Substrate transfer apparatus, notch position correction method, and substrate transfer method

Abstract

An example of a substrate transfer apparatus includes a load lock chamber (LLC), a first wafer handling chamber (WHC), a first transfer robot fixed at a first attachment position in the first WHC, a pass-through chamber (PTC) in contact with the first WHC, a substrate platform disposed in the PTC, a second WHC in contact with the PTC, and a second transfer robot fixed at a second attachment position in the second WHC. A first angle, which is an angle formed by a first virtual line connecting the first attachment position and the second attachment position and a second virtual line connecting the first attachment position and the substrate platform, is equal to a second angle, which is an angle formed by the first virtual line and a third virtual line connecting the second attachment position and the substrate platform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Examples related to a substrate transfer apparatus, a notch position correction method, a substrate transfer method, and a storage medium are described. Background Art

[0002] There is a substrate storage box that stores a plurality of substrates. Examples of such substrate storage boxes include FOUPs. The substrate storage box is loaded on a mechanism called a loading port. On the loading port, the door of the substrate storage box is opened, and a substrate is taken out of the substrate storage box by a substrate transfer robot and provided to a substrate processing device. The loading port is sometimes referred to as a FOUP opener. The substrate subjected to a predetermined process at the substrate processing device is returned to the substrate storage box by the substrate transfer robot.

[0003] The substrate has a notch or an orientation flat surface, which is referred to as a "notch portion" or simply "notch" in the present disclosure. If the positions of the notch portions of all substrates are aligned when all substrates are returned to the substrate storage box after being processed, the processing can proceed to the next processing without aligning the positions of the notch portions by an aligner. However, there is a problem that, depending on the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus, the positions of the notch portions of all substrates stored in the substrate storage box are not aligned, and a notch aligner is required before the next processing. Summary of the invention

[0004] Some examples described herein can solve the above problems.Some examples described herein can provide a substrate transfer device, a notch position correction method, a substrate transfer method, and a storage medium capable of aligning the position of a notch portion of a substrate.

[0005] In some examples, a substrate transfer device includes a load lock chamber (LLC), a first wafer handling chamber (WHC) in contact with the LLC, a first transfer robot fixed at a first attachment position in the first WHC, a through chamber (PTC) in contact with the first WHC, a substrate platform set in the PTC, a second WHC in contact with the PTC, and a second transfer robot fixed at a second attachment position in the second WHC, wherein an angle formed by a first virtual line connecting the first attachment position and the second attachment position and a second virtual line connecting the first attachment position and the substrate platform, i.e., a first angle, is equal to an angle formed by the first virtual line and a third virtual line connecting the second attachment position and the substrate platform, i.e., a second angle.

[0006] This summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the detailed description of the example embodiments disclosed below. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a plan view of a substrate transfer apparatus according to an embodiment;

[0008] Figure 2 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a first WHC, a PTC, and a second WHC;

[0009] Figure 3 is a table showing the relationship between substrate transfer routes and notch positions;

[0010] Figure 4 is a view showing adjustment of the position of the notch portion by the operation of the transfer robot;

[0011] Figure 5A represents substrate transfer for notch rotation;

[0012] Figure 5B represents another substrate transfer for notch rotation;

[0013] Figure 6 is a table showing the relationship between substrate transfer routes and notch positions;

[0014] Figure 7 is a table showing a substrate transfer route and a position change amount of a notch portion according to an offset method;

[0015] Fig. 8A is a diagram showing an example of a controller;

[0016] Figure 8B is a diagram showing another example of a controller; and

[0017] Fig. 9 is a view showing an example of a device configuration of a transfer system.

[0018] It should be understood that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the size of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the invention and their obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention should not be limited by the specifically disclosed embodiments described below.

[0020] As used herein, the term "substrate" may refer to any one or more underlying materials, including any one or more underlying materials that may be modified or on which a device, circuit, or film may be formed. A "substrate" may be continuous or non-continuous; rigid or flexible; solid or porous; and combinations thereof. A substrate may be in any form, such as a powder, a plate, or a workpiece. A plate-like substrate may include wafers of various shapes and sizes. A substrate may be made of semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon, silicon germanium, silicon oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide.

[0021] For example, a substrate in powder form can be used in drug manufacturing. The porous substrate can include a polymer. Examples of workpieces can include medical devices (such as stents and syringes), jewelry, tool equipment, components for battery manufacturing (such as anodes, cathodes, or separators), or components of photovoltaic cells, etc.

[0022] The continuous substrate may extend beyond the boundaries of the processing chamber in which the deposition process occurs. In some processes, the continuous substrate may be moved through the processing chamber so that the process continues until the end of the substrate is reached. The continuous substrate may be provided from a continuous substrate feed system to allow the continuous substrate to be manufactured and output in any suitable form.

[0023] Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates may include sheets, nonwoven films, rolls, foils, meshes, flexible materials, bundles of continuous filaments or fibers (eg, ceramic fibers or polymer fibers).The continuous substrate may also include a carrier or sheet on which a discontinuous substrate is mounted.

[0024] The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular material, structure, or device but are merely idealized representations used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] The specific embodiments shown and described are illustrations of the present invention and its best mode and are not intended to limit the scope of these aspects and embodiments in any way. In fact, for the sake of brevity, the traditional manufacturing, connection, preparation and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. In addition, the connecting lines shown in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in actual systems, and / or may not exist in some embodiments.

[0026] It should be understood that the configuration and / or method described herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments or examples should not be considered restrictive, because many variations are possible. The specific routine or method described herein can represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Therefore, the various actions shown can be performed in the order shown, in other orders, or omitted in some cases.

[0027] The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various processes, systems and configurations, and other features, functions, acts and / or properties disclosed herein, and any and all equivalents thereof.

[0028] Figure 1 1 is a plan view of a substrate transfer device according to an embodiment. The substrate transfer device 10 includes a loading port 12. An equipment front end module (EFEM) 14 contacts the loading port 12. According to one example, a front end robot (FERB) 14a and an aligner 14b are provided in the EFEM 14. As a non-limiting example, the FERB 14a is a wafer transfer mechanism for transferring a substrate. The FERB 14a is, for example, a single-arm or multi-arm robot, and each substrate is supported, vacuum-attracted, or electrostatically attracted by an arm located at one end of the FERB 14a.

[0029] The aligner 14b is configured to adjust the notch position of the substrate to a predetermined position. According to one example, the aligner 14b rotates the substrate by a rotating mechanism, detects the position of the notch portion by a notch sensor, etc., stores the position, or moves the notch portion to a specified position. The aligner 14b is sometimes referred to as an aligning device.

[0030] The load lock chamber (LLC) 16a and LLC16b are in contact with the EFEM 14. According to one example, the LLC 16a includes a plurality of slots on which wafers are to be loaded, and holds a plurality of wafers in a non-contact manner and in an overlapping manner, and the LLC 16b has a configuration identical to that of the LLC 16a. The first wafer handling chamber (WHC) 18 is in contact with the LLC 16a and LLC 16b. The first transfer robot 18a is fixed to a first attachment position 18b in the first WHC 18. The first transfer robot 18a has a fixed end, for example, at the first attachment position 18b, and has an arm at one end on the opposite side of the fixed end. According to one example, the first transfer robot 18a is a single-arm or multi-arm robot that supports each substrate by arm support, vacuum attraction, or electrostatic attraction. The first attachment position 18b is, for example, substantially located at the center of the first WHC 18 in a plan view.

[0031] The four front side substrate processing chambers 20 are in contact with the side surface of the first WHC 18. Each of the four front side substrate processing chambers 20 can be configured to perform any process on one substrate, such as pre-cleaning process, film formation, etching, and film reconstruction. The pre-cleaning process is, for example, a process for removing a natural oxide film of the substrate.

[0032] The first WHC 18 is contacted through a chamber (PTC) 22. For example, two substrate stages are provided in the PTC 22. Figure 1 A first substrate stage 22a and a second substrate stage 22b are shown.

[0033] The second WHC 24 is in contact with the PTC 22. The second transfer robot 24a is fixed to a second attachment position 24b in the second WHC 24. For example, the second transfer robot 24a has a fixed end at the second attachment position 24b, and has an arm at one end on the opposite side of the fixed end. According to one example, the second transfer robot 24a is a single-arm or multi-arm robot that supports, vacuum-attracts, or electrostatically attracts each substrate by an arm. The second attachment position 24b is, for example, substantially located at the center of the second WHC 24 in a plan view.

[0034] The four backside substrate processing chambers 26 are in contact with the side surface of the second WHC 24. Each of the four backside substrate processing chambers 26 may be configured to perform any process on one substrate, such as a pre-cleaning process, film formation, etching, and film reconstruction.

[0035] The FERB 14a is configured to be able to put a substrate into / take it out of the load port 12, the aligner 14b, and the LLC 16a and LLC 16b. The first transfer robot 18a is configured to be able to put a substrate into / take it out of the LLC 16a and LLC 16b, the four front-side substrate processing chambers 20, and the PTC 22. The second transfer robot 24a is configured to be able to put a substrate into / take it out of the PTC 22 and the four rear-side substrate processing chambers 26.

[0036] Figure 2 2 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the first WHC 18, the PTC 22, and the second WHC 24. Figure 2 , a first virtual line La connecting the first attachment position 18b and the second attachment position 24b is drawn with a dotted line in the plan view. In addition, a second virtual line Lb connecting the first attachment position 18b and the first substrate stage 22a and a second virtual line Lc connecting the first attachment position 18b and the second substrate stage 22b are drawn with a dotted line. The second virtual line Lb extends to the center of the first substrate stage 22a, and the second virtual line Lc extends to the center of the second substrate stage 22b. In addition, a third virtual line Ld connecting the second attachment position 24b and the first substrate stage 22a and a third virtual line Le connecting the second attachment position 24b and the second substrate stage 22b are drawn with a dotted line. The third virtual line Ld extends to the center of the first substrate stage 22a, and the third virtual line Le extends to the center of the second substrate stage 22b.

[0037] According to one example, the first angle Ab formed by the first virtual line La and the second virtual line Lb is equal to the second angle Ad formed by the first virtual line La and the third virtual line Ld. In addition, the first angle Ac formed by the first virtual line La and the second virtual line Lc is equal to the second angle Ae formed by the first virtual line La and the third virtual line Le. For example, the first angles Ab and Ac and the second angles Ad and Ae are 10°, 12°, 15°, 20°, 30°, or 40°. According to another example, the first angles Ab and Ac and the second angles Ad and Ae are one of the divisors of 360.

[0038] Figure 3 is a table showing the relationship between the substrate transfer route and the notch position. First, the notch position of the substrate is detected by the sensor of the aligner 14b in the EFEM 14, and the result is stored in the controller. Then, the substrate is loaded on one of the LLC 16a or 16b. In this case, the position of the notch portion is located at the desired position. Figure 3 The route of a substrate after it is provided to the LLC until it is returned to the LLC again is summarized in FIG. Figure 3 16 modes of substrate transfer routes are shown, as well as details of each transfer route. In the LLgo field, it is indicated which of the two LLCs 16a and LLC 16b the substrate passes through when the substrate moves from the EFEM 14 to the first WHC 18. If 1 is indicated in the LLgo field, the substrate moves from the LLC 16a to the first WHC 18, and if 2 is indicated in the LLgo field, the substrate moves from the LLC 16b to the first WHC 18.

[0039] exist Figure 3 In the PTgo field in the PTgo field, it is indicated which of the first substrate stage 22a and the second substrate stage 22b the substrate passes through when the substrate moves from the first WHC 18 to the second WHC 24. If 1 is indicated in the PTgo field, the substrate moves from the first substrate stage 22a to the second WHC 24, and if 2 is indicated in the PTgo field, the substrate moves from the second substrate stage 22b to the second WHC 24.

[0040] exist Figure 3 In the PTback field in the PTback field, it is indicated to which of the first substrate stage 22a and the second substrate stage 22b the substrate provided to the second WHC 24 is returned. If 1 is indicated in the PTback field, the substrate is returned to the first substrate stage 22a, and if 2 is indicated in the PTback field, the substrate is returned to the second substrate stage 22b.

[0041] exist Figure 3In the LLback field in, it is indicated to which of LLC16a and LLC16b the substrate returned from the second WHC 24 to the PTC 22 is returned. If 1 is indicated in the LLback field, the substrate is returned from the PTC 22 to LLC16a, and if 2 is indicated in the LLback field, the substrate is returned from the PTC 22 to LLC16b.

[0042] exist Figure 3 In the move 1 field in the PTC, it is indicated from which LLC the substrate is moved to which platform of the PTC. If 1-1 is indicated in the move 1 field, the substrate is moved from LLC16a to the first substrate platform 22a, if 1-2 is indicated, the substrate is moved from LLC16a to the second substrate platform 22b, if 2-1 is indicated, the substrate is moved from LLC16b to the first substrate platform 22a, and if 2-2 is indicated, the substrate is moved from LLC16b to the second substrate platform 22b.

[0043] exist Figure 3 In the move 2 field in the , it is indicated from which substrate platform the substrate is exited to the second WHC 24, and to which substrate platform the substrate is returned. If 1-1 is indicated in the move 2 field, the substrate is exited from the first substrate platform 22a to the second WHC 24 and moved to the first substrate platform 22a, if 1-2 is indicated, the substrate is exited from the first substrate platform 22a to the second WHC 24 and moved to the second substrate platform 22b, if 2-1 is indicated, the substrate is exited from the second substrate platform 22b to the second WHC 24 and moved to the first substrate platform 22a, and if 2-2 is indicated, the substrate is exited from the second substrate platform 22b to the second WHC 24 and moved to the second substrate platform 22b.

[0044] exist Figure 3 In the move 3 field in the , it is indicated from which substrate stage the substrate is returned to the first WHC 18 and to which LLC the substrate is returned. If 1-1 is indicated in the move 3 field, the substrate is withdrawn from the first substrate stage 22a to the first WHC 18 and moved to LLC 16a, if 1-2 is indicated, the substrate is withdrawn from the first substrate stage 22a to the first WHC 18 and moved to LLC 16b, if 2-1 is indicated, the substrate is withdrawn from the second substrate stage 22b to the first WHC 18 and moved to LLC 16a, and if 2-2 is indicated, the substrate is withdrawn from the second substrate stage 22b to the first WHC 18 and moved to LLC 16b.

[0045] At any time on the substrate transfer route so far, the substrate is transferred to the front-side substrate processing chamber 20 and the rear-side substrate processing chamber 26, and is subjected to predetermined processing. For example, in the middle of move 1, the substrate may be discharged to the front-side substrate processing chamber 20, and the substrate may be received from the front-side substrate processing chamber 20. For example, in the middle of move 2, the substrate may be discharged to the rear-side substrate processing chamber 26, and the substrate may be received from the rear-side substrate processing chamber 26. For example, in the middle of move 3, the substrate may be discharged to the front-side substrate processing chamber 20, and the substrate may be received from the front-side substrate processing chamber 20. Figure 3 The substrate transfer route is explained while focusing on the LLC and PTC, thus omitting this transfer to the process chamber.

[0046] Figure 3 The difference between the position of the notch portion of the substrate when it is provided from the EFEM 14 to the LLC and the position of the notch portion when the substrate returns to the LLC after moves 1-3 is indicated on the rightmost column. The position difference of the notch portion is represented by a rotational component, i.e., an angle. Figure 3 , among the 16 patterns of the transfer route, if the transfer route is the transfer route number 1 or 16, the position change of the notch portion associated with a series of transfer processes can be avoided. In the case of the transfer route number 1 or 16, regardless of the reference Figure 2 Regardless of the values ​​of the defined first angles Ab and Ac and the second angles Ad and Ae, the position of the notch portion is prevented from changing. In other words, by limiting the transfer routes to transfer route numbers 1 or 16 and prohibiting other transfer routes, all substrates can be stored in the substrate storage box while the position of the notch portion is aligned. However, in this case, the transfer routes are too limited, which causes delays and sacrifices productivity.

[0047] By making the first angle Ab equal to Figure 2 The second angle Ad in the image and the first angle Ac equal to the second angle Ae can make Figure 3 The position change of the notch portion in the transfer route numbers 7 and 10 in the transfer route number is 0. On the other hand, if the difference between the first angle Ab and the second angle Ad is 1.5°, and the difference between the first angle Ac and the second angle Ae is 1.5°, the position change of the notch portion in the transfer route number 7 becomes -3°, and the position change of the notch portion in the transfer route number 10 becomes 3°. In this way, by making the first angle Ab equal to the second angle Ad and making the first angle Ac equal to the second angle Ae, in addition to the transfer route numbers 1 and 16, the transfer route numbers 7 and 10 can be used, so that the yield can be improved.

[0048] For example, the substrate transfer apparatus 10 includes a controller that controls the first transfer robot 18a and the second transfer robot 24a, and the controller limits the substrate transfer routes to the following four routes:

[0049] - a route that utilizes the first stage (LLC 16 a ) and the first substrate stage 22 a when the substrate arrives from the LLC to the second WHC 24 and utilizes the first substrate stage 22 a and the first stage (LLC 16 a ) when the substrate returns from the second WHC 24 to the LLC;

[0050] - a route that utilizes the first stage (LLC 16a) and the second substrate stage 22b when the substrate arrives from the LLC to the second WHC 24 and utilizes the second substrate stage 22b and the first stage (LLC 16a) when the substrate returns from the second WHC 24 to the LLC;

[0051] - a route that utilizes the second stage (LLC 16b) and the first substrate stage 22a when the substrate arrives from the LLC to the second WHC 24 and utilizes the first substrate stage 22a and the second stage (LLC 16b) when the substrate returns from the second WHC 24 to the LLC;

[0052] - A route that utilizes the second stage (LLC 16b) and the second substrate stage 22b when the substrate arrives from the LLC to the second WHC 24 and utilizes the second substrate stage 22b and the second stage (LLC 16b) when the substrate returns from the second WHC 24 to the LLC.

[0053] This limits the substrate transfer route to Figure 3 The transfer routes are numbered 1, 7, 10 and 16, and the yield can be improved to a certain extent while avoiding the position change of the notch portion.

[0054] Figure 4 is a view showing adjustment of the position of the notch portion by the operation of the transfer robot. Figure 4 The substrate transfer system changes the position of the recess of the substrate in the rotation direction by repeating the process of returning the substrate from the first substrate platform 22a to the first substrate platform 22a via the second substrate platform 22b or returning the substrate from the second substrate platform 22b to the second substrate platform 22b via the first substrate platform 22a. Figure 4 The semicircular arrow in shows this movement of the substrate in the rotation direction. By this rotation process of the substrate, the position of the notch portion can be adjusted to a predetermined position. In other words, the position of the notch portion can be adjusted to a predetermined position by adding the above-mentioned rotation process while adopting a transfer route that cannot return the position of the notch portion to the predetermined position. This helps to increase the number of transfer routes.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of such movement of the substrate in the rotation direction. Figure 5A Indicates that the recess of the substrate loaded on the first substrate platform 22a is located in the right direction. The substrate located in the PTC is moved to the second substrate platform 22b by a transfer robot (second transfer robot 24a) located in the wafer handling chamber (second WHC24) in contact with the PTC, thereby changing the position of the substrate recess in the rotation direction. In this way, if the substrate is moved to the second substrate platform 22b by the second transfer robot 24a, the substrate rotates by the rotation angle α of the second transfer robot 24a. This results in moving the recess of the substrate on the second substrate platform 22b by an angle α in the counterclockwise direction.

[0056] Figure 5B Indicates that the recess of the substrate loaded on the second substrate platform 22b is located at a position rotated α in the counterclockwise direction from the right direction. The substrate is moved to the first substrate platform 22a by an opposite side transfer robot (first transfer robot 18a) located in the opposite side WHC (first WHC18) in contact with the PTC on the opposite side of the WHC (second WHC24) so ​​as to change the position of the substrate recess in the rotation direction. In this way, the substrate is rotated by the rotation angle α of the first transfer robot 18a. This causes the recess of the substrate to move by an angle α in the counterclockwise direction. The use of the terms transfer robot and opposite side transfer robot is intended to indicate that the positional relationship between these transfer robots and LLC is not particularly limited.

[0057] By using the transfer robot and the opposite side transfer robot to alternately repeat the movement of the substrate, the notch position of the substrate can be corrected to a predetermined position. According to an example, this rotation process of the substrate can be realized by controlling the controller of the first transfer robot 18a and the second transfer robot 24a (or the transfer robot and the opposite side transfer robot). In addition, the substrate correcting the notch position using this method is moved to the load lock chamber by the transfer robot or the opposite side transfer robot without changing the position of the notch in the rotation direction. This can make the position of the notch portion of the substrate consistent with the predetermined position.

[0058] In it Figure 2 In a platform where the first angle Ab and the second angle Ad defined in the embodiment are consistent with one of the divisors of 360 and the first angle Ac and the second angle Ae are consistent with one of the divisors of 360, reference can be performed. Figure 4 and FIG5 describes the rotation process of the notch portion. For example, if Figure 5A and 5BIn the example, if α is set to 10°, 15°, 20°, 30°, or 40°, the position of the notch portion can be changed by 20°, 30°, 40°, 60°, or 80° in the rotation direction by one rotation of the substrate. By this rotation, after the position of the notch portion is adjusted to a predetermined position, the notch position can be made consistent by returning the substrate to the LLC. In other words, except Figure 3 In addition to the four transfer routes in , the position of the notch portion can be aligned while making some new transfer routes available.

[0059] Figure 6 is a table showing the relationship between the substrate transfer route and the notch position. Figure 6 In the above, moves 3 to 6 mean the rotation process of the substrate described in FIG. 5. Figure 6 In the transfer routes 1, 7, 10, and 16 whose values ​​in the rightmost column are 0, the position of the notch portion can be aligned before and after the transfer without performing the rotation process of the substrate. In addition, according to the transfer routes 3, 5, 12, and 14 whose values ​​in the rightmost column are 360 ​​or -360, the position of the notch portion can be made the same as the position of the notch portion through the transfer routes 1, 7, 10, and 16 by rotating the substrate one circle through moves 3 and 4 and rotating the substrate another circle through moves 5 and 6. Therefore, in this example, by making the transfer routes 1, 7, 10, and 16 and the transfer routes 3, 5, 12, and 14 available, the position of the notch portion can be aligned while improving the yield.

[0060] Unlike the examples so far, when the substrate is returned to the LLC, the notch position of the substrate can be made consistent by rotating the substrate before the substrate transfer starts to offset the position of the notch portion. This substrate transfer method includes, for example, the following processing:

[0061] First processing: calculating the rotation direction of the notch position of the substrate and the amount of angular change of the notch position exhibited by the substrate transferred through the predetermined transfer route through the chamber;

[0062] Second process: rotating the substrate in the opposite direction of the rotation direction by an amount equal to the angle change amount;

[0063] Third process: transferring the substrate through a predetermined transfer route.

[0064] According to one example, the predetermined transfer route includes the load lock chambers LLC 16 a and 16 b , the first WHC 18 , the PTC 22 , and the second WHC 24 .

[0065] As a result of processing in the order of the first process, the second process, and the third process, when the substrate is returned to the LLC, the position of the notch portion can be consistent regardless of which transfer route the substrate passes through. By storing a plurality of substrates transferred through a predetermined transfer route in a substrate cassette without changing the angle of the rotation direction of the notch, substrate alignment in the next process can be omitted.

[0066] The first process is a process of calculating the position change of the notch portion when the substrate is transferred through a predetermined transfer route without shifting the notch portion. Specifically, a transfer pattern of the substrate determined by a device called a sequencer that controls the movement of the substrate is acquired, and the misalignment of the notch portion caused by the transfer pattern is calculated. The misalignment of the notch portion is defined by, for example, the rotation direction of the notch position and the angular change amount of the notch position.

[0067] In the second process, as described above, the offset is applied by rotating the substrate, for example, by the recess aligner in the EFEM. In the third process, the substrate is transferred through a predetermined transfer route. The predetermined transfer route is not particularly limited as long as the transfer route includes the PTC and two WHCs sandwiching the PTC. According to one example, when a plurality of substrates are rotated according to the transfer route by passing through the PTC and the two WHCs, the rotation is offset by the above-mentioned offset, so that the positions of the recess portions of all substrates are finally aligned.

[0068] Figure 7 TABLE 1 is a table showing the substrate transfer route and the position change of the notch portion in this offset method. Figure 1 In the case of transferring a substrate on a platform in, there are 16 transfer route patterns. For example, although the amount of change in the angle of the notch portion assumed by the transfer route of transfer route number 2 is 36°, by applying an offset of -36° in advance, when the substrate returns to the LLC, the angle of the notch portion can be 0°, which is a desired angle. By applying an offset to transfer route numbers 3 to 15 in a similar manner, when the substrate returns to the LLC, the angle of the notch portion can be 0°. Therefore, the position of the notch portion can be aligned while making all transfer routes available.

[0069] Fig. 8A and 8B is a diagram showing an example of a controller. The controller controls the devices related to substrate transfer to achieve the above-mentioned substrate transfer. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the FERB 14a, the aligner 14b, the first transfer robot 18a and the second transfer robot 24a are controlled by a controller. The controller includes a processing circuit 50. The above functions are implemented by the processing circuit 50. In other words, the processing circuit 50 issues a command to the FERB 14a, the aligner 14b, the first transfer robot 18a and the second transfer robot 24a for transferring the substrate according to a predetermined transfer route. For example, Figure 45, such a transfer route may include a rotation process. According to another example, the processing circuit 50 issues a command to the substrate transfer device for performing the above-mentioned first to third processes, which are characterized by offset.

[0070] The processing circuit 50 may be provided as dedicated hardware (dedicated circuit), or may be a CPU (central processing unit, processing device, arithmetic device, microprocessor, microcomputer, processor, or DSP) that executes a program stored in a memory. If the processing circuit 50 is dedicated hardware, the processing circuit may be, for example, a single circuit, a complex circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof.

[0071] Figure 8B An example of the configuration of the controller is shown in the case where the processing circuit is a CPU. In this case, each function of the controller is implemented by software or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is described as a program and is stored in the memory 52. ​​The processor 54 reads out and executes the program stored in the memory 52, thereby implementing each function. In other words, the controller includes a memory 52 that stores a program, and when the program is executed by the processing circuit, the program causes each of the above steps to be executed. It can also be said that these programs cause the computer to execute the program and method of substrate transfer. Here, the memory corresponds to, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM disk; a floppy disk; an optical disk; a compact disk; a mini disk; or a DVD. Of course, it is also possible to implement part of each of the above functions by hardware, and implement part of the functions by software or firmware.

[0072] The above functions are implemented by a processor executing a program stored in a memory or by processing by a dedicated circuit. According to one example, the following program is recorded in a computer-readable storage medium. The program causes a computer to execute the steps of taking out a substrate from a first side surface of a through chamber (PTC) having two platforms and moving the substrate to another platform of the PTC, and taking out the moved substrate from a second side surface of the PTC and moving the substrate to another platform of the PTC.

[0073] Fig. 9 4 is a diagram showing an example of the device configuration of the transfer system. The control unit 40 includes a unique platform controller (UPC) 41. The UPC 41 is a part that schedules substrate processing, gives commands to execute substrate processing, etc. Data on the configuration of the substrate processing device, recipes that specify substrate processing, and information on environmental settings such as settings for turning on / off alarms and language settings are stored in the UPC 41. For example, the processing chamber 20 and the processing chamber 26 are connected to the UPC 41.

[0074] A transfer module controller (TMC) 42 is connected to the UPC 41. The aligner 14b and the robot controllers 44, 48, and 52 are connected to the TMC 42. The robot controllers 44, 48, and 51 are, for example, disposed at the lower portion or the upper portion of the FERB 14a, the first transfer robot 18a, and the second transfer robot 24a, respectively. The TMC 42 receives commands from the UPC 41 and controls the notch aligner 14b and the robot controllers 44, 48, and 52. Although not shown, the load lock chamber, the gate valve, and the like will also be controlled by the TMC 42.

Claims

1. A substrate transfer device, comprising: Load lock chamber (LLC); a first wafer handling chamber (WHC) in contact with the LLC; a first transfer robot secured to a first attachment location in a first WHC; a pass-through chamber (PTC) in contact with the first WHC; A substrate platform disposed in the PTC; The second WHC in contact with the PTC; as well as a second transfer robot secured to a second attachment location in a second WHC, Among them, the angle formed by the first virtual line connecting the first attachment position and the second attachment position and the second virtual line connecting the first attachment position and the substrate platform, i.e., the first angle, is equal to the angle formed by the first virtual line and the third virtual line connecting the second attachment position and the substrate platform, i.e., the second angle.

2. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein: The first angle and the second angle are 10°, 12°, 15°, 20°, 30° or 40°.

3. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein: The first angle and the second angle are one of divisors of 360.

4. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising: an EFEM in contact with the load lock chamber; a loading port in contact with the EFEM; as well as An aligner is provided in the EFEM and is configured to adjust the notch position of the substrate to a predetermined position.

5. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate platform includes a first substrate platform and a second substrate platform.

6. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising: a front-side substrate processing chamber in contact with the first WHC and provided for processing a substrate; as well as A backside substrate processing chamber, which contacts the second WHC and is provided for processing a substrate.

7. The substrate transfer device according to claim 5, further comprising: A controller configured to control the first transfer robot and the second transfer robot to limit a transfer route of the substrate to: a route that utilizes the first stage and the first substrate stage when the substrate arrives from the LLC to the second WHC and utilizes the first substrate stage and the first stage when the substrate returns from the second WHC to the LLC, a route that utilizes the first stage and the second substrate stage when the substrate arrives from the LLC to the second WHC and utilizes the second substrate stage and the first stage when the substrate returns from the second WHC to the LLC, A route that utilizes the second stage and the first substrate stage when the substrate goes from the LLC to the second WHC and utilizes the first substrate stage and the second stage when the substrate returns from the second WHC to the LLC, or A route that utilizes the second stage and the second substrate stage when the substrate goes from the LLC to the second WHC and utilizes the second substrate stage and the second stage when the substrate returns from the second WHC to the LLC.

8. The substrate transfer device according to claim 5, further comprising: A controller is configured to control the first transfer robot and the second transfer robot to change the position of the recess of the substrate in the rotation direction by repeating the process of returning the substrate from the first substrate platform to the first substrate platform via the second substrate platform or returning the substrate from the second substrate platform to the second substrate platform via the first substrate platform.

9. A notch position correction method, wherein the notch position of a substrate is corrected to a predetermined position by alternately repeating the following steps: moving a substrate loaded on a first substrate stage in a wafer handling chamber (WHC) to a second substrate stage in the PTC by a transfer robot located in a wafer handling chamber (WHC) contacting the PTC to change a position of a recess of the substrate in a rotation direction; and The substrate loaded on the second substrate stage is moved to the first substrate stage by an opposite-side transfer robot in the opposite-side WHC contacting with the PTC on the opposite side of the WHC to change the position of the recess of the substrate in the rotation direction.

10. The notch position correction method according to claim 9, further comprising: The substrate whose notch position is corrected is moved to a load lock chamber by the transfer robot or the opposite-side transfer robot without changing the position of the notch in the rotation direction.

11. A substrate transfer method, comprising: calculating a rotational direction of a notch position of a substrate and an amount of angular change in the notch position exhibited by a substrate transferred through a predetermined transfer route through the through chamber; rotating the substrate in a direction opposite to the rotation direction by an amount equal to the amount of the angle change; as well as The substrate is transferred through a predetermined transfer route.

12. The substrate transfer method according to claim 11, in, The predetermined transfer route includes a load lock chamber, a first wafer handling chamber, the pass-through chamber, and a second wafer handling chamber.

13. The substrate transfer method according to claim 11, further comprising: A plurality of substrates transferred through the predetermined transfer route are stored in the substrate cassette without changing the rotation direction angle of the recess.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon, The program causes the computer to execute: A step of taking out a substrate from a first side surface of a pass-through chamber (PTC) having two stages and moving the substrate to another stage in the PTC; and The step of taking out the moved substrate from the second side surface of the PTC and moving the substrate to another stage in the PTC.

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