface, which is the other side of the first side surface.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The controller measures a first contact angle and a second contact angle, the first contact angle being the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the first side surface of the substrate, and the second contact angle being the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the second side surface of the substrate.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The optical system transmits the first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller while the transfer robot picks up the substrate in the liquid processing chamber. Before the transfer robot places the substrate into the drying chamber, the optical system transmits second data, obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film, to the controller. The controller measures a first contact angle and a second contact angle, the first contact angle being the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the first side surface of the substrate, and the second contact angle being the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to the second side surface of the substrate. The controller compares the first contact angle in the first data with the first contact angle in the second data, and compares the second contact angle in the first data with the second contact angle in the second data. When the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the second data exceed the error range of the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the first data, the controller determines whether to load the substrate into the drying chamber and stores the second data.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, When a drying defect occurs in the substrate in the drying chamber, the stored second data is provided as analysis data.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The delivery robot also includes a shielding component disposed above the hand, and The optical system is configured to be installed in the shielding member.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The optical system measures the height of the liquid film.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The system comprises multiple liquid processing chambers, which are stacked in an array of N columns and M rows. Multiple drying chambers are provided, and the multiple drying chambers are stacked in an array of n columns and m rows, and The transfer robot transports the substrate to a location according to the scheme between the plurality of liquid processing chambers and the plurality of drying chambers.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The drying chamber is a supercritical processing chamber that uses supercritical fluid to dry the substrate.

11. A method for processing a substrate by transferring the substrate from a first chamber to a second chamber. The substrate being transported is wetted with a chemical liquid and is conveyed by a transport robot while forming a liquid film. The transport robot includes a hand capable of moving along the X, Y, and Z axes and rotatably driven based on the Z axis, and the substrate is placed on the hand. The edge region of the liquid film on the substrate is photographed from the side surface of the substrate, and the contact angle of the liquid film relative to the substrate is measured based on the photographed data.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, While the transfer robot is picking up the substrate in the first chamber, the first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film is stored. Before the transfer robot inserts the substrate into the second chamber, second data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film is stored, and The controller compares the first data with the second data, and when the morphology of the liquid film in the second data exceeds the error range compared with the first data, the controller determines whether to load the substrate into the second chamber and stores the second data.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, While the transfer robot is picking up the substrate in the first chamber, the first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film is stored. Before the transfer robot inserts the substrate into the second chamber, second data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film is stored, and The controller measures a first contact angle and a second contact angle. The first contact angle is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to a first side surface of the substrate, and the second contact angle is the contact angle of the chemical liquid relative to a second side surface of the substrate. The controller compares the first contact angle in the first data with the first contact angle in the second data, and compares the second contact angle in the first data with the second contact angle in the second data. When the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the second data exceed the error range of the first contact angle and the second contact angle in the first data, the controller determines whether to load the substrate into the second chamber and stores the second data.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein, When a drying defect occurs in the substrate in the second chamber, the stored second data is provided as analysis data.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The first chamber is a liquid processing chamber, and The second chamber is a drying chamber.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The drying chamber is a supercritical processing chamber that uses supercritical fluid to dry the substrate.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Multiple first chambers are provided, and the multiple first chambers are stacked in an array of N columns and M rows. Multiple second chambers are provided, and the multiple second chambers are stacked in an array of n columns and m rows, and The transfer robot transfers the substrate to a position according to the scheme between the plurality of first chambers and the plurality of second chambers.

18. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: Multiple liquid processing chambers are arranged in an array of N columns and M rows and are configured to utilize a liquid processing substrate; Multiple drying chambers are arranged in an array of n columns and m rows and configured to dry liquid-treated substrates; A transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber, and including a hand capable of moving along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis and rotatably driven based on the Z-axis, with the substrate placed on the hand; An optical system configured to capture the morphology of a liquid film on the substrate, wherein the substrate is wetted with a chemical liquid and transported by the transport robot in the state of forming the liquid film when the substrate is transferred from the liquid processing chamber to the drying chamber; as well as A controller configured to measure the morphology of the liquid film as captured by the optical system. The optical system, while the transfer robot is picking up the substrate in the liquid processing chamber, transmits the first data obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film to the controller. Before the transfer robot places the substrate into the drying chamber, the optical system transmits second data, obtained by photographing the morphology of the liquid film, to the controller. The controller compares the first data with the second data, and when the morphology of the liquid film in the second data exceeds the error range compared to the first data, the controller determines whether to load the substrate into the drying chamber and stores the second data. When a drying defect occurs on the substrate in the drying chamber, the stored second data is provided as analysis data. The optical system described therein is a camera that captures images of the edge region of the substrate from its side surface. The controller is configured to measure the contact angle of the liquid film relative to the substrate based on the captured data.

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