Buffer chamber and substrate processing apparatus including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a buffer chamber capable of maintaining an atmosphere of a buffer unit at a low humidity, and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. According to one embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing module that processes a substrate; and an indexing module that transfers a substrate from a container accommodating the substrate to the processing module and places the substrate processed in the processing module into the container, in which the processing module includes: a transfer chamber having a transfer unit that transfers the substrate to the processing module; and a buffer chamber provided between the indexing module and the transfer chamber and in which the substrate is temporarily placed, in which the buffer chamber includes: a housing providing a waiting space; a door that opens and closes the housing; a buffer unit in which the substrate is placed in the waiting space; a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the waiting space; and a discharge unit that discharges the waiting space, and pressures in the transfer chamber and the indexing module are different from each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a buffer chamber and a substrate processing apparatus including the buffer chamber. More specifically, the present invention relates to a buffer chamber capable of maintaining the atmosphere of a buffer unit at low humidity, and a substrate processing apparatus including the buffer chamber. Background Art

[0002] Generally, the manufacture of semiconductor devices requires various processes such as cleaning, deposition, lithography, etching, and ion implantation. These processes are performed in processing modules, and substrates that have undergone the respective processes and substrates waiting to undergo the respective processes wait for a predetermined time in a buffer unit. The atmosphere of the buffer unit needs to be controlled to prevent problems such as pattern collapse and substrate contamination of the substrate while waiting.

[0003] However, the buffer unit has an open structure, with its front connected to a transfer module and its rear connected to a processing module. Therefore, when the pressures on both sides are different, air flow will flow into the buffer unit due to the pressure difference, so there is a problem that it is difficult to control the atmosphere of the buffer unit. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a buffer chamber capable of preventing air flow from flowing into the buffer unit, and a substrate processing apparatus including the buffer chamber.

[0005] In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a buffer chamber capable of controlling the atmosphere of the buffer unit, and a substrate processing apparatus including the buffer chamber.

[0006] In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a buffer chamber capable of maintaining the atmosphere of the buffer unit at low humidity, and a substrate processing apparatus including the buffer chamber.

[0007] The object of the present invention is not limited thereto, and other objects not described herein can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0008] The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. According to one embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing module that processes a substrate; and a transfer module that transfers the substrate from a container accommodating the substrate to the processing module and places the substrate processed in the processing module into the container, wherein the processing module includes: a transfer chamber having a transfer unit that transfers the substrate to the processing module; and a buffer chamber disposed between the transfer module and the transfer chamber and temporarily placing the substrate therein, wherein the buffer chamber includes: a housing that provides a waiting space; a door that opens and closes the housing; a buffer unit in which the substrate is placed in the waiting space; a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the waiting space; and an exhaust unit that exhausts the waiting space, and the pressures in the transfer chamber and the transfer module are different from each other.

[0009] According to one embodiment, a plurality of gas supply pipes may be provided, and the gas supply pipes may be connected to an upper portion of the housing.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the exhaust unit may include an exhaust pipe connected to a lower portion of the housing, and the exhaust pipe may be connected to the lower portion of the housing.

[0011] According to one embodiment, a plurality of exhaust pipes may be provided, and the exhaust pipes may be connected to a lower portion of the housing.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the first opening has: an upper opening formed at a position corresponding to a region where the upper slot may be located; and a lower opening formed at a position corresponding to a region where the lower slot is located, and the first door includes: a first upper door that opens and closes the upper opening; and a first lower door that actuates independently of the first upper door and opens and closes the lower opening.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the housing may include: a first door formed at a position corresponding to a region where the upper slot is located and opening and closing the housing; and a second door formed at a position corresponding to a region where the lower slot is located and opening and closing the housing.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the gas may be moisture-free.

[0015] The present invention provides a buffer chamber in which a substrate is placed. According to one embodiment, the buffer chamber includes: a housing that provides a waiting space; a door that opens and closes the housing; a buffer unit in which the substrate is placed in the waiting space; a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the waiting space; and an exhaust unit that exhausts the waiting space, and the pressure at a first side of the buffer chamber and the pressure at a second side facing the first side may be different from each other.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the gas supply unit may include a gas supply pipe connected to the housing, and the gas supply pipe may be connected to the upper part of the housing.

[0017] According to one embodiment, a plurality of gas supply pipes may be provided, and the gas supply pipes may be connected to the upper part of the housing.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the discharge unit includes a discharge pipe connected to the lower part of the housing, and the discharge pipe may be connected to the lower part of the housing.

[0019] According to one embodiment, a plurality of discharge pipes may be provided, and the discharge pipes may be connected to the lower part of the housing.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the buffer unit may include a plurality of slots in which substrates are placed. The slots are arranged such that the substrates can be stored horizontally therein, and the slots can be stacked vertically. The slots may include an upper slot in which the substrates are stored after being processed and a lower slot in which the substrates are stored before being processed.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the housing may include: a first door formed at a position corresponding to the region where the upper slot is located and opening and closing the housing; and a second door formed at a position corresponding to the region where the lower slot is located and opening and closing the housing.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the gas may be moisture-free.

[0023] The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. According to one embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing module that processes substrates; and a transfer module that transfers substrates from a container accommodating the substrates to the processing module and places the substrates processed in the processing module into the container. The processing module includes: a transfer chamber having a transfer unit that transfers substrates to the processing module; and a buffer chamber provided between the transfer module and the transfer chamber, and substrates are temporarily placed in the buffer chamber. The buffer chamber includes: a housing that provides a waiting space; a door that opens and closes the housing; a buffer unit in which substrates are placed in the waiting space; a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the waiting space; and a discharge unit that discharges the waiting space. The supply unit includes a gas supply pipe connected to the housing, the discharge unit includes a discharge pipe connected to the lower part of the housing, and the pressures in the transfer chamber and the transfer module are different from each other.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the buffer unit includes a plurality of slots in which substrates are placed. The slots are arranged such that the substrates are stored horizontally therein, and the slots are stacked vertically. The slots include an upper slot in which the substrates are stored after being processed and a lower slot in which the substrates are stored before being processed. The housing includes: a first door formed at a position corresponding to the area where the upper slot is located for opening and closing the housing; and a second door formed at a position corresponding to the area where the lower slot is located for opening and closing the housing.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the gas may be a moisture-free gas.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can prevent the air flow from flowing to the buffer unit.

[0027] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can control the atmosphere of the buffer unit.

[0028] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can maintain the atmosphere of the buffer unit at low humidity.

[0029] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand the effects not described above through the specification and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The various features and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiments of this specification will become apparent upon reading the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Unless explicitly stated, the drawings are not considered to be drawn to scale. For clarity, various dimensions in the figures may be exaggerated.

[0031] Figure 1 is a plan view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 is schematically showing Figure 1 an embodiment of a liquid processing chamber of

[0033] Figure 3 is a view schematically showing a buffer chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of a buffer chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 is a view schematically showing a buffer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a view showing a buffer chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0037] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The 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 are not necessarily required, and that the example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies have not been described in detail.

[0038] 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, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes" and "including" are inclusive and therefore 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 the 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.

[0039] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "engaged to", "connected to", or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can 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, there may be no intervening elements or layers. 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.

[0040] 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, without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, the first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or section.

[0041] To facilitate the description of the relationship of one element or feature to 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" another element or feature will be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can cover both an orientation above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0042] When the terms "same" or "identical" 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%).

[0043] 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 around the stated value (e.g., ±10%). In addition, when the words "substantially" and "about" are used in conjunction with a geometry, it should be understood that no precision of the geometry is required, but the latitude of the shape is within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] 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 commonly used 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.

[0045] In the present exemplary embodiment, a wafer is described as an example of an object to be processed. However, the technical spirit of the present invention can also be applied to apparatuses for processing other types of substrates other than wafers as objects to be processed.

[0046] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a plan view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Referring to Figure 1 , the substrate processing apparatus includes a transfer module 10, a processing module 20, and a control unit 30. According to one embodiment, the transfer module 10 and the processing module 20 are arranged in one direction. Hereinafter, the arrangement direction of the transfer module 10 and the processing module 20 will be referred to as a first direction 92, the direction perpendicular to the first direction 92 when viewed from above will be referred to as a second direction 94, and the direction perpendicular to both the first direction 92 and the second direction 94 will be referred to as a third direction 96.

[0048] The transfer module 10 transfers the substrate W from the container 80 accommodating the substrate W to the processing module 20, and places the substrate W processed in the processing module 20 into the container 80. The longitudinal direction of the transfer module 10 is set along the second direction 94. The transfer module 10 has a load port 12 and a transfer frame 14. The load port 12 is located on the opposite side of the processing module 20, and the transfer frame 14 is located between the load port 12 and the processing module 20. The container 80 accommodating the substrate W is placed in the load port 12. A plurality of load ports 12 may be provided, and the plurality of load ports 12 may be arranged along the second direction 94.

[0049] The container 80 may be a sealed container, such as a front-opening unified pod (FOUP). The container 80 may be placed in the load port 12 by a worker or a conveying device (not shown) such as an overhead transporter, an overhead conveyor, or an automated guided vehicle.

[0050] A transfer robot 120 is provided on the transfer frame 14. A guide rail 140 is provided in the transfer frame 14, the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 140 is set along the second direction 94, and the transfer robot 120 may be arranged to be movable on the guide rail 140. The transfer robot 120 includes a hand 122, the substrate W is placed on the hand 122, and the hand 122 may be arranged to be able to move back and forth, rotate around the third direction 96, and move along the third direction 96. A plurality of hands 122 may be provided, the plurality of hands 122 are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the hands 122 may move back and forth independently of each other. A fan unit 16 may be provided above the transfer frame 14. The fan unit 16 supplies a downward air flow to the inside of the transfer frame 14. The inside of the transfer frame 14 may be maintained at a first pressure P1.

[0051] The processing module 20 includes a buffer chamber 200, a transfer chamber 300, and a processing chamber 400. The buffer chamber 200 provides a temporary waiting space for the substrate W loaded into the processing module 20 and the substrate W unloaded from the processing module 20. The processing chamber 400 performs a processing procedure of liquid-treating the substrate W by supplying a liquid onto the substrate W. The transfer chamber 300 transfers the substrate W between the buffer chamber 200 and the liquid processing chamber 400.

[0052] The longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber 300 may be set along the first direction 92. The buffer chamber 200 may be disposed between the indexing module 10 and the transfer chamber 300. The liquid processing chambers 400 are provided in plurality and may be disposed on the side portions of the transfer chamber 300. The liquid processing chambers 400 and the transfer chamber 300 may be set along the second direction 94. The buffer chamber 200 may be disposed at the end of the transfer chamber 300.

[0053] According to an example, the liquid processing chambers 400 may be disposed on both sides of the transfer chamber 300. The liquid processing chambers 400 may be respectively disposed in an array of A×B (where A and B are each a natural number of 1 or more) along the first direction 92 and the third direction 96 at each of the two sides of the transfer chamber 300.

[0054] The transfer chamber 300 has a transfer robot 320. A guide rail 340 is provided in the transfer chamber 300, the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 340 is set along the first direction 92, and the transfer robot 320 may be set to be movable on the guide rail 340. The transfer robot 320 includes a hand 322, the substrate W is placed on the hand 322, and the hand 322 may be set to be capable of moving back and forth, rotating about the third direction 96, and moving along the third direction 96. A plurality of hands 322 may be provided, the plurality of hands 322 are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the hands 322 may move back and forth independently of each other. A fan unit 360 may be provided above the transfer chamber 300. The fan unit 360 supplies a downward air flow into the transfer chamber 300. The interior of the transfer chamber 300 may be maintained at a second pressure P2. The second pressure P may be different from the first pressure P1.

[0055] The buffer chamber 200 includes a buffer unit 230, and the substrate W is placed in the buffer unit 230. The buffer units 230 may be set to be spaced apart from each other in the third direction 96. The front and rear of the buffer unit 200 are open. The front is the surface facing the indexing module 10, and the rear is the surface facing the transfer chamber 300. The indexing robot 120 may approach the buffer chamber 200 through the front, and the transfer robot 320 may approach the buffer chamber 200 through the rear. The detailed structure, shape, etc. of the buffer chamber 200 will be described below.

[0056] Figure 2 is schematically shown Figure 1View of an embodiment of the liquid processing chamber 400. Refer to Figure 2 , the liquid processing chamber 400 includes a housing 410, a cup 420, a support unit 440, a nozzle unit 460, a lifting unit 480, a supply unit, and a control unit.

[0057] The housing 410 is set in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The cup 420, the support unit 440, and the liquid supply unit 460 are installed in the housing 410.

[0058] The cup 420 has a processing space with an open top, and a substrate W is subjected to liquid processing in the processing space. The support unit 440 supports the substrate W in the processing space. The liquid supply unit 460 supplies liquid to the substrate W supported on the support unit 440. A plurality of types of processing liquids are provided, and the plurality of types of processing liquids can be sequentially supplied to the substrate W. The lifting unit 480 adjusts the relative height between the cup 420 and the support unit 440.

[0059] According to an example, the cup 420 has a plurality of recovery grooves 422, 424, and 426. The recovery grooves 422, 424, and 426 each have a recovery space for recovering the liquid used for processing the substrate. The recovery grooves 422, 424, and 426 are each set in an annular shape surrounding the support unit 440. The processing liquid sputtered due to the rotation of the substrate W during the liquid processing process flows into the recovery space through the inlets 422a, 424a, and 426a of the recovery grooves 422, 424, and 426, respectively. According to an example, the cup 420 has a first recovery groove 422, a second recovery groove 424, and a third recovery groove 426. The first recovery groove 422 is set to surround the support unit 440, the second recovery groove 424 is set to surround the first recovery groove 422, and the third recovery groove 426 is set to surround the second recovery groove 424. The second inlet 424a for supplying liquid to the second recovery groove 424 can be positioned higher than the first inlet 422a for supplying liquid to the first recovery groove 422, and the third inlet 426a for supplying liquid to the third recovery groove 426 can be positioned higher than the second inlet 424a.

[0060] The support unit 440 has a support plate 442 and an actuating shaft 444. The upper surface of the support plate 442 is set to a substantially circular shape and may have a diameter larger than that of the substrate W. Support pins 442a for supporting the rear surface of the substrate W are provided at the central portion of the support plate 442 and are set such that their upper ends protrude from the support plate 442 to space the substrate W from the support plate 442 by a predetermined distance. Chuck pins 442b are installed on the edge portion of the support plate 442. The chuck pins 442b protrude upward from the support plate 442 and support the side portion of the substrate W to prevent the substrate W from separating from the support unit 440 when the substrate W rotates. The actuating shaft 444 is driven by an actuator 446, connected to the center of the lower side of the substrate W, and rotates the support plate 442 about its central axis.

[0061] The nozzle unit 460 has a first nozzle 462 and a second nozzle 464. The first nozzle 462 supplies a processing liquid to the substrate W. The processing liquid may be a liquid at a temperature higher than room temperature. According to an example, the processing liquid may be a phosphoric acid solution. The phosphoric acid solution may be a mixture of phosphoric acid and water. Optionally, the phosphoric acid solution may further contain other substances. For example, the other substance may be silicon. The second nozzle 464 supplies water onto the substrate W. The water may be pure water or deionized water.

[0062] The first nozzle 462 and the second nozzle 463 are supported by different arms 461 and the arms 461 may move independently. Optionally, the first nozzle 461 and the second nozzle 462 may be mounted on the same arm and move simultaneously.

[0063] Optionally, in addition to the first nozzle 462 and the second nozzle 464, the liquid supply unit may further have one or more nozzles. The additional nozzles may supply other types of processing liquids to the substrate. For example, the other types of processing liquids may be an acid solution or an alkaline solution for removing contaminants from the substrate. In addition, the other types of processing liquids may be an alcohol having a lower surface tension than water. For example, the alcohol may be isopropyl alcohol.

[0064] The lifting unit 480 moves the cup 420 in the vertical direction. The relative height between the cup 420 and the substrate W is changed by the vertical movement of the cup 420. Accordingly, the recovery grooves 422, 424, and 426 for recovering the processing liquid are changed according to the type of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W, and thus the processing liquid can be recovered separately. Different from the above description, the cup 420 may be fixed and the lifting unit 480 may move the support unit 440 in the vertical direction.

[0065] Figure 3 is a view schematically showing a buffer chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the buffer chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4, the buffer chamber 200 includes a housing 210, a door 220, a buffer unit 230, a gas supply unit 240, and an exhaust unit 250.

[0066] The housing 210 provides a waiting space. The housing may be configured in a hexahedron shape. The housing 210 includes a first side 211 and a second side 212. The first side 211 may be the surface facing the transfer robot 120 of the indexing module 10. Alternatively, the first side 211 may be the surface facing the transfer robot 320 of the transfer chamber 300. Either the first side 211 or the second side 212 may be the surface facing the transfer robot 120, and the other may be the surface facing the transfer robot 320. In the following description, it is assumed that the first side 211 is the surface facing the transfer robot 120, and the second side 212 is the surface facing the transfer robot 320. The transfer robot 120 approaches the buffer unit 230 through the first side 211. A first opening 211a for loading and unloading the substrate W is formed on the first side 211. A second opening 212a for loading and unloading the substrate W is formed on the second side 212. The transfer robot 320 approaches the buffer unit 230 through the second side 212.

[0067] The door 220 includes a first door 221, a second door 222, and a door actuator 223. The first door 221 opens and closes the first opening 211a. The housing 210 is opened and closed by the first door 221. The second door 222 opens and closes the second opening 212a. The housing 210 is opened and closed by the second door 222. The first door 221 and the second door 222 may be formed corresponding to the position where the substrate W is placed in the buffer unit 230. The first door 221 and the second door 222 may be provided in plurality. Accordingly, a door actuator for actuating the plurality of doors may be additionally provided.

[0068] Figure 5 is a view schematically showing a buffer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 5 , the buffer unit 230 is disposed in the housing 210. The buffer unit 230 has a plurality of slots 232, and the substrate W is placed in the slots 232. The plurality of slots 232 may be arranged such that the substrate W is stored horizontally. The plurality of slots 232 may be arranged in an up-and-down stack. The buffer units 230 may be spaced apart from each other in a third direction 96. According to an example, the slots 232 may be configured to support the sides of the substrate W. The slot 232 may be composed of an upper slot 232a and a lower slot 232b. The upper slot 232a may be a position where the substrate W temporarily waits after being processed in the processing chamber 400. The lower slot 232b may be a position where the substrate W waits before being processed. According to an example, each of the upper slot 232a and the lower slot 232b may be provided in four.

[0069] Figure 6is a view showing a buffer chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 6 , the first wall 211 has a first upper opening 211a-1 and a first lower opening 211a-2. The first upper opening 211a-1 is formed at a position corresponding to the upper slot 232a. The first lower opening 211a-2 is formed at a position corresponding to the lower slot 232b. The first door 221 includes a first upper door 221a and a first lower door 221b. The first upper door 221a may be formed at a position corresponding to the first upper opening 211a-1. The first lower door 221b may be formed at a position corresponding to the first lower opening 211a-2. The first upper door 221a and the first lower door 221b may be actuated independently.

[0070] The second wall 212 has a second upper opening 212a-1 and a second lower opening 212a-2. The second upper opening 212a-1 is formed at a position corresponding to the upper slot 232a. The second lower opening 212a-2 is formed at a position corresponding to the lower slot 232b. The second door 221 includes a second upper door 222a and a second lower door 221b. The second upper door 222a may be formed at a position corresponding to the second upper opening 212a-1. The second lower door 221b may be formed at a position corresponding to the second lower opening 212a-2. The second upper door 222a and the second lower door 221b may be driven independently.

[0071] The gas supply unit 240 supplies gas to the housing 210. The gas supply unit 240 may be formed on the upper wall 213 of the housing 210. The gas supply unit 240 includes a plurality of gas supply pipes 241. The gas may be a low humidity gas. The gas may be a gas without moisture.

[0072] The discharge unit 250 discharges gas from the housing 210. The discharge unit 250 may be formed on the lower wall 214 of the housing 210. The discharge unit 250 includes a plurality of discharge pipes 251. The gas supplied from above is discharged downward, so a downward air flow is generated in the housing 210.

[0073] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the buffer chamber 200 is disposed between the indexing module 10 and the transfer chamber 300, and the buffer unit 230 is disposed in the housing 210. Therefore, even if the first pressure P1 and the second pressure P2 are different from each other, the air flow can be blocked from flowing into the buffer unit 230.

[0074] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas is a moisture-free gas, the gas supply unit 240 is disposed above the housing 210, and the discharge unit 250 is disposed below the housing 210. Therefore, the low-humidity gas can generate a downward air flow in the housing 210 and can keep the interior of the housing 210 in a low-humidity atmosphere. Humidity may cause contamination of the substrate W. By maintaining the atmosphere of the buffer chamber 200 in which the substrate W waits, contamination of the substrate W can be prevented.

[0075] In the above example, the housing 210 is exemplarily configured as a hexahedron. However, the housing 210 is not limited thereto and may also be configured as a polyhedron, depending on the structure of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0076] This specification provides examples of the present invention. In addition, the above description provides embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in other various combinations, variations, and environments. That is, the present invention can be changed or modified within the scope of the present invention described herein, within the scope equivalent to the described scope, and / or within the knowledge or technology scope of the relevant technical field. The embodiments of the present invention show the best state of realizing the spirit of the present invention and can be variously changed for the specific application fields and uses of the present invention. Therefore, the detailed description of the present invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the embodiments. In addition, the claims should be understood to include other embodiments.

Claims

1. A substrate processing device, comprising: a processing module, wherein the processing module processes the substrate; and an indexing module, the indexing module having an indexing robot, the indexing robot transferring a substrate from a container accommodating the substrate to a processing module and placing the substrate processed in the processing module into the container, The processing module comprises: a transfer chamber having a transfer robot that transfers a substrate to the process module; and a buffer chamber, the buffer chamber being disposed between the index module and the transfer chamber and in which a substrate is temporarily placed, The buffer chamber comprises: a housing providing a waiting space and having a first opening on a first side through which a substrate is loaded into the interior; a first door that opens and closes the first opening; and A buffer unit in which a substrate is placed in the waiting space.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: an air supply unit, the air supply unit supplies air to the waiting space; and A discharge unit discharges the waiting space.

3. The substrate processing device according to claim 2, wherein the indexing module further comprises: a transfer frame, the transfer frame being equipped with the transfer robot; and a first fan unit, the first fan unit generating a downward airflow into the indexing frame, The transfer chamber further includes a second fan unit that generates a downward airflow into the space into which the transfer robot moves, and The space where the indexing robot is disposed and the space where the transfer robot is disposed have different pressures. 4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the gas supply unit comprises a gas supply pipe connected to an upper portion of the housing. 5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the exhaust unit comprises an exhaust pipe connected to a lower portion of the housing.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the buffer unit comprises a plurality of slots in which the substrates are placed, The slot is configured so that the substrate is stored horizontally therein, The slots are stacked one above the other, and The slots include an upper slot in which the substrate is stored after being processed and a lower slot in which the substrate is stored before being processed.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first opening has: An upper opening, the upper opening being formed at a position corresponding to an area where the upper slot is located; and a lower opening formed at a position corresponding to an area where the lower slot is located, and The first door includes: a first upper door that opens and closes the upper opening; and A first lower door is actuated independently of the first upper door and opens and closes the lower opening. 8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first side is a surface facing the index robot.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The first side is a surface facing the transfer robot.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a second opening is formed at the second side of the housing, and the substrate is loaded into the interior through the second opening, The buffer chamber further includes a second door that opens and closes the second opening, and One of the first side and the second side is a surface facing the index robot, and the other is a surface facing the transfer robot.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the gas is a gas containing no moisture.

12. A buffer chamber, in which a substrate is placed, the buffer chamber comprising: a housing providing a waiting space and having a first opening on a first side through which a substrate is loaded into the interior; a first door that opens and closes the first opening; and A buffer unit in which a substrate is placed in the waiting space.

13. The buffer chamber according to claim 12, comprising: an air supply unit, the air supply unit supplies air to the waiting space; and a discharge unit, the discharge unit causing the waiting space to be discharged, wherein the air supply unit comprises an air supply pipe connected to an upper portion of the housing, and The discharge unit includes a discharge pipe connected to a lower portion of the housing.

14. The buffer chamber according to claim 13, wherein the buffer unit comprises a plurality of slots in which the substrate is placed, The slot is configured so that the substrate is stored horizontally therein, The slots are stacked one above the other, and The slots include an upper slot in which the substrate is stored after being processed and a lower slot in which the substrate is stored before being processed.

15. The buffer chamber according to claim 12, wherein the first opening has: An upper opening, the upper opening being formed at a position corresponding to an area where the upper slot is located; and a lower opening formed at a position corresponding to an area where the lower slot is located, and The first door includes: a first upper door that opens and closes the upper opening; and A first lower door is actuated independently of the upper door and opens and closes the lower opening.

16. The buffer chamber according to claim 12, wherein a second opening is formed at a second side of the housing, and a substrate is loaded into the interior through the second opening, The buffer chamber further includes a second door that opens and closes the second opening. The buffer chamber according to claim 13 , wherein the gas is a gas containing no moisture.

18. A substrate processing device, comprising: a processing module, wherein the processing module processes the substrate; and an indexing module having an indexing robot, the indexing robot transferring a substrate from a container accommodating the substrate to the processing module and placing the substrate processed in the processing module into the container, The processing module comprises: a transfer chamber having a transfer robot that transfers a substrate to the process module; and a buffer chamber, the buffer chamber being disposed between the index module and the transfer chamber, and the substrate being temporarily placed in the buffer chamber, Wherein, the transfer module comprises: an indexing frame equipped with the indexing robot; and a first fan unit, the first fan unit generating a downward airflow into the indexing frame, The transfer chamber further comprises a second fan unit, which generates a downward airflow into the space into which the transfer robot moves. The pressure of the space where the transfer robot is located is different from that of the space where the transfer robot is located. The buffer chamber comprises: a housing providing a waiting space, having a first opening formed on a first side to load a substrate into the interior, and having a second opening formed on a second side to load a substrate into the interior; a first door that opens and closes the first opening; a second door that opens and closes the second opening; a buffer unit in which a substrate is placed in the waiting space; an air supply unit that supplies air to the waiting space; and A discharge unit discharges the waiting space.

19. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the buffer unit comprises a plurality of slots in which the substrates are placed, The slot is configured so that the substrate is stored horizontally therein, The slots are stacked one above the other, The slots include an upper slot in which the substrate is stored after being processed and a lower slot in which the substrate is stored before being processed, and The housing includes a first door formed at a position corresponding to an area where the upper slot is located and opens and closes the housing; and a second door formed at a position corresponding to an area where the lower slot is located and opens and closes the housing.

20. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the gas is a gas containing no moisture.

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