Transport unit and substrate processing apparatus including the same

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a chamber for providing a processing space in which a substrate is processed; and a transfer unit for loading the substrate into the chamber and unloading the substrate from the chamber, where the transfer unit comprises: a hand on which the substrate is placed; and a position detection assembly for measuring the position of the substrate placed on the hand, and the position detection assembly comprises: an optical sensor for emitting or receiving light; a transmission member located in a path of the light between the substrate disposed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; and a gas supply unit for providing a gas curtain by injecting a gas into a first side surface, which may be a path side of the light from the transmissive member toward the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus that prevents contamination of a position sensor mounted in a hand. Background Art

[0002] To fabricate semiconductor devices, various processes such as deposition, photolithography, etching, and cleaning are performed. Equipment for performing some of these processes has multiple chambers. After a process is performed in one chamber, the substrate is transferred to another chamber.

[0003] The substrate is transferred by a transfer robot disposed in a transfer chamber. The transfer robot is provided with a hand for supporting the substrate when transferring the substrate. In addition, the hand is provided with a position sensor for measuring the position of the substrate in order to prevent process defects due to misalignment of the substrate.

[0004] Impurities such as soot and particles are generated in the substrate during various processes. These impurities may accumulate in the position sensor when transferring the substrate. When impurities accumulate in the position sensor, there is a problem that the position of the substrate cannot be correctly measured. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention is directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing contamination of a position sensor that measures the alignment state of a substrate.

[0006] The present invention is also directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing a decrease in accuracy and sensitivity for measuring the alignment state of a substrate.

[0007] The present invention is also directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving productivity by increasing the maintenance cycle of a transfer unit.

[0008] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand the unmentioned problems through the following description.

[0009] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a chamber for providing a processing space in which a substrate is processed; and a transfer unit for loading the substrate into the chamber and unloading the substrate from the chamber, wherein the transfer unit comprises: a hand on which the substrate is placed; and a position detection assembly for measuring the position of the substrate placed on the hand, and the position detection assembly comprises: an optical sensor for emitting or receiving light; a transmissive member located in the path of the light between the substrate placed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; and a gas supply unit for providing an air curtain by injecting gas into a first side surface, the first side surface being the side of the path of the light from the transmissive member towards the substrate.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the position detection assembly further comprises a cover located on the first side surface of the transmissive member and formed with a through-hole through which the light passes, and the air curtain can be provided in the through-hole.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cover is formed with an inflow path through which the gas is supplied via the through-hole and an outflow path through which the gas can be discharged via the through-hole.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inflow path can be provided as a hole inside the cover.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the outflow path is provided as a groove in the upper wall of the cover, and the groove can be formed on a surface opposite to the surface of the outer wall facing the transmissive member.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the gas supply unit comprises a gas supply pipeline connected to the inflow path, and the inflow path can be formed in a shape extending linearly from the gas supply pipeline.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inflow path and the outflow path can be arranged linearly.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inflow path and the outflow path may be formed to be parallel to the substrate supported by the hand; the optical sensor may include: a light emitting unit configured to emit light; and a light receiving unit disposed opposite to the light emitting unit on a side opposite to the substrate placed on the hand with respect to the substrate, and a cover is mounted on at least one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and the transfer unit includes: a base; a support fixed to the base and supporting the light receiving unit; and a hand configured to support the substrate, and the hand is mounted on the base and may be arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the base.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, one of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are arranged to detect an edge region of the substrate, the light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate, and the cover and the gas supply unit may be respectively mounted in the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transmissive member may be a lens.

[0019] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a transfer unit for transferring a substrate, the transfer unit including: a base; a hand configured to support the substrate; a position detection assembly configured to detect the position of the substrate; and a support, the position detection assembly is mounted on the support and the support is coupled to the base, the hand is mounted on the base and arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the base, the position detection assembly includes: an optical sensor configured to emit light or receive the light; a transmissive member located in a path of the light between the substrate placed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; a cover located on a first side surface of the transmissive member; and a gas supply unit configured to provide an air curtain by injecting gas into a through hole, the cover is formed with: a through hole through which the light passes; an inflow path through which gas is supplied through the through hole; and an outflow path through which gas is discharged through the through hole, and the gas supply unit injects gas to form an air curtain in the through hole.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lid formation may include an inflow path through which the gas is supplied via the through hole and an outflow path through which the gas can be discharged via the through hole.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inflow path may be provided as a hole inside the lid.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the outflow path is provided as a groove in the upper wall of the lid, and the groove may be formed on a surface opposite to the surface of the outer wall facing the transmissive member.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the gas supply unit may include a gas supply pipeline connected to the inflow path, the inflow path may be formed in a shape extending linearly from the gas supply pipeline, and the inflow path and the outflow path are arranged linearly.

[0024] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the optical sensor may include: a light emitting unit that is installed in the base and emits light; a light receiving unit that is installed in the support and is arranged to face the light emitting unit on a side opposite to the substrate placed on the hand with respect to the light emitting unit, and the lid may be installed on the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, a plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, one of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are arranged to detect an edge region of the substrate, and the light emitting unit may emit light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate.

[0025] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a processing chamber configured to provide a processing space in which the substrate is processed; and a transfer chamber configured to provide a transfer space for transferring the substrate to a transfer unit, wherein the transfer chamber comprises: a housing providing the transfer space; and a fan mounted on an upper portion of the housing and configured to form a downward air flow by injecting external air into the transfer space, the transfer unit comprising: a base; a hand configured to support the substrate; a position detection assembly configured to detect a position of the substrate; and a support member on which the position detection assembly is mounted and which is coupled to the base, the hand being mounted on the base and configured to be movable relative to the base in a front-rear direction, the position detection assembly comprising: an optical sensor configured to emit light or receive the light; a transmissive member positioned in a path of the light between the substrate placed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; a cover positioned on a first side surface of the transmissive member; and a gas supply unit configured to provide an air curtain by injecting a gas into a through hole, the cover being formed with: a through hole through which the light passes; an inflow path through which the gas is supplied through the through hole and which is configured as a hole inside the cover; and an outflow path configured as a groove in an upper wall of the cover and through which the gas is discharged through the through hole, the inflow path and the outflow path being formed as straight lines and parallel to the substrate supported by the hand, and the gas supply unit injecting the gas to form an air curtain in the through hole.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the optical sensor may comprise: a light emitting unit mounted in the base and configured to emit light; and a light receiving unit mounted in the support member and configured to face the light emitting unit on a side opposite to the substrate placed on the hand, and the cover is mounted on the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, a plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, one of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are configured to detect an edge region of the substrate, and the light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are configured to detect an edge region of the substrate, and the light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a position sensor that contaminates the alignment state of a measurement substrate can be prevented.

[0029] In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a decrease in the accuracy and sensitivity for measuring the alignment state of a substrate can be prevented.

[0030] In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the maintenance cycle can be increased to improve productivity.

[0031] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand the effects not mentioned from this specification and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] After reading the detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, various features and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiments of this specification will become apparent. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Unless otherwise specified, the drawings are not considered to be drawn to scale. For clarity, various dimensions in the drawings may be enlarged.

[0033] Figure 1 is a view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above.

[0034] Figure 2 is a view showing the Figure 1 apparatus as viewed from the A-A direction.

[0035] Figure 3 is a view showing the Figure 1 apparatus as viewed from the B-B direction.

[0036] Figure 4 is a view showing the Figure 1 apparatus as viewed from the C-C direction.

[0037] Figure 5 is a view showing a transfer unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 6 is a view showing a position detection component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 7 is a view showing Figure 6 the state in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit detect the position of the substrate.

[0040] Figure 8 is a view showing Figure 6 an exemplary embodiment of a cover.

[0041] Figure 9is a diagram showing the shape in which the inflow path, through-hole, and outflow path formed in the lid of Figure 8 are connected to each other. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the shape in which the inflow path, through-hole, and outflow path formed in the lid of Figure 8 are connected to each other.

[0042] Figure 10 is a diagram showing the state in which an air curtain is formed in the through-hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, and that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and neither should be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some exemplary embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies have not been described in detail.

[0044] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not limiting. As used herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, cases where a quantity is not specified may be intended to include singular and plural forms. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Unless specifically identified as an order of execution, the method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the particular order discussed or illustrated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0045] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, intervening elements or layers may not be present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.) should be interpreted in a similar manner. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0046] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, and / or section from another region, layer, or section. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first", "second", and other numerical terms used herein do not imply a sequence or order. Thus, the first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0047] To facilitate the description of the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature as shown in the figures, spatial relative terms such as "inside", "outside", "below", "beneath", "under", "above", and "on" may be used herein. In addition to the orientation depicted in the figures, the spatial relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features will be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" may cover both an orientation above and below. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0048] When the terms "same" or "equivalent" are used in the description of the exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that there may be some imprecision. Thus, when an element or value is referred to as being the same as another element or value, it should be understood that the element or value is the same as the other element or value within the manufacturing or operating tolerances (e.g., ±10%).

[0049] When the terms "about" or "substantially" are used in conjunction with a numerical value, it should be understood that the associated numerical value includes the manufacturing or operating tolerances near the stated value (e.g., ±10%). In addition, when the words "generally" and "substantially" are used in conjunction with a geometry, it should be understood that precision of the geometry is not required, but the degree of freedom of the shape is within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this exemplary embodiment belongs. It should also be understood that terms (including terms defined in common dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0051] In the present exemplary embodiment, a wafer is described as an example of an object to be processed. However, in addition to wafers, the technical spirit of the present invention can also be applied to apparatuses for processing other types of substrates.

[0052] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Referring to Figures 1 to 4 , the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a load port 100, a transfer module 200, a first buffer module 300, a coating and developing module 400, a second buffer module 500, a pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600, and an interface module 700.

[0054] Hereinafter, the direction in which the load port 100, the transfer module 200, the first buffer module 300, the coating and developing module 400, the second buffer module 500, the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600, and the interface module 700 are arranged is referred to as a first direction 12, 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 first direction 12 and the second direction 14 is referred to as a third direction 16.

[0055] The substrate W moves while being accommodated in the cassette 20. In this case, the cassette 20 has a structure that can be sealed from the outside. For example, a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) having a door at the front can be used as the cassette 20.

[0056] Hereinafter, the load port 100, the transfer module 200, the first buffer module 300, the coating and developing module 400, the second buffer module 500, the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600, and the interface module 700 will be described in detail.

[0057] The load port 100 includes a mounting table 120 on which the cassette 20 accommodating the substrate W is placed. A plurality of mounting tables 120 are provided, and the mounting tables 120 are arranged in a row in the second direction 14. In Figure 1 , four mounting tables 120 are provided.

[0058] The transfer module 200 transfers the substrate W between the cassette 20 placed on the mounting table 120 of the load port 100 and the first buffer module 300. The transfer module 200 includes a frame 210, a transfer robot 220, and a guide rail 230. The frame 210 is provided as a rectangular parallelepiped having an empty interior, and is provided between the load port 100 and the first buffer module 300.

[0059] The first buffer module 300 includes a frame 310, a first buffer 320, a second buffer 330, a cooling chamber 350, and a first buffer robot 360. The frame 310 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having an empty interior and is disposed between the indexing module 200 and the coating and developing module 400. The first buffer 320, the second buffer 330, the cooling chamber 350, and the first buffer robot 360 are located within the frame 310. The first buffer 320 and the second buffer 330 temporarily store a plurality of substrates W, respectively. The first buffer robot 360 transfers the substrate W between the first buffer 320 and the second buffer 330. The cooling chamber 350 cools the substrate W.

[0060] The coating and developing module 400 performs a process of coating a photoresist onto the substrate W before an exposure process and a process of developing the substrate W after the exposure process. The coating and developing module 400 generally has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The coating and developing module 400 includes a coating module 401 and a developing module 402.

[0061] The coating module 401 and the developing module 402 are arranged separately from each other in a layer. According to an example, the coating module 401 is located above the developing module 402.

[0062] The coating module 401 performs a process of coating a photosensitive liquid such as a photoresist onto the substrate W, and heat treatment processes such as heating and cooling the substrate W before and after, for example, the resist coating process.

[0063] The coating module 401 includes a resist coating chamber 410, a baking chamber 420, and a transfer chamber 430. The resist coating chamber 410, the baking chamber 420, and the transfer chamber 430 are arranged in order in the second direction 14. Accordingly, the resist coating chamber 410 and the baking chamber 420 are positioned in the second direction 14 while being spaced apart from each other, with the transfer chamber 430 inserted therebetween.

[0064] A plurality of resist coating chambers 410 are provided, and a plurality of resist coating chambers are provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16. In the figure, an example in which six resist coating chambers 410 are provided is shown.

[0065] The baking chamber 420 performs heat treatment on the substrate W. For example, the baking chamber 420 performs a pre-baking process of heating the substrate W to a predetermined temperature to remove organic substances or moisture on the surface of the substrate W before coating the photoresist, or a soft baking process performed after coating the photoresist on the substrate W, and performs a cooling process of cooling the substrate W after each heating process.

[0066] The transfer chamber 430 is positioned parallel to the first buffer 320 of the first buffer module 300 in the first direction 12. The transfer chamber 430 includes a transfer unit 1000 for transferring the substrate W, and a fan filter unit 435 that provides a downward air flow into the interior of the transfer chamber 430 to provide a downward air flow to the substrate. The transfer unit 1000 will be described below.

[0067] The developing module 402 performs a developing process for removing a portion of the photoresist by supplying a developer to obtain a pattern on the substrate W, and heat treatment processes such as heating and cooling performed on the wafer W before and after the developing process. The developing module 402 includes a developing chamber 460, a baking chamber 470, and a transfer chamber 480. The developing chamber 460, the transfer chamber 470, and the baking chamber 480 are arranged in order along the second direction 14.

[0068] All of the developing chambers 460 have the same structure. However, the types of developers used in the developing chambers 460 may be different from each other. The developing chamber 460 removes the light-irradiated areas from the photoresist on the substrate W. At this time, the light-irradiated areas in the passivation film are also removed. Depending on the type of photoresist selectively used, only the non-irradiated areas in the areas of the photoresist and the passivation layer may be removed.

[0069] The baking chamber 470 of the developing module 402 heats the substrate W. For example, the baking chamber 470 performs a post-baking process of heating the substrate W before performing the developing process, a hard-baking process of heating the substrate W after performing the developing process, and a cooling process of cooling the heated substrate W after each baking process.

[0070] The second buffer module 500 is provided as a channel through which the substrate W is transferred between the coating and developing module 400 and the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600. In addition, the second buffer module 500 performs predetermined processes on the substrate W, such as a cooling process, an edge exposure process, etc. The second buffer module 500 has a frame 510, a buffer 520, a first cooling chamber 530, a second cooling chamber 540, an edge exposure chamber 550, and a second buffer robot 560.

[0071] When the exposure apparatus performs a liquid immersion exposure process, the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600 may perform a process of coating a protective film that protects the photoresist film coated on the substrate W during the liquid immersion exposure. In addition, the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600 may perform a process of cleaning the substrate W after the exposure. In addition, when a chemically amplified resist is used to perform the coating process, the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module may perform a baking process after the exposure.

[0072] The pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600 has a pre-processing module 601 and a post-processing module 602. The pre-processing module 601 performs a process of processing the substrate W before the exposure process, and the post-processing module 602 performs a process of processing the substrate W after the exposure process.

[0073] In the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600, the pre-processing module 601 and the post-processing module 602 are set to be completely separated from each other.

[0074] The pre-processing module 601 has a protective film coating chamber 610, a baking chamber 620, and a transfer chamber 630. The protective film coating chamber 610, the transfer chamber 630, and the baking chamber 620 are arranged in order in the second direction 14.

[0075] Therefore, the protective film coating chamber 610 and the baking chamber 620 are arranged in order along the second direction 14, with the transfer chamber 630 inserted therebetween. A plurality of protective film coating chambers 610 are provided and arranged in the third direction 16 to form layers with each other.

[0076] Optionally, a plurality of protective film coating chambers 610 can be provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16. A plurality of baking chambers 620 are provided and arranged in the third direction 16 to form layers with each other. Optionally, a plurality of baking chambers 620 can be provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16.

[0077] The post-processing module 602 includes a cleaning chamber 660, a post-exposure baking chamber 670, and a transfer chamber 680. The cleaning chamber 660, the transfer chamber 680, and the post-exposure baking chamber 670 are arranged in order along the second direction 14.

[0078] Therefore, the cleaning chamber 660 and the post-exposure baking chamber 670 are positioned to be spaced apart from each other in the second direction 14, with the transfer chamber 680 inserted therebetween. A plurality of cleaning chambers 660 can be provided and can be arranged in the third direction 16 to form layers on each other.

[0079] Optionally, a plurality of cleaning chambers 660 can be provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16. A plurality of post-exposure baking chambers 670 can be provided and can be arranged in the third direction 16 to form layers on each other. Optionally, a plurality of post-exposure baking chambers 670 can be provided in each of the first direction 12 and the third direction 16.

[0080] The interface module 700 transfers the substrate W between the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing module 600. The interface module 700 includes a frame 710, a first buffer 720, a second buffer 730, and an interface robot 740. The first buffer 720, the second buffer 730, and the interface robot 740 are located in the frame 710.

[0081] The first buffer 720 and the second buffer 730 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and are arranged to be stacked on top of each other. The first buffer 720 is set higher than the second buffer 730. The first buffer 720 is located at a height corresponding to the pre-processing module 601, and the second buffer 730 is located at a height corresponding to the post-processing module 602. When viewed from above, the first buffer 720 is arranged in a row along the first direction 12 with the transfer chamber 630 of the pre-processing module 601, and the second buffer 730 is arranged in a row along the first direction 12 with the transfer chamber 630 of the post-processing module 602.

[0082] The transfer unit 1000 transfers the substrate W between the coating chamber 410 and the baking chamber 420. Figure 5 is a view showing a transfer unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 5 , the transfer unit 1000 includes a base 1100, a hand 1200, a support 1300, and a position detection assembly 1400. The base 1100 provides a base for the transfer unit 1000. The hand 1200, the support 1300, and the position detection assembly 1400 are mounted on the base 1100. The hand 1200 supports the substrate W. The hand 1200 is arranged to be relatively movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the base W. Accordingly, the hand 1200 can load the substrate W into the coating chamber 410 and the baking chamber 420, or can unload the substrate W from the coating chamber 410 and the baking chamber 420. The support 1300 supports the position detection assembly 1400. The support can be mounted on the side surface of the base 1100. The lower end of the support 1300 can be mounted on the lower end of the base 1100. According to this example, the support 1300 can have a shaped cross-section in the third direction 16. Accordingly, the support 1300 can have a shape surrounding a part of the side surface of the support 1300 and a part of the hand 1200 in a backward state. The position detection assembly 1400 can be mounted on the upper end of the support 1300.

[0083] The position detection assembly 1400 measures the alignment state of the substrate W. The position detection assembly 1400 detects the alignment state of the substrate W placed on the hand 1200. Figure 6 is a view showing a position detection assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 7 is a view showing Figure 6 the state in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of Figures 6 to 7, the position detection component 1400 detects the end position on the substrate W held in the hand 1200. The position detection component 1400 emits light toward the substrate placed on the hand 1200, and measures the degree of misalignment of the substrate as the area of the sensed light. A plurality of position detection components 1400 can be provided. For example, four position detection components 1400 can be provided at positions facing each other. In this case, the position detection component 1400 can detect four end positions on the substrate W. The position detection component 1400 includes an optical sensor 1410, a transmissive member 1420, a gas supply unit 1430, and a cover 1440.

[0084] The optical sensor 1410 detects the alignment state of the substrate W by using light. The optical sensor 1410 can emit light. Moreover, the optical sensor 1410 can receive light. As an example, the optical sensor 1410 can be set as a laser displacement sensor. The optical sensor 1410 can include a light emitting unit 1411 and a light receiving unit 1412. The light emitting unit 1411 emits light. The light emitting unit 1411 includes a light source. The light source of the light emitting unit 1411 can be set as a laser. Alternatively, the light source of the light emitting unit 1411 can be set as LED light. The light receiving unit 1412 receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit 1411. The light receiving unit 1412 can measure the position of the substrate W according to the amount of received light. As an example, in the absence of the substrate W, the amount emitted from the light emitter 1411 is used as a reference value. Thereafter, when light is emitted from the light emitting unit 1411 in a state where the position detection component is held by the hand 1200, the position of the substrate W is measured based on the amount of received light except for the amount of light covered by the substrate W. When the optical sensor 1410 is set as a laser displacement, the light receiving unit 1412 receives the laser. Alternatively, when the light emitting unit 1411 emits LED light, the light receiving unit 1412 can be set as a linear image sensor. For example, the linear image sensor can be provided with various linear image sensors, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) line sensor, an optical fiber line sensor, and a photoelectric sensor.

[0085] The transmissive member 1420 is disposed in the path of light. The transmissive member 1420 may be disposed between the light emitting unit 1411 and the substrate W. The transmissive member 1420 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the light emitting unit 1411. Moreover, the transmissive member 1420 may be disposed between the light receiving unit 1412 and the substrate W. The transmissive member 1420 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the light receiving unit 1412. According to an example, the light source of the light emitting unit 1411 may be mounted in a first body (not shown) having a first opening (not shown), the transmissive member 1420 may be mounted in the opening, and the sensor of the light receiving unit 1412 may also be mounted in a second body (not shown) having a second opening, and the transmissive member 1420 may be mounted in the second opening (not shown). The transmissive member 1420 may transmit the light emitted from the light source of the light emitting unit 1411. When the optical sensor 1410 includes the light emitting unit 1411 and the light receiving unit 1412, the transmissive member 1420 may be disposed at opposite sides between the light emitting unit 1411 and the substrate W and between the light receiving unit 1412 and the substrate W. According to an example, the transmissive member 1420 may be a lens. The gas supply unit 1430 includes a gas supply source 1431, a main supply line 1432, and a plurality of gas supply lines 1433. The gas supply source 1431 stores and supplies gas. According to an example, the gas may be nitrogen or clean dry air (CDA). The gas supply source 1431 is connected to the main supply line 1432. The main supply line 1432 branches into a plurality of gas supply lines 1433. The plurality of gas supply lines 1433 are respectively connected to a plurality of inlets 1442a. According to an example, the inflow path 1442 may extend linearly from the gas supply line 1433.

[0086] Figure 8 is a diagram showing Figure 6 an exemplary embodiment of the cover of Figure 9 is a diagram showing Figure 8 the shape in which the inflow path, the through hole, and the outflow path of the cover of Figure 10 are connected to each other, and

[0087] The through hole 1441 provides a path through which the light emitted by the light source of the light emitting unit 1411 passes. The through hole 1441 may be arranged to vertically pass through the cover 1440. The through hole 1441 may be arranged to be perpendicular to the shape of the transmissive member 1420. The through hole 1441 may be arranged to have a shape with one longitudinal direction. Moreover, the through hole 1441 may be formed to correspond to the sensor detection range of the optical sensor 1410. The through hole 1441 may be formed to correspond to the minimum area required for the optical sensor 1410 to detect the alignment state of the substrate W. Thus, even if the range in which the transmissive member 1420 can transmit light is limited by the cover 1440, the optical sensor 1410 can measure the alignment of the substrate W. According to an example, the detection range of the optical sensor 1410 may be ±4 mm (PCD 308 mm), and when viewed from above, the through hole 1441 may have a shape including a rectangle. The gas injected by the gas supply unit 1430, which will be described later, may be introduced into the internal space 1441a of the through hole 1441. Thus, an air curtain can be formed in the through hole 1441.

[0088] The inflow path 1442 may be arranged to be adjacent to the top surface 1440a of the cover 1440. The inflow path 1442 may be arranged to be a hole in the upper part of the cover 1440. The width t of the outflow path 1443 may be arranged to be consistent with the width t of the through hole 1441 in the longitudinal direction. The inflow path 1442 may be arranged horizontally. The inflow path 1442 may be arranged to be parallel to the substrate W supported by the hand 1200. The inflow path 1442 may be formed in a direction extending from the longitudinal direction of the through hole 1441. An inlet port is formed in one side surface of the cover 1440. The inflow path 1442 connects the inlet port and the through hole 1441. The gas supply unit 1430 is connected to the inflow path 1442. Thus, the gas injected from the gas supply unit 1430 is introduced into the through hole 1441 through the inflow path 1442 to form an air curtain.

[0089] The outflow path 1443 may be set to be adjacent to the top surface of the cover 1440. The outflow path 1443 may be set to have an open upper portion. The outflow path 1443 may be formed as a groove in the top surface 1440a of the cover. The width t of the outflow path 1443 may be set to be the same as the width t of the through hole 1441 in the longitudinal direction. The bottom surface of the outflow path 1443 may be set in a plane. The height of the bottom surface of the outflow path 1443 may be set to be the same as the height of the bottom surface of the inflow path 1442. The outflow path 1443 may be set horizontally. The outflow path 1443 may be set to be parallel to the substrate W supported by the hand 1200. The outflow path 1443 may be formed in a direction extending from the longitudinal direction of the through hole 1441. An outlet port is formed on the other surface 1440c of the cover 1440. The outflow path 1443 connects the through hole 1441 and the outlet 1443a. Accordingly, the gas introduced into the through hole 1441 is discharged to the outside of the cover 1440 through the outflow path 1443.

[0090] The inflow path 1442, the through hole 1441, and the outflow path 1443 are set as paths through which the gas discharged from the gas supply unit 1430 flows. When viewed from above, the inflow path 1442, the through hole 1441, and the outflow path 1443 may be set on an imaginary straight line. The gas may be injected into the inflow path 1442, and an air curtain may be formed in the through hole 1441 when moving directly toward the outflow path 1443, and the gas is discharged from the cover 1440 through the outflow path 1443. The gas is discharged parallel to the substrate W. The direction in which the gas is discharged may be set differently according to the structure in which the main supply line 1432 and the gas supply line 1433 are installed. According to an exemplary embodiment, the coupling direction of the cover 1440 may be determined such that the gas is discharged in the direction in which the gas radiates from the substrate W, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cover 1440 may be installed in any direction as long as the gas can be discharged parallel to the substrate W.

[0091] The coupling portion 1444 is set to be coupled to a coupling device for coupling the transmissive member 1420 and the cover 1440. The coupling portion 1444 may be set to penetrate the upper and lower portions of the cover 1440. According to an exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion 1444 may be set as a screw hole. A plurality of coupling portions 1444 may be provided. In addition, the cover 1440 may be coupled to the optical sensor 1410. The optical sensor 1410 may have a coupling portion (not shown) at a position corresponding to the coupling portion 1444 of the cover 1440. According to an exemplary embodiment, both the coupling portion 1444 of the cover and the coupling portion of the optical sensor may be set as screw holes, and each coupling portion may be fixed through the screw hole in a state where the coupling portions are aligned. The transmissive member 1420 may be disposed between the optical sensor 1410 and the cover 1440.

[0092] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the gas supply line 1433, the inflow path 1442, the through hole 1441, and the outflow path 1443 are arranged in a straight line, thereby ensuring the straightness of the gas injected through the gas supply line 1433. Accordingly, an air curtain is formed by the gas in the through hole 1441.

[0093] A photoresist is coated on a substrate W in a resist coating chamber 410, and the substrate W is heat-treated in a baking chamber 420. The heat-treated substrate W is unloaded to a transfer chamber 430 by a transfer unit 1000. Impurities such as soot and particles are discharged when transferring the substrate W. Since a downward air flow is formed inside the transfer chamber 430 by a fan filter unit 435, impurities generated from the substrate W may be guided to the transfer unit. In this case, since an air curtain is formed in the through hole 1441, the impurities guided to the transmissive member 1420 can be blocked by the air curtain. Accordingly, contamination of the transmissive member 1420 and the optical sensor 1410 can be prevented. Accordingly, a decrease in the accuracy and sensitivity of the optical sensor 1410 due to contamination by impurities can be prevented. Also, the maintenance cycle of the transfer unit 1000 can be increased to improve productivity.

[0094] In addition, by allowing the gas to be injected parallel to the substrate W, the influence of the gas on the substrate W can be minimized. In particular, in the case where the substrate W is heat-treated at a high temperature, the substrate W is cooled when transferring the substrate W, and by injecting the gas parallel to the substrate W, a temperature imbalance on the substrate W can be prevented by minimizing the influence of the gas on the cooling.

[0095] In the above example, the present invention has been described based on the transfer unit 1000 provided in the transfer chamber 430 of the coating module 401 as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the transfer unit 1000 may also be provided in the transfer chamber 480 of the developing module 402 and the transfer chambers 630 and 680 of the pre-exposure and post-exposure processing modules 600.

[0096] In addition, the present invention has been described based on the case where the transmissive member 1420 is a lens as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the transmissive member 1420 may also be provided as a window. The shape and material of the transmissive member 1420 may be set differently according to the light source to be provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a chamber for providing a processing space in which a substrate is processed; as well as a transfer unit for loading the substrate into the chamber and unloading the substrate from the chamber, The transmission unit comprises: a hand on which the substrate is placed; and a position detection component for measuring the position of the substrate placed on the hand, and The position detection component comprises: An optical sensor configured to emit or receive light; a transmission member located in a path of the light between the substrate placed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; and A gas supply unit for providing a gas curtain by injecting a gas into a first side surface which is a path side of the light from the transmission member toward the substrate.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the position detection assembly further comprises a cover, the cover being located on the first side surface of the transmissive member and being formed with a through hole for the light to pass through, and The air curtain is arranged in the through hole. 3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the cover is formed with an inflow path through which the gas is supplied through the through hole and an outflow path through which the gas is exhausted through the through hole. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the inflow path is provided as a hole inside the cover.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outflow path is provided as a groove in the upper wall of the cover, and The groove is formed on a surface opposite to a surface of the upper wall facing the transmissive member.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gas supply unit comprises a gas supply line coupled to the inflow path, and The inflow path is formed in a shape extending in a straight line from the gas supply line.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inflow path and the outflow path are arranged along a straight line. 8 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the inflow path and the outflow path are formed parallel to the substrate supported by the hand.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the optical sensor comprises: A light emitting unit, the light emitting unit being used to emit light; as well as a light receiving unit disposed opposite to the light emitting unit on a side opposite to the light emitting unit with respect to the substrate placed on the hand, and The cover is mounted on at least one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and The transmission unit comprises: Pedestal; a support member fixed to the base and supporting the light receiving unit; and a hand for supporting the substrate, and The hand is mounted on the base and is provided to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the base.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, One of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are configured to detect an edge region of the substrate, The light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate, and The cover and the gas supply unit are installed in the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, respectively. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the transmissive member is a lens.

12. A conveying unit for conveying a substrate, the conveying unit comprising: Pedestal; a hand for supporting a substrate; A position detection component, wherein the position detection component is used to detect the position of the substrate; as well as a support on which the position detection assembly is mounted and which is coupled to the base, The hand is mounted on the base and is arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the base. The position detection component comprises: An optical sensor, the optical sensor being used to emit light or receive the light; a transmission member located in a path of the light between the substrate placed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; a cover located on a first side surface of the transmissive member; and a gas supply unit for providing a gas curtain by injecting gas into the through hole, The cover is formed with: a through hole, wherein the through hole allows the light to pass through; an inflow path through which a gas is supplied through the through hole; and an outflow path through which the gas is discharged through the through hole, and The gas supply unit injects gas to form a gas curtain in the through hole. 13 . The conveying unit according to claim 12 , wherein the cover comprises the inflow path via which the gas is supplied through the through hole and the outflow path via which the gas is exhausted through the through hole. The conveying unit according to claim 13 , wherein the inflow path is provided as a hole inside the cover.

15. The conveying unit according to claim 14, wherein the outflow path is provided as a groove in the upper wall of the cover, and The groove is formed on a surface opposite to a surface of the upper wall facing the transmissive member.

16. The transfer unit according to claim 14, wherein the gas supply unit comprises a gas supply line coupled to the inflow path, The inflow path is formed in a shape extending in a straight line from the gas supply line, and The inflow path and the outflow path are arranged along a straight line.

17. The transfer unit of claim 16, wherein the optical sensor comprises: a light emitting unit installed in the base and emitting light; a light receiving unit installed in the support and arranged to face the light emitting unit on a side opposite to the light emitting unit with respect to the substrate placed on the hand, and The cover is mounted on the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, A plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, One of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are configured to detect an edge region of the substrate, and The light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate.

18. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a processing chamber for providing a processing space in which a substrate is processed; as well as a transfer chamber for providing a transfer space for transferring the substrate to a transfer unit, The transfer chamber comprises: a housing providing the conveying space; and a fan installed on an upper portion of the housing and forming a descending air flow by injecting external air into the conveying space, The transmission unit comprises: Pedestal; a hand for supporting a substrate; a position detection component, the position detection component being used to detect the position of the substrate; and a support on which the position detection assembly is mounted and which is coupled to the base, The hand is mounted on the base and is arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the base. The position detection component comprises: An optical sensor, the optical sensor being used to emit light or receive the light; a transmission member located in a path of the light between the substrate placed on the hand and the optical sensor to transmit the light; a cover located on a first side surface of the transmissive member; and a gas supply unit for providing a gas curtain by injecting gas into the through hole, The cover is formed with: a through hole, wherein the through hole allows the light to pass through; an inflow path through which a gas is supplied through the through hole, and The inflow path is provided as a hole inside the cover; and an outflow path, the outflow path being provided as a groove in the upper wall of the cover and through which the gas is discharged through the through hole, The inflow path and the outflow path are formed in a straight line and parallel to the substrate supported by the hand, and The gas supply unit injects gas to form a gas curtain in the through hole.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the optical sensor comprises: a light emitting unit installed in the base and emitting light; as well as a light receiving unit installed in the support and arranged to face the light emitting unit on a side opposite to the light emitting unit with respect to the substrate placed on the hand, and The cover is mounted on the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, A plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, One of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are configured to detect an edge region of the substrate, and The light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein a plurality of the light emitting units and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided, One of the light emitting units and one of the light receiving units are configured to detect an edge region of the substrate, and The light emitting unit emits light to different regions in the edge region of the substrate.

Images