Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, program product, and substrate holding assembly

Abstract

Provided are a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a program product, and a technology of a substrate holding assembly, which prevent adhesion of a substrate to a support member accompanying film formation. The present invention is provided with: a main boat having at least one first support part for each of a plurality of substrates; a processing container which accommodates the main boat and processes the supported substrate; a plurality of second support parts provided so as to be movable relative to the main boat in the vertical direction; a rotating device having a rotating shaft that rotatably supports the main boat; and a drive mechanism capable of relatively lifting the plurality of second support parts upward and floating the substrate from at least one first support part, the drive mechanism having: a linear motion shaft capable of linear motion in the axial direction of the rotation shaft; a transmission member capable of transmitting the linear motion of the linear motion shaft to the plurality of second support parts; and an actuator which pushes the lower surface of the linear motion shaft in the axial direction, and when the actuator is not pushed, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear motion shaft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology effectively applicable to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a program product, and a substrate holding assembly. Background Art

[0002] In a substrate processing apparatus which is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate (also referred to as a substrate, a wafer), there is an apparatus (for example, refer to Patent Document 1) in which a boat as a substrate support member storing a plurality of semiconductor substrates is arranged inside a vertical processing furnace and a film forming process is performed.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2020 / 064606 Summary of the Invention

[0006] When forming a thick film on a substrate, there is a concern that adhesion between the substrate support member and the substrate may occur due to a film formed near the contact portion between the substrate and the substrate support member, and fine particles may be generated when such a substrate is taken out from the substrate support member.

[0007] The present invention provides a technology capable of preventing adhesion of a substrate to a support member during film formation. Other problems and new features will be clarified from the description of the present specification and the drawings.

[0008] If the outline of a representative aspect of the present invention is briefly described, it is as follows.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a technology including: (a) a main boat having at least one first support portion for each of a plurality of substrates; (b) a processing container that houses the main boat and processes the supported substrates; (c) a plurality of second support portions that are configured to be relatively movable in the vertical direction with respect to the main boat; (d) a rotating device having a rotating shaft that rotatably supports the main boat; and (e) a driving mechanism that relatively raises the plurality of second support portions upward and can float the substrate from at least one of the first support portions, (f) the driving mechanism includes: a linear motion shaft that can perform linear motion in the axial direction of the rotating shaft; a transmission member that can transmit the linear motion of the linear motion shaft to the plurality of second support portions; and an actuator that pushes the lower surface of the linear motion shaft in the axial direction, and when not pushed, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear motion shaft.

[0010] Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, a technique capable of preventing a substrate from sticking to a support member during film formation can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vertical processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention, showing a longitudinal sectional view of a processing furnace 202 portion.

[0013] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a vertical processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention, showing a sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 1 the processing furnace 202 portion.

[0014] Figure 3 FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main boat 217a suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sub-boat 217b suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 5 FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a main boat 217a and a sub-boat 217b suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 6 FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view near the bottom plate of a boat suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention, and a central sectional view near a rotating shaft.

[0018] Figure 7 FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an actuator suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 8 FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a controller 121 of a substrate processing apparatus suitably used in one embodiment of the present invention, showing a control system of the controller 121 in a block diagram.

[0020] Figure 9 FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a process flow in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0022] 200: Substrate (wafer)

[0023] 201: Processing chamber

[0024] 217: Boat

[0025] 217a: Main boat

[0026] 217b: Sub-boat

[0027] 267: Rotating mechanism

[0028] 268: Driving device

[0029] 21: First support portion

[0030] 22: Second support portion

[0031] 100: Actuator Detailed implementation manner

[0032] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships of the respective elements shown in the drawings, the ratios of the respective elements, etc. are not necessarily the same as in reality. Also, among the multiple drawings, the dimensional relationships of the respective elements, the ratios of the respective elements, etc. are not necessarily the same.

[0033] (1) Structure of the substrate processing apparatus

[0034] As Figure 1 shown, the processing furnace 202 has a heater 207 as a temperature adjustment unit (heating unit). The heater 207 has a cylindrical shape and is vertically installed by being supported on a holding plate. The heater 207 also functions as an activation mechanism (excitation unit) that activates (excites) a gas with heat.

[0035] Inside the heater 207, a reaction tube 203 is arranged concentrically with the heater 207. The reaction tube 203 is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz (SiO2) or silicon carbide (SiC), and is formed in a cylindrical shape with the upper end sealed and the lower end open. Below the reaction tube 203, a manifold 209 is arranged concentrically with the reaction tube 203. The manifold 209 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel (SUS), and is formed in a cylindrical shape with the upper end and the lower end open. The upper end portion of the manifold 209 is configured to engage with the lower end portion of the reaction tube 203 to support the reaction tube 203. An O-ring 220a as a sealing member is provided between the manifold 209 and the reaction tube 203. The reaction tube 203 is vertically installed in the same manner as the heater 207. The processing container (reaction container) is mainly composed of the reaction tube 203 and the manifold 209. A processing chamber 201 is formed in the cylindrical hollow portion of the processing container. The processing chamber 201 is configured to be able to accommodate a wafer 200 as a substrate. Processing of the wafer 200 is performed inside the processing chamber 201.

[0036] In the processing chamber 201, nozzles 249a to 249c serving as the first to third supply parts are respectively provided so as to penetrate the side wall of the manifold 209. The nozzles 249a to 249c are also respectively referred to as the first to third nozzles. The nozzles 249a to 249c are made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC, for example. Gas supply pipes 232a to 232c are respectively connected to the nozzles 249a to 249c. The nozzles 249a to 249c are different nozzles, and the nozzles 249a and 249c are respectively disposed adjacent to the nozzle 249b.

[0037] On the gas supply pipes 232a to 232c, mass flow controllers (MFCs) 241a to 241c serving as flow controllers (flow control parts) and valves 243a to 243c serving as on-off valves are respectively provided in order from the upstream side of the air flow. At positions on the gas supply pipe 232a downstream of the valve 243a, gas supply pipes 232d and 232f are respectively connected. At positions on the gas supply pipe 232b downstream of the valve 243b, gas supply pipes 232e and 232g are respectively connected. At a position on the gas supply pipe 232c downstream of the valve 243c, a gas supply pipe 232h is connected. On the gas supply pipes 232d to 232h, MFCs 241d to 241h and valves 243d to 243h are respectively provided in order from the upstream side of the air flow. The gas supply pipes 232a to 232h are made of a metal material such as SUS, for example.

[0038] As Figure 2As shown, the nozzles 249a to 249c are respectively arranged in an annular space in a plan view between the inner wall of the reaction tube 203 and the wafer 200, from the lower part to the upper part of the inner wall of the reaction tube 203, in a manner of standing upright upward in the arrangement direction of the wafer 200. That is, the nozzles 249a to 249c are respectively arranged in a region on the side of the wafer arrangement region where the wafers 200 are arranged and horizontally surrounding the wafer arrangement region, in a manner of following the wafer arrangement region. In a plan view, the nozzle 249b is arranged so as to be opposite to the exhaust port 231a described later in a straight line across the center of the wafer 200 carried into the processing chamber 201. The nozzles 249a and 249c are arranged so as to sandwich the straight line L passing through the centers of the nozzle 249b and the exhaust port 231a from both sides along the inner wall of the reaction tube 203 (the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 200). The straight line L is also a straight line passing through the centers of the nozzle 249b and the wafer 200. That is, the nozzle 249c can also be said to be arranged on the side opposite to the nozzle 249a across the straight line L. The nozzles 249a and 249c are arranged in line symmetry with the straight line L as the axis of symmetry. Gas supply holes 250a to 250c for supplying gas are respectively provided on the sides of the nozzles 249a to 249c. The gas supply holes 250a to 250c are respectively opened in a manner of being opposite (face to face) to the exhaust port 231a in a plan view, and can supply gas toward the wafer 200. A plurality of the gas supply holes 250a to 250c are provided in the range from the lower part to the upper part of the reaction tube 203.

[0039] On the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 200, a plurality of fixing columns 3 of the main boat 217a and a plurality of movable columns 4 of the sub-boat 217b described in Figure 3 are depicted.

[0040] An etching gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232a via the MFC241a, the valve 243a, and the nozzle 249a. As the etching gas, for example, a gas containing fluorine (F) can be used.

[0041] A reducing gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232b via the MFC241b, the valve 243b, and the nozzle 249b. As the reducing gas, for example, a gas containing hydrogen (H) can be used.

[0042] A second processing gas as a source gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232c via the MFC241c, the valve 243c, and the nozzle 249c. As the second processing gas, for example, a gas containing a Group 14 element such as germanium (Ge) can be used.

[0043] The first processing gas as a source gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232d via the MFC 241d, the valve 243d, the gas supply pipe 232a, and the nozzle 249a. As the first source gas, for example, a gas containing a Group 14 element such as silicon (Si) can be used.

[0044] The second processing gas as a doping gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232e via the MFC 241e, the valve 243e, the gas supply pipe 232b, and the nozzle 249b.

[0045] An inert gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipes 232f to 232h via the MFCs 241f to 241h, the valves 243f to 243h, the gas supply pipes 232a to 232c, and the nozzles 249a to 249c. The inert gas functions as a purge gas, a carrier gas, a dilution gas, etc.

[0046] The etching gas supply system is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 232a, the MFC 241a, and the valve 243a. The reduction gas supply system is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 232b, the MFC 241b, and the valve 243b. The second processing gas supply system (including the Ge gas supply system) is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 232c, the MFC 241c, and the valve 243c. The first processing gas supply system (including the Si gas supply system) is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 232d, the MFC 241d, and the valve 243d. The second processing gas supply system (doping gas supply system) is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 232e, the MFC 241e, and the valve 243e. The inert gas supply system is mainly composed of the gas supply pipes 232f to 232h, the MFCs 241f to 241h, and the valves 243f to 243h.

[0047] An exhaust port 231a for discharging the ambient gas in the processing chamber 201 is provided below the side wall of the reaction tube 203. As Figure 2As shown, the exhaust port 231a is located, in a top view, at a position facing (face to face) the nozzles 249a to 249c (gas supply holes 250a to 250c) across the wafer 200. The exhaust port 231a may also be provided along the upper part from the lower part of the side wall of the reaction tube 203, that is, along the wafer arrangement area. An exhaust pipe 231 is connected to the exhaust port 231a. On the exhaust pipe 231, a vacuum pump 246 as a vacuum exhaust device is connected via a pressure sensor 245 as a pressure detector (pressure detection unit) for detecting the pressure in the processing chamber 201 and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 244 as a pressure regulator (pressure adjustment unit). The APC valve 244 is configured to be able to perform vacuum exhaust and stop of vacuum exhaust in the processing chamber 201 by opening and closing the valve in a state where the vacuum pump 246 is operating, and to be able to adjust the pressure in the processing chamber 201 by adjusting the valve opening based on the pressure information detected by the pressure sensor 245 in a state where the vacuum pump 246 is operating. The exhaust system is mainly composed of the exhaust pipe 231, the APC valve 244, and the pressure sensor 245. The vacuum pump 246 may also be included in the exhaust system.

[0048] Below the manifold 209, a seal cover 219 as a furnace port cover (as a cover) capable of hermetically sealing the lower end opening of the manifold 209 is provided. The seal cover 219 is made of a metal material such as SUS and is formed in a disk shape. On the upper surface of the seal cover 219, an O-ring 220b as a sealing member that abuts against the lower end of the manifold 209 is provided. Below the seal cover 219, a rotation mechanism 267 as a rotation device for rotating a later-described boat 217 (main boat 217a and sub-boat 217b) is provided. The rotation shaft 255 of the rotation mechanism 267 penetrates the seal cover 219 and is connected to the boat 217. The rotation mechanism 267 is configured to rotate the wafer 200 by rotating the boat 217. The rotation mechanism 267 and the seal cover 219 are configured to be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction by a boat elevator 115 as a lifting mechanism (as a lifting arm) provided outside the reaction tube 203. That is, the boat elevator 115 as a lifting arm can drive the rotation mechanism 267 and the cover (seal cover 219) up and down. The boat elevator 115 is configured as a transfer device (transfer mechanism) for transferring (loading and unloading) the wafer 200 into and out of the processing chamber 201 by lifting and lowering the seal cover 219.

[0049] In addition, a drive device 268 as a drive mechanism is provided below the seal cover 219. The drive device 268 is used in the processing chamber 201 to lift up a plurality of wafers 200 in the boat 217 together during the film formation process.

[0050] Below the manifold 209, there is a shutter 219s serving as a furnace opening lid. In a state where the sealing lid 219 is lowered and the boat 217 is taken out from the processing chamber 201, the lower end opening of the manifold 209 can be hermetically sealed. The shutter 219s is made of a metal material such as SUS, for example, and is formed in a disc shape. On the upper surface of the shutter 219s, there is an O-ring 220c serving as a sealing member that abuts against the lower end of the manifold 209. The opening and closing operation (lifting and lowering operation, rotation operation, etc.) of the shutter 219s is controlled by a shutter opening and closing mechanism 115s.

[0051] The boat 217 serving as a substrate support member includes Figure 3 the main boat 217a shown in Figure 4 and the sub-boat 217b shown in. The main boat 217a and the sub-boat 217b are combined together. In addition, the main boat 217a can also be simply referred to as the boat 217a.

[0052] The main boat 217a has a plurality of first support portions 21, which are configured to support a plurality of wafers 200, for example, 25 to 200 wafers, in a horizontally aligned state with their centers aligned with each other and arranged in a vertically stacked manner at intervals. That is, the main boat 217a has at least one first support portion 21 for each of the plurality of substrates (wafers), that is, for one substrate (wafer). The main boat 217a is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC, for example. As Figure 1 shown, below the main boat 217a, a heat insulation plate 218 made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC is supported in multiple layers.

[0053] As Figure 3 shown, the main boat 217a includes a plurality of fixed columns 3 (here, three fixed columns) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wafer 200 and each provided with a first support portion 21, and a first coupling portion 31 that fixes the plurality of fixed columns 3 to each other. The first coupling portion 31 includes a first bottom plate 31a that fixes the vicinity of the lower ends of the plurality of fixed columns 3 to each other, and a first upper plate 31b that fixes the vicinity of the upper ends of the plurality of fixed columns 3 to each other. In each of the plurality of fixed columns 3, a plurality of first support portions 21 are provided. The main boat 217a is housed inside a processing container (processing chamber 201), and the substrate 200 placed on the main boat 217a is processed inside the processing container (processing chamber 201).

[0054] The sub-boat 217b has a plurality of second support portions 422 configured to support multiple wafers 200, for example, 25 to 200 wafers, in a vertically arranged and stacked manner with their centers aligned horizontally and at intervals. The plurality of second support portions 422 are configured to be relatively movable in the vertical direction with respect to the main boat 217a. The sub-boat 217b is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC, for example.

[0055] As Figure 4 shown, the sub-boat 217b includes a plurality of movable struts 4 (here, four movable struts) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wafer 200 and each provided with a second support portion 422, and a second coupling portion 41 that fixes the plurality of movable struts 4 to each other. The second coupling portion 41 includes a second bottom plate 41a that fixes the vicinity of the lower ends of the plurality of movable struts 4 to each other, a second upper plate 41b that fixes the vicinity of the upper ends of the plurality of movable struts 4 to each other, and an intermediate plate 41c that fixes the vicinity of the middle portions (portions between the upper and lower ends) of the plurality of movable struts 4 to each other. A plurality of second support portions 422 are provided in each of the plurality of movable struts 4. The second upper plate 41b and the second bottom plate 41a of the sub-boat 217b are configured to be insertable between the first upper plate 31b and the first bottom plate 31a of the main boat 217a. The plurality of movable struts 4 are configured to be separable from and contact the drive device 268, and as Figure 2 shown, are arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate 200 supported by the main boat 217a so as to be rotatable together with the main boat 217a.

[0056] The second bottom plate 41a is a plate having a shape that can be stably placed on the first bottom plate 31a. On one side of each of the second bottom plate 41a, the second upper plate 41b, and the intermediate plate 41c, a notch 42 for inserting one of the plurality of fixed struts 3 is provided on the inner side. That is, the sub-boat 217b has a plurality of movable struts 4 each provided with a second support portion 422, and a second coupling portion 41 that fixes the plurality of movable struts 4 to each other. The sub-boat 217b is configured to be movable in the vertical direction within a range where its upper and lower ends are restricted with respect to the main boat 217a.

[0057] Here, in the second bottom plate 41a, when the number of the plurality of movable struts 4 is N (N is an integer of 3 or more), the number of the plurality of fixed struts 3 is N - 1 or N + 1. At this time, the second bottom plate 41a is formed of a plate having at least N vertices, and the plurality of movable struts 4 are configured to be respectively connected corresponding to the N vertices. In addition, the first support portion 21 of the fixed strut 3 is arranged closer to the center of the substrate 200 than the second support portion 422.

[0058] The driving device 268 is configured to be able to relatively lift the second support portion 422 upward, causing the substrate 200 to float from at least one first support portion 21. Specifically, in a structure where the main boat 217a and the sub-boat 217b are combined, the sub-boat 217b is structured to be movable in the vertical direction within a range restricted at the upper and lower ends relative to the main boat 217a. Further, during the film-forming process, the driving device 268 moves the sub-boat 217b upward within the range restricted at the upper and lower ends relative to the main boat 217a, lifting a plurality of wafers 200 together.

[0059] When forming a thick film on a substrate, depending on the film thickness, a film may also be formed on the substrate support (boat) itself, resulting in adhesion between the substrate support and the substrate, and thus generation of fine particles. To reduce such generation of fine particles, the following method has been considered: when a certain film thickness is reached, the substrate support is first taken out of the processing furnace, the substrates are lifted one by one in the transfer chamber using a transfer machine and then returned to their original positions, and the substrate support is again loaded into the interior of the processing furnace to form a thick film on the substrate. However, in this method, there are cases where the film-forming time increases, the film quality deteriorates due to oxidation, and the thermal process becomes uneven. On the other hand, by lifting the substrate 200 in the processing container 201 as in the present embodiment, it is possible to shorten the film-forming time and improve the film quality. In addition, since the operation of lifting a plurality of wafers 200 together is performed under reduced pressure in the processing furnace 202 (processing container 201), the productivity is increased in a wavy manner. Further, since the substrate support is not moved to the transfer chamber, oxidation in the transfer chamber is suppressed, and in addition, the thermal process of the wafer 200 caused by tweezers picking is reduced. Thereby, the quality of the film is improved. Moreover, the transfer chamber is an environment of nitrogen (N2) gas with an atmosphere or oxygen (O2) of 20 ppm or less. Additionally, in the processing container 201, since the back surface (inner surface) of the substrate 200 is exposed, a film is formed on both the surface and the opposite back surface (inner surface) of the substrate 200, thus preventing warping of the substrate 200.

[0060] In the reaction tube 203, a temperature sensor 263 serving as a temperature detector is provided. Based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263, the power supply to the heater 207 is adjusted, whereby the temperature in the processing chamber 201 becomes a desired temperature distribution. The temperature sensor 263 is provided along the inner wall of the reaction tube 203.

[0061] In Figure 5In the figure, a horizontal cross-sectional view of the main boat 217a is drawn on the lower side, and a horizontal cross-sectional view of the sub-boat 217b is drawn on the upper side. Here, they are depicted arranged vertically in such a manner that the center in the left-right direction of the main boat 217a coincides with the center in the left-right direction of the sub-boat 217b. In the sub-boat 217b, the center of gravity CT1 of the second coupling part 41 (41a, 41b, 41c) itself is biased toward the substrate removal direction side 500 compared to the rotation center axis 501. Further, in the sub-boat 217b, the center of gravity CT2 of the four movable struts 4 is biased toward the side opposite to the substrate removal direction 500. The overall center of gravity CT3 of the sub-boat 217b is approximately above the rotation center axis 501.

[0062] Use Figure 6 The structure of the drive device 268 and the sub-boat stage will be described.

[0063] Figure 6 A cross-sectional perspective view of the elevator arm 115a of the boat elevator 115, the boat stage 501 on which the first bottom plate 31a is placed, the sub-boat stage 541a on which the second bottom plate 41a is placed, and the drive device 268 provided on the lower side of the sub-boat stage 541a is depicted. In addition, in this specification, the substrate holding assembly is a structure in which the boats 217 (217a, 217b), the rotating device 267, and the drive device 268 are assembled together.

[0064] In the elevator arm 115a, a rotating mechanism 267 having a rotating shaft 225 that rotatably supports the main boat 217a is provided. A rotating shaft coupler 530 is connected to the rotating shaft 225, and the rotating shaft coupler 530 passes through the seal cover 219 and is connected to the back surface of the boat stage 501. The rotating shaft coupler 530 provided on the rotating shaft 225 rotatably supports the boat stage 501. The disc-shaped boat stage 501 fixes the rotating shaft coupler 530 and supports the main boat 217a and the sub-boat 217b thereon. The boat stage 501 is made of a metal material such as SUS and is formed in a disc shape. A sub-boat stage 541a on which a disc-shaped second bottom plate 41a is placed and fixed is placed on the boat stage 501, and an annular first bottom plate 31a is placed around the stage 541a.

[0065] The drive device 268 includes an actuator 100, a linear motion shaft 531, a linear ball guide 533, and a transmission member 535. The linear motion shaft 531 is configured to be able to perform linear motion in the axial direction of the rotation center of the rotating shaft 225 (corresponding to Figure 4 the rotation center axis 501), and is configured to be controllable for linear motion by the control of the actuator 100. Further, the center of gravity CT3 of the sub-boat 217b is set directly above the linear motion shaft 531.

[0066] The rotating shaft 225 has an axially penetrating cavity, and the linear motion shaft 531 is disposed within the cavity of the rotating shaft 225. The linear ball guide 533 is a guide that supports the linear motion shaft 531 in such a manner that it can only move axially relative to the rotating shaft 225. The transmission member 535 is configured to be able to transmit the linear motion of the linear motion shaft 531 to the plurality of second support portions 422 of the sub-boat dish 217b. The transmission member 535 is preferably configured to be fixed to the second bottom plate 41a and the linear motion shaft 531, for example, by screw fastening.

[0067] The drive device 268 also has a bellows 536. The bellows 536 connects the linear motion shaft 531 and the rotating shaft 225, and is configured to isolate the cavity within the rotating shaft 531 and the linear ball guide 533 from the processing container. The reference numeral 269 denotes a coupling key for synchronously rotating the linear motion shaft 531 and the rotating shaft 225.

[0068] The rod 50 of the actuator 100 (refer to Figure 7 described later) is configured to push against the lower surface of the linear motion shaft 531 in the axial direction. When the rod 50 of the actuator 100 does not push against the lower surface of the linear motion shaft 531, there is a separation between the rod 50 of the actuator 100 and the lower surface of the linear motion shaft 531. When the rod 50 of the actuator 100 does not push against the lower surface of the linear motion shaft 531, the second bottom plate 41a of the second joint portion 41 is placed on the first bottom plate 31a of the first joint portion 31.

[0069] Next, Figure 7 a structural example of the actuator 100 will be described.

[0070] As Figure 7 shown, the actuator 100 has a diaphragm type cylinder 10, which includes a diaphragm 20, an upper housing 30, a lower housing 32, a guide 35, a helical spring 40, a piston 45, and a rod 50 (an example of a shaft body). The diaphragm type cylinder 10 has a function of deforming the diaphragm 20 by a working fluid such as air, thereby reciprocating the rod 50 within a predetermined range.

[0071] The diaphragm 20 is a deformable rectangular rubber member with an opening in the center, and is arranged such that its surface is perpendicular to the moving direction of the rod 50 (the direction along the axis with the symbol CL in the figure). In addition, in order to facilitate deformation in the direction perpendicular to the surface, a circular step is pre-formed.

[0072] The upper housing 30 and the lower housing 32 are metal components formed by providing walls around a plate whose contour corresponds to that of the diaphragm 20. They are fixed in a state where the walls are opposed to each other and the outer edge portion of the diaphragm 20 is clamped from both sides, thereby forming a box-shaped housing. An opening is provided at the center of the upper housing 30, and the space between the upper housing 30 and the diaphragm 20 communicates with the outside. On the other hand, the lower housing 32 has an intake port 33 that is uniquely connected to the space (pressurizing space) between the lower housing 32 and the diaphragm 20.

[0073] The guide member 35 is a cylindrical member that extends from the center of the lower housing 32 toward the upper housing 30 along the axis CL. The guide member 35 has a bearing 36 at the portion that engages with the rod 50, and guides the movement of the rod 50 on the axis CL. The bearing 36 is, for example, a sliding bearing (bushing).

[0074] The piston 45 is a disk-shaped member with a raised periphery. It is arranged such that in a state where the guide member 35 passes through an opening provided at its center, its lower surface contacts the diaphragm 20. The upper housing 30 receives the pressure of the working fluid via the diaphragm 20 and transmits it to the rod 50. The opening of the piston 45 is hermetically connected to the opening of the diaphragm 20.

[0075] The rod 50 is a cylindrical member with one end closed. Its inner peripheral surface is connected to the bearing 36, and its lower end is hermetically connected to the opening of the piston 45. The closed upper end protrudes from the opening of the upper housing 30. The internal space of the rod 50 can be uniquely connected to the pressurizing space but does not communicate with the outside. Therefore, friction powder, oil mist, etc. from the bearing 36 do not scatter into the transfer chamber.

[0076] The coil spring 40 is disposed between the upper surface of the piston 45 and the lower surface of the upper housing 30, and applies a force to the piston 45 downward along the axis CL, that is, in the direction opposite to the direction in which the cylinder is pushed by the pressure of the working fluid. With such a structure, the diaphragm type cylinder 10 functions as a single-acting cylinder, uses the pressure of the working fluid to push out the rod 50 from the intake port 33, and pulls back the rod 50 using the force of the coil spring 40 when there is no supply. By driving the diaphragm type cylinder 10 in a single-acting manner, compared with other types of cylinders, it is possible to expect a reduced risk of leakage of the working fluid.

[0077] <Operation of the diaphragm type cylinder>

[0078] The structure for supplying the working fluid to the intake port 33 of the diaphragm type cylinder 10 and its operation will be described. The solenoid valve 51 is a 3-way general solenoid valve, and has a pressurizing (P) port, an exhaust (E) port, and an A port. The A port is fluidly connected to the E port in a two-way manner when not energized, and is fluidly connected to the P port in a two-way manner when energized. The A port is connected to the intake port 33 of the diaphragm type cylinder 10, the P port is connected to a compressed air supply source such as a compressor, and the E port is connected to an exhaust pipe.

[0079] The speed controller 52 is a type of throttle valve capable of adjusting the opening degree, and is provided between the P port and the compressed air supply source to limit the flow rate of the working fluid injected into the diaphragm cylinder 10. Thereby, the pushing speed of the rod 50 can be adjusted.

[0080] The speed controller 53 is the same valve as the speed controller 52, and is provided between the E port and the exhaust pipe to limit the flow rate of the working fluid discharged from the diaphragm cylinder 10. Thereby, the pulling-back speed of the rod 50 can be adjusted. In addition, when independent adjustment relative to the pushing speed is not required, a single speed controller 52 can be provided only between the A port and the intake port 33.

[0081] Preferably, the pushing speed or the pressing speed of the rod 50 is set to a maximum speed of, for example, 10 mm / s or less to move the diaphragm cylinder 10 or the rod 50 in the upward or downward direction.

[0082] As Figure 8 shown, the controller 121 as the control unit (controller, control mechanism) is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 121a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 121b, a storage device 121c, and an I / O port 121d. The RAM 121b, the storage device 121c, and the I / O port 121d are configured to be able to perform data exchange with the CPU 121a via the internal bus 121e. An input / output device 122 configured as a touch panel or the like is connected to the controller 121. In addition, an external storage device 123 can be connected to the controller 121.

[0083] The storage device 121c is composed of, for example, a flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. In the storage device 121c, a control program for controlling the operation of the substrate processing device, a process recipe recording the sequence and conditions of the substrate processing described later, etc. are stored in a readable manner. The process recipe is combined in such a way that the substrate processing device can execute each step of the substrate processing described later through the controller 121 and obtain a specified result, and functions as a program. Hereinafter, the process recipe, the control program, etc. are collectively referred to as a program. In addition, the process recipe is also simply referred to as a recipe. When the term program is used in this specification, there are cases where it includes only the recipe alone, cases where it includes only the control program alone, or cases where it includes both of them. The RAM 121b is configured as a storage area (working area) that temporarily holds programs and data read by the CPU 121a.

[0084] The I / O port 121d is connected to the above-mentioned MFCs 241a to 241h, valves 243a to 243h, pressure sensor 245, APC valve 244, vacuum pump 246, temperature sensor 263, heater 207, rotation mechanism 267, boat elevator 115, gate opening / closing mechanism 115s, solenoid valve (51) 116, etc.

[0085] The CPU 121a is configured to be able to read out a control program from the storage device 121c and execute it, and read out a recipe from the storage device 121c according to the input of an operation instruction from the input / output device 122, etc. The CPU 121 is configured to control the flow rate adjustment actions of various substances (various gases) performed by the MFCs 241a to 241h, the opening / closing actions of the valves 243a to 243h, the opening / closing actions of the APC valve 244 and the pressure adjustment actions performed by the APC valve 244 based on the pressure sensor 245, the start and stop of the vacuum pump 246, the temperature adjustment actions of the heater 207 based on the temperature sensor 263, the rotation and rotation speed adjustment actions of the boat 217 performed by the rotation mechanism 267, the up and down actions of the sub-boat 217b performed by the driving device 268, the lifting actions of the boat 217 performed by the boat elevator 115, the opening / closing actions of the gate 219s performed by the gate opening / closing mechanism 115s, the opening / closing actions of the solenoid valve (51) 116, etc. in a manner compliant with the content of the read-out recipe.

[0086] The controller 121 can be configured by installing the above-mentioned program stored in the external storage device 123 into a computer. The external storage device 123 includes, for example, magnetic disks such as HDDs, optical discs such as CDs, magneto-optical discs such as MOs, semiconductor memories such as USB memories or SSDs, etc. The storage device 121c and the external storage device 123 are configured as computer-readable recording media. Hereinafter, they are collectively referred to and also simply called recording media. When the term recording medium is used in this specification, there are cases where it includes only the storage device 121c alone, cases where it includes only the external storage device 123 alone, or cases where it includes both of them. In addition, the program can be provided to the computer without using the external storage device 123, but by using communication means such as the Internet or dedicated lines.

[0087] The controller 121 controls to perform process a (or step a), process b (or step b), and process c (or step c) a specified number of times, so as to form a film with a film thickness greater than or equal to a specified value on the substrate 200. In process a (or step a), a plurality of substrates 200 are placed on a main boat 217a having at least one first support portion 21 for each of the plurality of substrates 200, and are housed in a processing container 201; in process b (or step b), while rotating the boats (217a, 217b), gas is supplied from a gas supply device (232d, 241d, 243d, 232a, nozzle 249a), and while rotating the boats (217a, 217b) by a rotation mechanism 267 having a rotation axis 225 for supporting the boats (217a, 217b), a plurality of substrates are processed in the processing container 201; in process c (or step c), while maintaining the state of holding the substrate 200 in the processing container 201, a plurality of second support portions 422 that are configured to be able to move relative to the boats (217a, 217b) in the vertical direction are lifted upward by a driving device 268 in such a manner that the substrates 200 are sequentially or simultaneously separated from the first support portion 21, so that at least one of the plurality of substrates 200 floats from at least one first support portion 21. In process c, a driving device 268 having a linear motion shaft 531 that can perform a linear motion in the axial direction of the rotation axis 225, a transmission member 535 that can transmit the linear motion of the linear motion shaft 531 to the plurality of second support portions 422, and an actuator 100 that pushes the lower surface of the linear motion shaft 531 in the axial direction is used. In process b, the actuator 100 is separated from the lower surface of the linear motion shaft 531. In addition, during process c, the controller 121 controls the rotation mechanism 267 to stop the rotation of the boats (217a, 217b).

[0088] (2) Substrate processing process

[0089] Use Figure 9 , an example of a method for processing a substrate, that is, a processing sequence for growing a film on the surface of a wafer 200 as a substrate, using the above-described substrate processing apparatus as a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device will be described. In the following description, the operations of the respective parts constituting the substrate processing apparatus are controlled by the controller 121.

[0090] The term "wafer" as used in this specification may refer to the wafer itself or a laminate of the wafer and a specified layer or film formed on its surface. The term "surface of the wafer" as used in this specification may refer to the surface of the wafer itself or the surface of a specified layer or the like formed on the wafer. When it is described in this specification that "a specified layer is formed on the wafer", it may mean that the specified layer is directly formed on the surface of the wafer itself or that the specified layer is formed on a layer or the like formed on the wafer. The same applies when the term "substrate" is used in this specification as in the case of using the term "wafer". In addition, the expression of a numerical range such as "1 to 2000 Pa" in this specification means that the lower limit value and the upper limit value are included in this range. Thus, for example, "1 to 2000 Pa" means "1 Pa or more and 2000 Pa or less". The same applies to other numerical ranges. In addition, when the supply flow rate includes 0 slm, 0 slm means that the substance (gas) is not supplied. The same applies in the following description. The processing temperature in this specification represents the temperature of the wafer 200 or the temperature inside the processing chamber 201, and the processing pressure represents the pressure inside the processing chamber 201. In addition, the processing time represents the time during which the processing is continued. The same applies in the following description.

[0091] (Wafer Loading and Boat Loading)

[0092] After loading a plurality of wafers 200 into the boat 217 (wafer loading), the gate 219s is moved by the gate opening / closing mechanism 115s to open the lower end opening of the manifold 209 (gate opening). Then, as Figure 1 shown, the boat 217 supporting the plurality of wafers 200 is lifted by the boat elevator 115 and carried into the processing chamber 201 (boat loading). In this state, the seal cover 219 is in a state of sealing the lower end of the manifold 209 via the O-ring 220b. In this way, the wafers 200 are carried into the processing chamber 201.

[0093] (Pressure Adjustment and Temperature Adjustment)

[0094] After the loading of the boat dish is completed, vacuum exhaust (pressure reduction exhaust) is performed using the vacuum pump 246 so that the pressure (vacuum degree) in the processing chamber 201, that is, the space where the wafer 200 exists, becomes the desired pressure. At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is measured by the pressure sensor 245, and the APC valve 244 is feedback-controlled based on the measured pressure information. In addition, the wafer 200 in the processing chamber 201 is heated using the heater 207 so that it becomes the desired processing temperature (first temperature). At this time, the energization of the heater 207 is feedback-controlled based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263 so that the desired temperature distribution is achieved in the processing chamber 201. In addition, the rotation of the wafer 200 by the rotation mechanism 267 is started. The exhaust in the processing chamber 201, the heating of the wafer 200, and the rotation are all continuously performed at least until the processing of the wafer 200 is completed.

[0095] [Film formation process (A1, A2)]

[0096] (Step A1: Reaction gas supply process)

[0097] In step A1, at least one of the first processing gas and the second processing gas is supplied to the wafer 200 in a state where the wafer 200 is heated to a specified temperature, and a film formation process for growing a film on the surface of the wafer 200 is performed.

[0098] In the case of stacking an SiGe film, the second processing gas is circulated into the gas supply pipe 232c. The second processing gas is adjusted in flow rate by the MFC241c and supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the gas supply pipe 232c and the nozzle 249c. In this state, the valve 243d is opened, and the first processing gas is circulated into the gas supply pipe 232d. The first processing gas is adjusted in flow rate by the MFC241d and supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the gas supply pipe 232a and the nozzle 249a, and is discharged from the exhaust port 231a together with the second processing gas. At this time, the first processing gas and the second processing gas are supplied to the wafer 200 from the side of the wafer 200. At this time, the valves 243f to 243h may be opened, and inert gases may be supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the nozzles 249a to 249c, respectively.

[0099] As the processing conditions in step A1, for example:

[0100] Processing temperature (specified temperature): 500 to 650 °C, preferably 550 to 600 °C

[0101] Processing pressure: 4 to 200 Pa, preferably 10 to 120 Pa

[0102] First processing gas supply flow rate: 0.1 to 5 slm, preferably 0.2 to 3 slm

[0103] Second processing gas supply flow rate: 0.1 to 5 slm, preferably 0.2 to 3 slm

[0104] Inert gas supply flow rate (for each gas supply pipe): 0 to 20 slm, preferably 0.1 to 10 slm

[0105] Gas supply time: 20 minutes to 60 hours, preferably 30 to 360 minutes.

[0106] By supplying the first processing gas and the second processing gas to the wafer 200 under the above processing conditions, an epitaxial film, for example, an epitaxial SiGe film containing a specified element film, can be formed on the surface of the wafer 200. In addition, by supplying only the first processing gas as the source gas, an Si film can be formed.

[0107] After the end of step A1, the valves 243a and 243c are closed to stop the supply of the first processing gas and the second processing gas into the processing chamber 201.

[0108] (Step A2: Substrate pickup process)

[0109] After step A1, the sub-boat 217b is relatively moved upward by the driving device 268 to lift the plurality of wafers 200 together from the main boat 217a. After a certain time, the sub-boat 217b is relatively moved downward by the driving device 268 to dispose the plurality of wafers 200 together on the main boat 217a. During step A2, the rotation of the boats (217a, 217b) stops.

[0110] [Execute a specified number of times]

[0111] The cycles of alternately performing the above step A1 and step A2 are carried out a specified number of times (n times, where n is an integer of 1 or more).

[0112] (Purge process)

[0113] After the film formation process, an inert gas as a purge gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the nozzles 249a to 249c respectively, and exhausted from the exhaust port 231a. Thereby, the inside of the processing chamber 201 is purged, and the gas and by-products remaining in the processing chamber 201 are removed from the processing chamber 201 (post purge). Then, the ambient gas in the processing chamber 201 is replaced with an inert gas (inert gas replacement), and the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is restored to atmospheric pressure (atmospheric pressure restoration).

[0114] (Boat unloading and wafer unloading)

[0115] After that, the boat elevator 115 is used to lower the seal cover 219, and the lower end of the manifold 209 is opened. Then, the processed wafer 200 is carried out from the lower end of the manifold 209 to the outside of the reaction tube 203 in a state of being supported by the boat 217 (boat unloading). After the boat unloading, the shutter 219s is moved, and the lower end opening of the manifold 209 is sealed by the shutter 219s via the O-ring 220c (shutter closing). After the processed wafer 200 is carried out to the outside of the reaction tube 203, it is taken out from the boat 217 (wafer unloading).

[0116] (Modification example)

[0117] Hereinafter, a modification example of the fixing method to the sub-boat stage 541a will be described. The sub-boat 217b can be not only placed on the sub-boat stage 541a but also fixed to the sub-boat stage 541a using screws or the like. In addition, the sub-boat 217b is configured such that even if it is not fixed, the second bottom plate 41a of the sub-boat 217b will be hooked on the head of the quartz screw that fixes the main boat 217a to the main boat stage 501. Therefore, for example, even if an earthquake occurs, the sub-boat 217b will not fall off from the main boat 217a. In this modification example, the same effect as the above-described method can also be obtained.

[0118] According to the present invention, one or more of the following effects can be obtained.

[0119] 1) During film formation, the sub-boat 217b as a pick-up boat is raised in the processing chamber 201, and the wafer 200 is lifted to separate the wafer 200 from the main boat 217a, which can break the adhesion. Then, again in the processing chamber 201, the wafer 200 is lowered onto the main boat 217a, and film formation can be restarted.

[0120] 2) During the rotation based on the rotation mechanism 267, the rotation mechanism 267 is separated from the drive device 268. Therefore, centering of the rotation mechanism 267 and the drive device 268 is not required. In addition, no load and heat are transmitted to the drive device 268, and no overload and vibration caused by eccentricity occur, and the drive device 268 has a longer service life.

[0121] 3) The inclination of the sub-boat 217b and the accompanying vibration are reduced, and it is difficult to generate substrate displacement or the like.

[0122] 4) The sub-boat 217b is lifted at a point on the rotation center axis of the sub-boat 217b through a sufficiently thick transmission member 535 near the center of gravity of the sub-boat 217b, so that the up-and-down movement can be stably performed.

[0123] 5) As the actuator 100, a diaphragm cylinder 10 is used, whereby a low-speed and smooth operation can be achieved. In addition, there will be no air leakage into the transfer chamber after N2 replacement. Further, the heat-resistant temperature is 100 °C, which is higher than that of a motor and has a longer lifespan.

[0124] The present invention has been specifically described based on the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and examples, and various modifications can of course be made. The present invention is not limited to a vertical substrate processing apparatus, and can also be applied to a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus and a multi-wafer substrate processing apparatus. That is, in the above-described manner, an example of forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at once has been described. The present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. For example, it can also be suitably applied to a case where a film is formed using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or more substrates at once. Further, in the above-described manner, an example of forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall type processing furnace has been described. The present invention is not limited to the above-described manner, and can also be suitably applied to a case where a film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace. Even when these substrate processing apparatuses are used, each process can be performed in the same processing sequence and processing conditions as those in the above-described manner and modification examples, and the same effects as those in the above-described manner and modification examples can be obtained. The above-described manner and modification examples can be used in appropriate combination. The processing sequence and processing conditions at this time can be set to be, for example, the same as the processing sequence and processing conditions in the above-described manner and modification examples.

Claims

1. A substrate processing device, characterized in that: have: (a) a main boat having at least one first supporting portion for each of a plurality of substrates; (b) a processing container that accommodates the main boat and processes the supported substrate; (c) a plurality of second support parts, which are configured to be movable relative to the main boat in the up-down direction; (d) a rotating device having a rotating shaft for rotatably supporting the main boat; and (e) a driving mechanism capable of relatively lifting the plurality of second supporting portions upward so that the substrate floats from at least one of the first supporting portions, (f) the driving mechanism comprises: a direct-acting shaft capable of linear motion in the axial direction of the rotating shaft; a transmission member capable of transmitting the linear motion of the linear motion shaft to the plurality of second support portions; and an actuator that pushes the lower surface of the linear shaft toward the axial direction, and when not pushing, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear shaft.

2. The substrate processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of second support parts are connected via the second connecting part to form a sub-boat, and the center of gravity of the sub-boat is set right above the linear motion shaft.

3. The substrate processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The rotating shaft has a cavity penetrating in the axial direction, and the linear motion shaft is arranged in the cavity of the rotating shaft.

4. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A guide is further provided for supporting the linear motion shaft so as to be movable only in the axial direction relative to the rotation shaft.

5. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The actuator is a diaphragm cylinder, and the flow rate of the working fluid is restricted by a speed controller so that the diaphragm cylinder moves at a maximum speed of 10 mm / s or less.

6. The substrate processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The main boat includes a plurality of fixing pillars extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate and each of which is provided with the first supporting portion, and a first connecting portion for fixing the plurality of fixing pillars to each other. The sub-boat has a plurality of movable pillars extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate and each of which is provided with the second supporting portion. The first connecting portion includes a first bottom plate that fixes the vicinities of the lower ends of the plurality of fixing pillars to each other. The second coupling portion includes a second bottom plate that fixes the vicinities of the lower ends of the plurality of movable support columns to each other and is coupled to the transmission member.

7. The substrate processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The plurality of movable pillars are N in number, the plurality of fixed pillars are N-1 or N+1 in number, the second base plate is a plate having at least N vertices, and the plurality of movable pillars are respectively connected corresponding to the N vertices, wherein N is an integer greater than 3.

8. The substrate processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the actuator does not perform the pushing, the second connecting portion is placed on the first connecting portion.

9. The substrate processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission member is fixed to the second base plate and the linear drive shaft by screw fastening.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The center of gravity of the second connecting portion itself is biased toward the side of the substrate removal direction relative to the rotation axis.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that: A bellows is further provided for connecting the linear drive shaft and the rotary shaft so as to isolate the cavity in the rotary shaft and the guide from the processing container.

12. A substrate processing method, characterized in that: include: Step a, placing a plurality of substrates on a main boat having at least one first supporting portion for each of the plurality of substrates, and accommodating the substrates in a processing container; Step b, processing the plurality of substrates in a processing container while rotating the main boat by a rotating device having a rotating shaft supporting the main boat; as well as Step c, lifting a plurality of second supporting parts that are relatively movable in the vertical direction relative to the main boat by a driving mechanism upward, so that at least one of the plurality of substrates floats from at least one of the first supporting parts, In the step c, a driving mechanism is used, the driving mechanism having a linear motion shaft capable of linear motion in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, a transmission member capable of transmitting the linear motion of the linear motion shaft to the plurality of second supporting parts, and an actuator for pushing the lower surface of the linear motion shaft toward the axial direction. In the step b, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear motion shaft.

13. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that: include: Step a, placing a plurality of substrates on a main boat having at least one first supporting portion for each of the plurality of substrates, and accommodating the substrates in a processing container; Step b, processing the plurality of substrates in a processing container while rotating the main boat by a rotating device having a rotating shaft supporting the main boat; as well as Step c, lifting a plurality of second supporting parts that are relatively movable in the vertical direction relative to the main boat by a driving mechanism upward, so that at least one of the plurality of substrates floats from at least one of the first supporting parts, In the step c, a driving mechanism is used, the driving mechanism having a linear motion shaft capable of linear motion in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, a transmission member capable of transmitting the linear motion of the linear motion shaft to the plurality of second supporting parts, and an actuator for pushing the lower surface of the linear motion shaft toward the axial direction. In the step b, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear motion shaft.

14. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein: The step b and the step c are repeated a plurality of times, and during the step c, the rotation of the main boat is stopped.

15. A program product, which uses a computer to cause a substrate processing device to perform the following steps: Step a, placing a plurality of substrates on a main boat having at least one first supporting portion for each of the plurality of substrates, and storing the substrates in a processing container; Step b, while rotating the main boat by a rotating device having a rotating shaft supporting the main boat, the plurality of substrates are processed in a processing container; as well as Step c, lifting a plurality of second supporting parts that are relatively movable in the vertical direction relative to the main boat upward by a driving mechanism, so that at least one of the plurality of substrates floats from at least one of the first supporting parts, In the step c, a driving mechanism is used, which has a direct-acting shaft capable of linear motion in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, a transmission member capable of transmitting the linear motion of the direct-acting shaft to the plurality of second supporting parts, and an actuator for pushing the lower surface of the direct-acting shaft toward the axial direction. In the step b, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear drive shaft.

16. A substrate holding assembly, characterized in that: have: (a) a boat having at least one first supporting portion for each of a plurality of substrates, and capable of holding the plurality of substrates in a processing container while maintaining the plurality of substrates arranged in a vertical direction; (b) a plurality of second support portions configured to be movable relative to the boat in the up-down direction; (c) a rotating device having a rotating shaft for rotatably supporting the boat; and (d) a driving mechanism capable of relatively lifting the second supporting portion upward to cause the substrate to float from at least one of the first supporting portions, (e) the driving mechanism comprises: a direct-acting shaft capable of linear motion in the axial direction of the rotating shaft; a transmission member capable of transmitting the linear motion of the linear motion shaft to the plurality of second support portions; and an actuator that pushes the lower surface of the linear shaft toward the axial direction, and when not pushing, the actuator is separated from the lower surface of the linear shaft.

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