Substrate processing apparatus, side box, substrate processing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method and process product

Abstract

This application provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing the increase in component dimensions. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a first processing module having a first processing container; a second processing module having a second processing container and disposed adjacent to the side of the first processing module; a first common facility disposed adjacent to the back of the first processing module, including a first supply system for supplying processing gas into the first processing container; and a second common facility disposed adjacent to the back of the second processing module. The first and second processing modules have first and second outer side surfaces parallel to the front-rear direction on opposite sides of their adjacent surfaces, respectively. The first common facility protrudes further outward than the first outer side surface and has a first side box for housing a portion of the first supply system. The portion of the first supply system housed in the first side box is configured to be maintained by access from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the first side box, independent of access from the side of the first side box.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a side box, a substrate processing method, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a process product. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor device manufacturing methods, vertical substrate processing apparatuses are sometimes used as devices for forming oxide films or metal films on substrates. Additionally, there are substrate processing apparatuses that process substrates, which have multiple boats for holding substrates and processing chambers for processing substrates, and which sequentially move boats into and out of each processing chamber.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: JP 2021-158351 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The substrate processing apparatus has a maintenance area around its periphery, such as on the side, for maintaining various mechanisms. On the other hand, in order to increase the number of substrates produced relative to the occupied area when the substrate processing apparatus is installed, it is desirable to suppress the increase in the component footprint.

[0007] This disclosure provides a technique for suppressing the increase in component size.

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a technique is provided comprising: a first processing module having a first processing container for processing a substrate; a second processing module having a second processing container for processing the substrate, disposed adjacent to the side of the first processing module; a first utility disposed adjacent to the back of the first processing module, comprising a first supply system for supplying processing gas into the first processing container; and a second utility disposed adjacent to the back of the second processing module, comprising a second supply system for supplying the processing gas into the second processing container, wherein the first processing module and the second processing module each have a first outer side surface and a second outer side surface parallel to a front-rear direction on opposite sides of their adjacent surfaces, the first utility protruding further outward than the first outer side surface and having a first side box for receiving a portion of the first supply system, the portion of the first supply system received in the first side box being configured to be accessible for maintenance from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the first side box, independent of access from the side of the first side box.

[0009] Invention Effects

[0010] According to this disclosure, it is possible to suppress the increase in the external dimensions of the component. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view illustrating an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a top view illustrating an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an example of a processing furnace according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a front view illustrating an example of the front box of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a rear view showing an example of the rear side box of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a perspective view showing the insertion state of the connecting pipes between the side box and the utility system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating the control system of the controller of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0021] 1. Substrate processing apparatus

[0022] 2A and 2B processing modules

[0023] 3A and 3B utility systems

[0024] 18A and 18B processing containers

[0025] 23A and 23B gas supply units

[0026] 57A and 57B side boxes Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following is mainly based on Figures 1-9This description illustrates one aspect of the disclosure. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to reality. Additionally, the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements in multiple drawings do not necessarily need to be consistent with each other. Moreover, unless specifically limited in the specification, there may be multiple elements, not just one. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals are used to label the same or corresponding components, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Additionally, the term "agent" as used in this specification includes at least one of gaseous and liquid substances. Liquid substances include mist substances. That is, film-forming agents, modifiers, etchants may also include gaseous substances, liquid substances such as mist substances, or both.

[0028] Furthermore, the side of the containment chamber 13 described later is designated as the front side, and the sides of the first public facility system 3A and the second public facility system 3B described later are designated as the back side. Moreover, the side facing the boundary line (adjacent surface) of the first processing module 2A and the second processing module 2B described later is designated as the inner side, and the side away from the boundary line is designated as the outer side.

[0029] In this method, the substrate processing apparatus is a step in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, and is configured as a vertical substrate processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as substrate processing apparatus) 1 that performs substrate processing steps such as heat treatment.

[0030] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a first processing module 2A and a second processing module 2B disposed adjacent to the right side of the processing module 2A. Processing modules 2A and 2B each have a frame or body having an approximately cuboid outline, with one side of each module parallel to or adjacent to the other. A first utility system 3A is disposed adjacent to the rear side of the processing module 2A, and a second utility system 3B is disposed adjacent to the rear side of the processing module 2B.

[0031] Processing module 2A consists of a first processing furnace 4A and a first transfer chamber 5A disposed below the processing furnace 4A. Similarly, processing module 2B consists of a second processing furnace 4B and a second transfer chamber 5B. Furthermore, processing modules 2A and 2B have substantially the same configuration; even if not shown in the specification or drawings, a corresponding term B exists, where reference numeral A is used in the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The utility system 3A provides the processing module 2A with common energy sources such as electricity, gas, compressed air, exhaust, and cooling water, and controls them. The utility system 3A is a kind of shelf extending slenderly in the front-to-back direction. A controller box 10 is arranged in the upper section, a portion of an exhaust box 44 is arranged in the middle section, and a cooling water tank 58A, a first supply box 24A, and other parts of the exhaust box 44 are arranged in the lower section. Furthermore, the lower section has a height corresponding to the transfer chamber 5A, and the width of the cooling water tank 58A is smaller than the width of the other parts of the utility system 3A. In addition, a portion of the common energy sources not fully contained within the utility system 3A is housed in a first side box 57A located on the outer side of the utility system 3A.

[0033] A transfer chamber 11 is disposed adjacent to the front side of transfer chambers 5A and 5B. The transfer chamber 11 has a transfer machine 9 for transferring wafers 8, which serve as substrates. Transfer chambers 5A and 5B are respectively connected by a first gate valve 15A, serving as a first transfer inlet, and a second gate valve 15B, serving as a second transfer inlet, for transferring wafers 8. The housing chamber 13, processing modules 2A and 2B, and transfer chamber 11 have outer diameters based on polyhedra including mutually orthogonal surfaces, and are configured to be detachable, with their connections possessing appropriate airtightness.

[0034] A receiving chamber 13 is connected to the front side of the transfer chamber 11 to a wafer pod (FOUP) 12 that houses multiple wafers 8. An I / O port 14 is provided on the front side of the receiving chamber 13, through which the wafer pod 12 is moved in and out of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Additionally, a loading port 16, such as a front-opening interface mechanical standard (FIMS), is provided on the front side of the transfer chamber 11, and the wafer pod 12 is moved thereto by a wafer pod transport device (not shown). The wafers 8 removed from the wafer pod 12 are processed in the transfer chamber 11 and transport chambers 5A and 5B, which constitute a microenvironment.

[0035] Pressure detectors are installed in the transfer chamber 11 and the transport chambers 5A and 5B, respectively. The pressure in the transfer chamber 11 is set to be lower than the pressure in the transport chambers 5A and 5B. Additionally, oxygen concentration detectors are installed in the transfer chamber 11 and the transport chambers 5A and 5B, respectively, and the oxygen concentration in these chambers is maintained at a level lower than the atmospheric oxygen concentration. A cleaning unit 17 is installed at the top of the transfer chamber 11 to supply clean air to the chamber, configured to circulate inert gas within the transfer chamber 11 as clean air. By circulating and purging the transfer chamber 11 with inert gas, a clean environment can be created within the transfer chamber 11. This configuration prevents particles and other contaminants from the transport chambers 5A and 5B from entering the transfer chamber 11, and allows a natural oxide film to form on the wafer 8 within the transfer chamber 11 and the transport chambers 5A and 5B. The side of the transfer chamber 11 is a removable panel 6A, which can be installed and removed via handle 7A. Maintenance of the transfer chamber 11 can be performed via panel 6A.

[0036] Processing module 2A and processing module 2B have largely the same (surface symmetrical) structure except for details. Therefore, processing module 2A will be used as an example for the following description.

[0037] like Figure 4 As shown, the processing furnace 4A includes: a first processing container 18A (reaction tube 18A) in the shape of a cylinder; and a first heater 19A (heater 19A) disposed on the outer periphery of the reaction tube 18A as a heating means (heating mechanism). The reaction tube 18A is formed, for example, by quartz (Si). A first processing chamber 21A (processing chamber 21A) for processing wafer 8 is formed inside the reaction tube 18A. In addition, a first temperature detection unit 22A (temperature detection unit 22A) as a temperature detector is erected along the inner wall of the reaction tube 18A.

[0038] The processing gas used in substrate processing is supplied to the processing chamber 21A via a first gas supply mechanism 23A, which is part of a first supply system. The gas supply mechanism 23A is configured as part of a utility system 3A, and the gas supplied by the gas supply mechanism 23A is changed according to the type of membrane being formed. Here, the gas supply mechanism 23A includes a first raw material gas supply unit, a second raw material gas supply unit, a third raw material gas supply unit, a fourth raw material gas supply unit, and a reaction gas supply unit. The gas supply mechanism 23A is housed in at least one of a supply box 24A and a side box 57A, which are also part of the utility system 3A.

[0039] The first raw material gas supply unit includes a gas supply pipe 25a. From the upstream side, a vaporizer 28a, a valve 27a (actually an on / off valve), a mass flow controller (MFC) 26a (actually a flow control unit), and a valve 29a are sequentially arranged on the gas supply pipe 25a. The downstream end of the gas supply pipe 25a is connected to a nozzle 32a that penetrates the side wall of the first manifold 31A. The first raw material gas supply unit may include a first raw material gas supply source, such as a storage container for a first liquid raw material, connected to the upstream end of the gas supply pipe 25a. Furthermore, a pressure sensor 33a may be provided between the vaporizer 28a and the MFC 26a to measure the pressure of the first raw material gas vaporized by the vaporizer 28a.

[0040] The second raw material gas supply unit includes a gas supply pipe 25b. From the upstream side, a metering pump 26b serving as a flow control unit, a valve 27b, a vaporizer 28b, and a valve 29b are sequentially arranged on the gas supply pipe 25b. The downstream end of the gas supply pipe 25b is connected to the downstream side of the valve 29a of the gas supply pipe 25a. The second raw material gas supply unit may include a second raw material gas supply source, such as a storage container for a second liquid raw material, connected to the upstream end of the gas supply pipe 25b.

[0041] In addition, a gas supply pipe 25c is connected to the nozzle 32a. An MFC 26c and a valve 29c are sequentially provided on the gas supply pipe 25c from the upstream side. The upstream end of the gas supply pipe 25c is connected to a nitrogen (N2) gas supply source, which serves as an inactive gas or carrier gas supply source, and the downstream end is connected to the gas supply pipe 25a on the downstream side of the valve 29a.

[0042] Nozzle 32a is vertically arranged inside reaction tube 18A and has multiple supply holes that open toward wafer 8 held by first crystal boat 34A (crystal boat 34A). First raw material gas, second raw material gas, and inactive gas are supplied independently or in combination with respect to wafer 8 through the supply holes of nozzle 32a.

[0043] The third raw material gas supply unit has the same configuration as the first raw material gas supply unit. The third raw material gas supply source has a gas supply pipe 25d, the downstream end of which is connected to a nozzle 32b through the side wall of the manifold 31A. The third raw material gas is supplied to the wafer 8 from the third raw material supply source via the gas supply pipe 25d, vaporizer 28d, valve 27d, MFC 26d, valve 29d, and nozzle 32b. The third raw material gas supply unit may also include a storage container for a third liquid raw material connected to the upstream end of the gas supply pipe 25d.

[0044] The fourth raw material gas supply unit has the same configuration as the second raw material gas supply unit. The fourth raw material gas supply source has a gas supply pipe 25e, with its downstream end connected to a gas supply pipe 25d. The fourth raw material gas is supplied from the fourth raw material supply source to the wafer 8 via the gas supply pipe 25e, a metering pump 26e, a valve 27e, a vaporizer 28e, a valve 29e, and a nozzle 32b. The fourth raw material gas supply unit may include a storage container for a fourth liquid raw material (e.g., Hf raw material) connected to the upstream end of the gas supply pipe 25e.

[0045] Additionally, a gas supply pipe 25f is also connected to the nozzle 32b. The gas supply pipe 25f is equipped with an MFC 26f and a valve 29f. The upstream end is connected to a nitrogen (N2) gas supply source, which serves as a source of inactive gas or carrier gas, and the downstream end is connected to the gas supply pipe 25d downstream of the valve 29d.

[0046] The reaction gas supply unit includes a gas supply pipe 25g, with an MFC 26g and a valve 29g sequentially arranged from the upstream side. A reaction gas supply source for supplying the oxidant (the reaction gas) is connected to the upstream end, and the downstream end is connected to a nozzle 32c that penetrates the side wall of the manifold 31A. The oxidant is supplied to the wafer 8 from the reaction gas supply unit via the gas supply pipe 25g, MFC 26g, valve 29g, and nozzle 32c. Alternatively, a gas supply pipe for supplying inactive gases can be further connected to the nozzle 32c.

[0047] Valves 29a to 29g can be configured as follows: a supply valve located immediately downstream of the MFC and vaporizer, a final stage valve located closer to the nozzle, and a ventilation valve connecting the gas supply pipe upstream of the final stage valve to the exhaust pipe 78. The supply valve and final stage valve of each configuration typically open and close synchronously. Figure 3 The valves 27d and 27g are explicitly stated to correspond to the final stage valve.

[0048] A cylindrical manifold 31A is connected to the lower opening of the reaction tube 18A via a sealing member such as an O-ring, supporting the lower end of the reaction tube 18A. The lower opening of the manifold 31A is positioned corresponding to the top of the transfer chamber 5A and is opened and closed via a disc-shaped first cover 35A. A sealing member such as an O-ring is provided on the upper surface of the cover 35A, thereby sealing the reaction tube 18A airtightly from the outside air. A first heat insulation part 36A is mounted on the cover 35A.

[0049] A first exhaust port 37A (exhaust port 37A) extending in a direction orthogonal to the axis, i.e., orthogonal to the axis of the reaction pipe 18A, is formed in manifold 31A, and a first exhaust pipe 38A is installed via exhaust port 37A. A vacuum exhaust device 42A is connected to exhaust pipe 38A via a first pressure sensor 39A (pressure sensor 39A), which detects the pressure inside processing chamber 21A, and a first variable-operation valve 41A, which acts as a pressure regulator. Furthermore, the variable-operation valve 41A is also called an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve, and a butterfly valve can be used. With this configuration, the pressure inside processing chamber 21A can be set to the processing pressure corresponding to the processing. An exhaust system 43A, which is the first exhaust system, is mainly constructed using exhaust pipe 38A, pressure sensor 39A, and variable-operation valve 41A. Exhaust system 43A can be housed in a first exhaust box 44A, described later.

[0050] The processing chamber 21A houses a wafer boat 34A, which serves as a substrate holder, vertically supporting multiple wafers (e.g., 10 to 150) 8 in a rack-like configuration. The wafer boat 34A is supported above the heat insulation section 36A by a first rotating shaft 45A that passes through the cover section 35A and the heat insulation section 36A. The rotating shaft 45A is connected to a first rotating mechanism 46A located below the cover section 35A, and is configured to rotate while the interior of the reaction tube 18A is hermetically sealed. The cover section 35A is driven vertically by a first wafer boat lift 47A, which serves as a lifting mechanism. Thus, the wafer boat 34A and the cover section 35A are raised and lowered as a single unit, allowing the wafer boat 34A to be moved in and out of the reaction tube 18A.

[0051] The transfer of wafer 8 to crystal boat 34A is carried out through transfer chamber 5A. For example... Figure 2 As shown, a first cleaning unit 48A is provided on one side of the transfer chamber 5A (the outer side of the transfer chamber 5A, the side opposite to the side facing the transfer chamber 5B), configured to circulate clean air (e.g., inactive gas) within the transfer chamber 5A. The inactive gas supplied to the transfer chamber 5A is exhausted from the transfer chamber 5A through a first exhaust section 49A located on the side opposite the cleaning unit 48A (the side facing the transfer chamber 5B), separated by a crystal boat 34A, and then resupplyed from the cleaning unit 48A into the transfer chamber 5A (circular purging). The pressure within the transfer chamber 5A is always set lower than the pressure within the transfer chamber 11. This prevents particles and contaminants from the transfer chamber 5A from being carried into the transfer chamber 11, thus preventing contamination diffusion. Furthermore, the oxygen concentration within the transfer chamber 5A is set lower than the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere.

[0052] A controller 51 (described later) is connected to the rotating mechanism 46A, the crystal boat elevator 47A, the gas supply mechanism 23A's MFCs 26a, 26c, 26d, 26f, 26g, metering pumps 26b, 26e, valves 27a, 27b, 27d, 27e, vaporizers 28a, 28b, 28d, 28e, valves 29a to 29g, and the variable-operation valve 41A to control them. The controller 51 is configured to control the operation of the processing modules 2A and 2B, for example, a microprocessor (computer) with a CPU. An input / output device 52, such as a touch panel, is connected to the controller 51, and a storage device 53 (described later) is connected as a storage medium. The controller 51 can be provided separately for each processing module 2A and processing module 2B, or a single controller can be provided for both. Furthermore, at least a portion of the controller 51 is housed within controller housings 10A and 10B.

[0053] Next, the back side configuration and maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. For example... Figure 2 As shown, utility systems 3A and 3B extending rearward are provided on the rear sides of proximity processing modules 2A and 2B. Utility systems 3A and 3B are configured symmetrically opposite each other across maintenance area 50.

[0054] Public utility systems 3A and 3B have largely the same structure except for details; therefore, the following description will only use public utility system 3A as an example. The outer sides of the cooling water tank 58A, supply tank 24A, exhaust tank 44A, and controller box 10A are formed on the same plane as the outer side of the transfer chamber 5A. That is, the side of processing module 2A opposite to the adjacent surface of processing module 2B, parallel to the front-rear direction, is designated as the first outer side, and the outer sides of the cooling water tank 58A, supply tank 24A, and exhaust tank 44A are aligned with the first outer side of the transfer chamber 5A, forming a smooth connection. Furthermore, the side of processing module 2B opposite to the adjacent surface of processing module 2A, parallel to the front-rear direction, is designated as the second outer side.

[0055] The supply box 24A houses the third raw material gas supply unit. The exhaust box 44A extends rearward from the exhaust port 37A and then bends downward to accommodate the exhaust pipe 38A extending towards the vacuum exhaust device 42A under the floor. It is configured to connect the box extending in the horizontal direction and the box extending in the vertical direction. The exhaust box 44A may also house part of the gas supply mechanism 23A, such as the final stage valve, in a location near the processing furnace 4A.

[0056] When performing maintenance on the boxes of utility systems 3A and 3B, the work is carried out from the space (maintenance area 50) sandwiched between utility systems 3A and 3B, on the rear side of processing modules 2A and 2B. Maintenance area 50, also known as the inner maintenance area, ensures sufficient space for maintenance work to be performed above it. A floor box 67 for accommodating exhaust pipes, cooling water equipment, cables, etc., can be installed in maintenance area 50. The upper surface of the floor box 67 is flat and lower than the lower ends of maintenance doors 55A and 55B (described later), providing sufficient strength for the installation and handling of heavy objects.

[0057] In addition, such as Figure 2 As shown, maintenance ports 54A and 54B are formed on the rear sides of transport chambers 5A and 5B, respectively. Maintenance port 54A is formed biased towards transport chamber 5B and has a width and height sufficient for loading and unloading reaction tube 18A and crystal boat 34A. Maintenance port 54B is formed biased towards transport chamber 5A and has a width and height sufficient for loading and unloading reaction tube 18B and crystal boat 34B. Furthermore, reaction tube 18A can be lowered into transport chamber 5A via crystal boat elevator 47A during maintenance.

[0058] Maintenance ports 54A and 54B are opened and closed via maintenance doors 55A and 55B. Maintenance doors 55A and 55B are configured to rotate about a first hinge 56A and a second hinge 56B. Hinge 56A is located on the transfer chamber 5B side of transfer chamber 5A, and hinge 56B is located on the transfer chamber 5A side of transfer chamber 5B. Therefore, maintenance area 50 can also be used for maintenance of transfer chambers, processing furnaces, etc. On the rear sides of transfer chambers 5A and 5B, it is desirable to ensure sufficient width and height space that does not obstruct the opening and closing of maintenance doors 55A and 55B or the movement of reaction tubes, etc. Even if such space cannot be ensured, the maintenance area 50 can be temporarily expanded by removing a portion of the utility system to allow for the movement of reaction tubes. Similarly, by ensuring space on the rear side of processing furnaces 4A and 4B, processing furnaces 4A and 4B can be moved in and out via maintenance area 50.

[0059] Next, refer to Figure 1 , Figures 5-7 The configuration of the first side box 57A and the second side box 57B is described. Side box 57A is arranged adjacent to supply box 24A on the outer side of utility system 3A. That is, side box 57A is configured to protrude further outward than the outer side of utility system 3A. Similarly, side box 57B is arranged adjacent to supply box 24B on the outer side of utility system 3B. That is, side box 57B is configured to protrude further outward than the outer side of utility system 3B.

[0060] The front of side box 57A is arranged flush with or rearward of the front of supply box 24A (or one of the supply boxes 24A), and the back of side box 57A is arranged flush with or forward of the back of supply box 24A (or one of the supply boxes 24A). Similarly, the front of side box 57B is arranged flush with or rearward of the front of supply box 24B (or one of the supply boxes 24B), and the back of side box 57B is arranged flush with or forward of the back of supply box 24B (or one of the supply boxes 24B). Furthermore, the height of the upper surface of side box 57A is the same as the height of the upper surface of supply box 24A (or one of the supply boxes 24A), and the height of the upper surface of side box 57B is the same as the height of the upper surface of supply box 24B (or one of the supply boxes 24B). These features allow for a reduction in the distance between the containers (described later) used to supply raw materials stored in the side boxes 57A and 57B and the processing furnaces 4A and 4B.

[0061] Furthermore, after the utility systems 3A and 3B are assembled, side boxes 57A and 57B form the first and second outer sides of the processing modules 2A and 2B that are joined together. The bottom surfaces of side boxes 57A and 57B are fixed to the floor (ground box 67) with bolts, and the upper ends of side boxes 57A and 57B and utility systems 3A and 3B are fixed by connecting metal fittings. By joining side boxes 57A and 57B with utility systems 3A and 3B, side boxes 57A and 57B can be regarded as part of a utility facility in the general sense. Therefore, the description of only a utility system or utility facility includes the case where only utility systems 3A and 3B are mentioned, as well as the case where both utility systems 3A and 3B and side boxes 57A and 57B are included.

[0062] Side cases 57A and 57B have largely the same structure except for details; therefore, the following description will only use side case 57A as an example.

[0063] Side box 57A includes a front side box 59A and a rear side box 61A. The front side box 59A and the rear side box 61A are arranged such that the back of the front side box 59A and the front of the rear side box 61A are adjacent to each other, and are configured to be separable. Furthermore, the rear side box 61A is lower than the front side box 59A, and an electrical box 60A housing electrical equipment for controlling the side box 57A is mounted on the rear side box 61A. Moreover, a front maintenance door 62A is provided on the front of the front side box 59A, and a rear maintenance door 63A is provided on the back of the rear side box 61A. The front maintenance door 62A and the rear maintenance door 63A are collectively referred to as the first maintenance door. Similarly, the front maintenance door 62B and the rear maintenance door 63B of side box 57B are collectively referred to as the second maintenance door. Furthermore, the front side box 59A and the rear side box 61A have substantially the same lateral width, suppressing the enlargement of the side box 57A and the increase in the component dimensions of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, since the height of the front box 59A is lower than that of the rear box 61A, the electrical box 60A is mounted on the front box 59A. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the height of the side box 57A.

[0064] The front of the front compartment 59A is opened and closed using the front maintenance door 62A, and the back of the rear compartment 61A is opened and closed using the rear maintenance door 63A. At least one of the front maintenance door 62A and the rear maintenance door 63A constitutes the first maintenance door of the side compartment 57A. Similarly, at least one of the front maintenance door 62B and the rear maintenance door 63B constitutes the second maintenance door of the side compartment 57B.

[0065] The front maintenance door 62A and the rear maintenance door 63A have front hinges 64A and 65A respectively, which are rotatably supported toward the first outer side or its extension. Therefore, when the front maintenance door 62A and the rear maintenance door 63A are opened, they open in a manner close to the first outer side and parallel to it. Similarly, the front maintenance door 62B and the rear maintenance door 63B have front hinges 64B and 65B respectively, which are rotatably supported toward the second outer side or its extension. Therefore, when open, the front maintenance door 62A and the rear maintenance door 63A overlap with the first outer side or its extension, without obstructing maintenance operations. Furthermore, the front hinges 64A and the rear hinges 65A are collectively referred to as the first hinges. Similarly, the front hinges 64B and the rear hinges 65B of the side box 57B are collectively referred to as the second hinges.

[0066] Therefore, the maintenance area (also known as the easement area) 66A for performing maintenance on the side box 57A is formed on the front (front) and rear (rear) sides of the side box 57A, and not on the side side. That is, the maintenance area 66A does not need to be formed further outward than the side of the side box 57A.

[0067] The maintenance area 66A has a width that allows people to pass through or for moving storage containers for raw materials in and out. For example, when a device with flat sides is arranged close to the substrate processing apparatus 1, it is desirable to ensure a maintenance area 66A with a width of 610 mm or more between the adjacent devices in front of or behind the side box 57A.

[0068] Figure 5 A front view of the front box 59A is shown. The front box 59A has an upper box 68A and a lower box 69A, forming a split structure.

[0069] The lower side box 69A houses storage containers (tanks) 71a and 71b, which serve as the supply source of liquid raw materials for the processing module 2A. Tanks 71a and 71b are housed within the tank box 72. In this configuration, tanks 71a and 71b store a second liquid raw material and a fourth liquid raw material, respectively. A purging agent can be injected into the tank box 72. When the temperature inside the tank box 72 becomes high (in case of fire due to leakage, etc.), the injection of the purging agent can lower the temperature inside the tank box 72 and extinguish the fire. Alternatively, the tank box 72 can be continuously purged with N2 gas, with the N2 gas flow rate increased at high temperatures.

[0070] Vaporizers 28b and 28e, corresponding to tanks 71a and 71b, are housed side-by-side on the left and right sides of the upper casing 68A. That is, two supply systems of approximately equal height are arranged side-by-side. Furthermore, degassing devices 73a and 73b are respectively provided between tanks 71a and 71b and vaporizers 28b and 28e in the lower casing 69A. In this configuration, each liquid feedstock is pressurized using a liquid pressure conveying method. During the pressurization process from tanks 71a and 71b to vaporizers 28b and 28e, additional gases dissolved in the liquid feedstock are removed by the degassing devices 73a and 73b. By making the heights of the two supply systems approximately equal, the characteristics of the two supply systems can be matched, and maintainability can be improved.

[0071] In addition, such as Figure 1 As shown, an air intake slit 74A (slit 74A) is formed in the front maintenance door 62A, and an exhaust pipe 75A (duct 75A) is connected to the upper surface of the front housing 59A. Outside air is drawn in through the slit 74A and discharged through the duct 75A, thereby enabling ventilation of the front housing 59A and cooling of motor components such as the MFC26. Furthermore, the location of the slit 74A corresponds to the location of the internal motor components, designed to ensure good cooling for each motor component. In this configuration, the front housing 59A is a two-part structure consisting of an upper housing 68A and a lower housing 69A; however, the greater the number of parts, the better the ventilation performance.

[0072] Figure 6A rear view of the rear side box 61A is shown. The rear side box 61A has an upper side box 76A and a lower side box 77A, forming a split structure.

[0073] The lower compartment 77A houses a tank 71c, which serves as the supply source for the first liquid raw material, and an exhaust pipe 78. The tank 71c is designed to also function as a heating element for the vaporizer 28a; it is configured to be heated itself to extract the vaporized raw material gas within. Furthermore, one end of the exhaust pipe 78 is connected to each gas supply pipe 25a-25g, and the other end is connected to the downstream side of the variable-operation valve 41 of the exhaust pipe 38A. This configuration allows residual gas in each gas supply pipe 25a-25g to be removed via the exhaust pipe 78.

[0074] The upper surface of the upper side box 76A is lower than the upper surface of the upper side box 68A. Furthermore, multiple air intake slits 79A (slits 79A) are formed at predetermined positions on the rear maintenance door 63A of the upper side box 76A. Additionally, electrical equipment for controlling the various components of the side box 57A is housed inside the upper side box 76A.

[0075] In the rear box 61A, outside air is drawn in through the slit 79A and exhausted through an exhaust pipe (not shown) formed on the bottom surface of the lower box 77A. That is, the front box 59A and the rear box 61A are ventilated independently.

[0076] Figure 7 The insertion status of the connecting pipe 82A between utility system 3A and side box 57A is shown. Figure 7 81A represents a pipe sheet. The pipe sheet 81A is configured to position and fix the connecting pipe 82A that connects the side box 57A and the supply box 24A. Furthermore, the pipe sheet 81A has insertion holes 83A for inserting the connecting pipe 82A, and is a two-part structure with the insertion holes 83A as boundaries. That is, each of the two divided pipe sheets 81A has a portion of the insertion hole 83A, and the insertion hole 83A is formed by joining the two sheets together.

[0077] In addition, although not shown in the figure, the supply box 24A is provided with a small window for the connecting pipe 82A to be inserted, and a component for relaying and absorbing displacement of the connecting pipe 82A from the side box 57A.

[0078] Connecting pipe 82A is part of gas supply pipe 25, supplying the raw material gases vaporized by vaporizer 28 to supply box 24A. Additionally, a cylindrical pipe heater 84A is provided around connecting pipe 82A to prevent the vaporized raw material gases from liquefying by heating the inside of connecting pipe 82A. Furthermore, in Figure 7In this process, pipe heaters 84A are only installed on a portion of the connecting pipes 82A, but in reality, pipe heaters 84A are installed on almost all gas supply pipes 25a to 25f.

[0079] The diameter of the insertion hole 83A is the same as or slightly smaller than the diameter of the pipe heater 84A. Therefore, after the pipe heater 84A is installed on the connecting pipe 82A, the pipe heater 84A... quilt The segmented piping sheet 81A is joined by a through-hole 83A, thereby allowing the connecting pipe 82A and the piping heater 84A to penetrate the piping sheet 81A through the through-hole 83A. When the diameter of the through-hole 83A is slightly smaller than the diameter of the piping heater 84A, the through-hole 83A engages with the insulation material on the surface of the piping heater 84A, thus ensuring airtightness between the through-hole 83A and the piping heater 84A. On the other hand, when the diameter of the through-hole 83A is larger than the diameter of the piping heater 84A, a gap will be created between the through-hole 83A and the piping heater 84A. In this case, the gap is filled with insulation material of the same type as the insulation material of the piping heater 84A, thereby ensuring airtightness between the through-hole 83A and the piping heater 84A.

[0080] Next, the control system of substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the controller 51 is electrically connected to each of the following components: MFC26a, 26c, 26d, 26f, 26g; metering pumps 26b, 26e; valves 27a, 27b, 27d, 27e, 29a-29g; vaporizers 28a, 28b, 28d, 28e; pressure sensors 33, 39; variable conduction valve 41; vacuum exhaust device 42; heater 19; piping heater 84; temperature detection unit 22; rotating mechanism 46; and crystal boat lift 47, and automatically controls them. The controller 51 is configured as a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 85, RAM (Random Access Memory) 86, storage device 53, and I / O port 87. The RAM 86, storage device 53, and I / O port 87 are configured to exchange data with the CPU 85 via an internal bus 88. The I / O port 87 is connected to each of the aforementioned components. The controller 51 is connected to an input / output device 52, such as a touch panel.

[0081] The storage device 53 is configured, for example, as a flash memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage device 53 contains readable storage of control programs for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and programs for executing film deposition processes (processes such as manufacturing processes and cleaning processes) by various components of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to processing conditions. The RAM 86 is configured as a memory area (workpiece area) for temporarily storing programs, data, etc., read by the CPU 85.

[0082] CPU 85 reads and executes the control program from storage device 53, and reads the process from storage device 53 according to the input of operation instructions from input / output device 52, and controls each component according to the process.

[0083] The controller 51 can be configured to install the aforementioned program, which is continuously stored on an external storage device (e.g., a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory, a memory card, an optical disc such as a CD or DVD, or an HDD) 89, onto a computer. The storage device 53 and the external storage device 89 are configured as tangible media that can be read by a computer. Hereinafter, they will also be collectively referred to as recording media. Furthermore, the program can be provided to the computer without using the external storage device 89, but instead using communication means such as the Internet or dedicated lines.

[0084] Next, refer to Figure 9 The flowchart illustrates the process of forming a film on a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus 1 described above (film formation process). Here, an example is given where an HfO (hafnium oxide) film is formed on wafer 8 by supplying a raw material gas (Hf) containing gas and an oxidant gas (oxygen containing gas) to wafer 8. Processing modules 2A and 2B are substantially identical in configuration except for details; therefore, the following description describes the processing of wafer 8 using processing module 2A. Furthermore, the processing temperature in this specification refers to the temperature of wafer 8 or the temperature inside processing chamber 21, and the processing pressure refers to the pressure inside processing chamber 21. In the following description, the operation of each component of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is controlled by controller 51.

[0085] (Wafer loading and crystal boat loading)

[0086] Open valve 15A to transfer wafer 8 relative to the crystal boat 34A (STEP: 01). When multiple wafers 8 are loaded (wafer loading) into the crystal boat 34A, valve 15A closes. The crystal boat 34A is moved into the processing chamber 21A via the crystal boat elevator 47A (crystal boat loading), and the lower opening of the reaction tube 18A is hermetically sealed (sealed) through the cover 35A (STEP: 02).

[0087] (Pressure and temperature regulation)

[0088] Vacuum exhaust (reduced pressure exhaust) is performed by vacuum exhaust device 42A to bring the processing chamber 21A to a specified pressure (vacuum level). The ambient gas inside the processing chamber 21A flows in a straight or nearly straight line through exhaust pipe 38A and is exhausted. The pressure inside the processing chamber 21A is measured by pressure sensor 39A, and the variable conduction valve 41A is controlled based on the pressure information at the measured location. In addition, the processing chamber 21A is heated from the surroundings by heater 19A to bring the wafer 8 inside the processing chamber 21A to a specified temperature. At this time, the energization of heater 19A is controlled based on the temperature information detected by temperature detection unit 22A to bring the processing chamber 21A to a specified temperature distribution. In addition, the rotation of the boat 34A and the wafer 8 based on the rotation mechanism 46A begins.

[0089] (Film-forming treatment)

[0090] [Raw Material Gas Supply Process]

[0091] When the temperature inside the processing chamber 21A stabilizes at the preset processing temperature, Hf gas is supplied from the fourth raw material gas supply unit relative to the wafer 8 inside the processing chamber 21A. The Hf gas is generated by pressurizing the tank 71a and pressing the liquid raw material to the vaporizer 28e. This fresh gas is supplied into the processing chamber 21A via the gas supply pipe 25e and the nozzle 32b.

[0092] [Raw material gas exhaust process]

[0093] Next, the supply of Hf gas is stopped, and the processing chamber 21A is evacuated using the vacuum evacuation device 42A. The Hf gas in the processing chamber 21A flows in a straight or nearly straight line in the exhaust pipe 38A and is discharged through the vacuum evacuation device 42A. At this time, valve 29f is opened, and N2 gas can be supplied to the processing chamber 21A as an inactive gas from the inactive gas supply source (inactive gas purging).

[0094] [Reaction Gas Supply Process]

[0095] Next, oxygen-containing gas is supplied from the reaction gas supply section relative to the wafer 8 inside the processing chamber 21A. The oxygen-containing gas is controlled at a desired flow rate by the MFC 26g and supplied into the processing chamber 21A via the gas supply pipe 25g and the nozzle 32c.

[0096] [Reaction gas exhaust process]

[0097] Next, the supply of oxygen-containing gas is stopped, and the processing chamber 21A is evacuated using the vacuum exhaust device 42A. The oxygen-containing gas in the processing chamber 21A flows in a straight or nearly straight line within the exhaust pipe 38A and is discharged through the vacuum exhaust device 42A. At this time, N2 gas can be supplied to the processing chamber 21A as an inactive gas from an inactive gas supply source (inactive gas purging).

[0098] By performing the above four processes a specified number of times (more than once), an HfO film (STEP: 03) with a specified composition and a specified film thickness can be formed on wafer 8.

[0099] Furthermore, raw material gases can be supplied from the first raw material gas supply unit, the second raw material gas supply unit, and the third raw material gas supply unit at some stage before, during, or after the above four processes. These gases function as adsorption barrier gases, etching gases (adsorption layer removal gases), substrate modification gases, and etching stop layer forming gases, thereby controlling the selectivity, layer difference shape, and layer difference coverage during the selective growth of the HiF film. Alternatively, films such as HfSiO2 can be manufactured by alternating deposition with other films such as SiO2.

[0100] (Crystal boat unloading and wafer removal)

[0101] After a film of the specified thickness is formed, N2 gas is supplied from an inactive gas supply source to replace the gas in the processing chamber 21A with N2 gas, and the pressure in the processing chamber 21A is restored to atmospheric pressure. Then, the cover 35A is lowered by the crystal boat lift 47A, and the crystal boat 34A is removed from the reaction tube 18A (crystal boat unloading). Subsequently, the processed wafer 8 is removed from the crystal boat 34A (wafer removal) (STEP: 04).

[0102] After the wafer boat 34A is removed, that is, with the opening of the reaction tube 18A not closed by the cover 35A, the cooling process of the wafer 8 and the heat insulation part 36A is performed (STEP: 05). Cooling gas is supplied to the wafer 8 by a cooling gas supply mechanism not shown.

[0103] When the wafer 8 and the heat insulation section 36A are cooled to the specified temperature, the processed wafer 8 loaded in the wafer boat 34A is transferred to the wafer cassette 12 by the transfer machine 9 (STEP: 06). The wafer 8 stored in the wafer cassette 12 is moved out of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and the film deposition process is completed.

[0104] Examples of processing conditions for forming an HfO film on wafer 8 are as follows.

[0105] Processing temperature (wafer temperature): 20℃~620℃

[0106] Processing pressure (processing room pressure): 1Pa~4000Pa

[0107] Hf contains gases ranging from 1 sccm to 300 sccm.

[0108] Oxygen-containing gas: 3 sccm~1000 sccm.

[0109] By setting the respective processing conditions to values ​​within their respective ranges, the film formation process can be properly advanced. Furthermore, the expression of a numerical range such as "1 Pa to 4000 Pa" implies that both the lower and upper limits are included within that range. For example, "1 Pa to 4000 Pa" means "above 1 Pa and below 4000 Pa". The same applies to other numerical ranges.

[0110] Furthermore, processing modules 2A and 2B can be configured to form different membranes, such as membrane A and membrane B. In this case, the gas supply mechanisms 23A and 23B are also configured differently, maintaining the symmetry of supply boxes 24A and 24B, or exhaust boxes 44A and 44B. Moreover, regarding the side boxes, for example, they can be configured asymmetrically, with only side box 57A designated as box 59A and only side box 57B designated as box 59B. In this case, the distance between the outer side of the side box and the adjacent device can be narrowed to approximately 15 mm, allowing the maintenance area 66B of the device adjacent to maintenance area 66A to be shared.

[0111] According to this method, one or more of the effects shown below are obtained.

[0112] In this method, a side box 57A is provided adjacent to the first outer side of the processing module 2A, and a side box 57B is provided adjacent to the second outer side of the processing module 2B. The side boxes 57A and 57B can be accessed from the front or rear via the front maintenance doors 62A and 62B and the rear maintenance doors 63A and 63B provided on the front and back sides, respectively, without relying on side access. This allows for maintenance of a part of the first supply system or a part of the second supply system.

[0113] Therefore, it is not necessary to provide maintenance areas 66 on the sides of the side boxes 57A and 57B, thereby suppressing the increase in component size and the enlargement of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0114] Furthermore, in this method, a maintenance area 66 corresponding to the width of the side boxes 57A and 57B is formed on the sides of the processing modules 2A and 2B. Therefore, since the transfer chamber 11 can be accessed from the side via the maintenance area 66 and the plates 6A and 6B, it is easy to enter the transfer chamber 11 and to perform maintenance such as replacing the cleaning unit 48, thereby improving workability.

[0115] Especially when multiple rows of substrate processing units 1 are arranged horizontally, the maintenance areas 66 of adjacent substrate processing units 1 are connected to form a spacious, interconnected maintenance area. Therefore, the replacement of processing furnaces 4A, 4B, and transfer machine 9 can also be carried out from this maintenance area.

[0116] Furthermore, in this method, tanks 71a and 71b storing liquid raw materials are housed within side boxes 57A and 57B. Therefore, regardless of the size of the space within the utility systems 3A and 3B, a large number of tanks 71 can be accommodated via side boxes 57A and 57B, and it is also suitable for processes using various gases.

[0117] In addition, side boxes 57A and 57B are arranged adjacent to supply boxes 24A and 24B as additional devices to utility systems 3A and 3B. That is, since tank 71 can be arranged near processing chamber 21, the length of the piping (gas supply pipe 25) from tank 71 to processing chamber 21 can be shortened as much as possible, thereby improving the supply efficiency of raw material gas.

[0118] Furthermore, side boxes 57A and 57B are installed subsequently relative to the assembled utility systems 3A and 3B. Therefore, since there are multiple side boxes 57 containing different raw materials to be stored in the tank, the side boxes 57 can be appropriately selected according to the type of film formed on the wafer 8, thereby increasing the types of films that can be applied to the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0119] Furthermore, in this configuration, side boxes 57A and 57B are provided with front maintenance doors 62A and 62B on the front (front) side and rear maintenance doors 63A and 63B on the rear side side. Alternatively, only one of the front maintenance doors 62A and 62B and the rear maintenance doors 63A and 63B may be provided in the side boxes 57A and 57B, or the maintenance doors may be provided on the upper surface (top) to allow maintenance of a part of the first supply system and a part of the second supply system from above.

[0120] In this configuration, cans 71a and 71b are housed within front boxes 59A and 59B, but cans 71a and 71b can also be housed within rear boxes 61A and 61B. Furthermore, it is disclosed that two cans 71a and 71b housed within front boxes 59A and 59B can also house three or more cans.

[0121] The above provides an example of the manner in which this disclosure is made. However, this disclosure is not limited to the manner described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit.

[0122] For example, in the above-described manner, an Hf-containing gas is used as the feed gas, and an oxygen-containing gas is used as the reactant gas to form a film including metal elements, i.e., a metal-based film. However, this disclosure is not limited to this manner. For example, it can also be well applied to the case where a silicon-containing gas is used as the feed gas to generate a silicon-containing film.

[0123] The above method illustrates an example of depositing a film on wafer 8, but this disclosure is not limited to this method. For example, it can also be well applied to processes such as oxidation, diffusion, annealing, and etching relative to wafer 8 or films formed on wafer 8.

[0124] Furthermore, the above-described method illustrates an example of forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus with a hot-wall type furnace. This disclosure is not limited to the above-described method and can also be well applied to the formation of films using a substrate processing apparatus with a cold-wall type furnace. This disclosure can be applied not only to vertical substrate processing apparatuses but also to sheet-type substrate processing apparatuses.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device comprises: a first processing module having a first processing container for processing a substrate; a second processing module having a second processing container for processing the substrate, which is disposed adjacent to the side of the first processing module; a first utility disposed adjacent to the back of the first processing module, which includes a first supply system for supplying processing gas into the first processing container; and a second utility disposed adjacent to the back of the second processing module, which includes a second supply system for supplying the processing gas into the second processing container. The first processing module and the second processing module each have a first outer side and a second outer side parallel to the front-rear direction on the opposite side of their adjacent surfaces. The first utility protrudes further outward than the first outer side and has a first side box for receiving a portion of the first supply system. The portion of the first supply system received in the first side box is configured to be maintained by access from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the first side box, independent of access from the side of the first side box.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second utility protrudes further outward than the second outer side and has a second side box that houses a portion of the second supply system. The portion of the second supply system housed in the second side box is configured to be maintained by access from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the second side box, independent of access from the side of the second side box.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first side box and the second side box respectively house containers that serve as supply sources for the raw materials used in the processing in the first processing module and the second processing module.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, There is no maintenance area set on the outer side of the first side box, but the maintenance area is set on at least one side of the first side box, both in front and behind. There is no maintenance area set on the outer side of the second side box, but the maintenance area is set on at least one side of the second side box, both in front and behind.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The first side box has a first maintenance door on at least one of the front and back sides, the first maintenance door having a first hinge that allows the first maintenance door to be rotatably supported toward the first outer side or its extension. The second side box has a second maintenance door on at least one of the front and back sides, the second maintenance door having a second hinge that allows the second maintenance door to be rotatably supported toward the second outer side or its extension.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The first side box is positioned rearward compared to the rear of the first processing module and frontward compared to the rear of the first utility. The second side box is positioned rearward compared to the rear of the second processing module and frontward compared to the second utility.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The first utility has one or more first supply boxes that house a portion of the first supply system, and the second utility has one or more second supply boxes that house a portion of the second supply system. The front of the first side box is flush with or positioned behind the front of one of the first supply boxes, and the back of the first side box is the same as or positioned on the front of one of the first supply boxes.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that, The upper surface of the first side box is arranged at the same height as the upper surface of a certain first supply box, and the upper surface of the second side box is arranged at the same height as the upper surface of a certain second supply box.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, The first side box and the second side box each include a separable front side box and a rear side box.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The front box and the rear box have substantially the same lateral width.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The front box and the rear box each have an air intake slit and an exhaust pipe, allowing for independent air exchange.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, At least one of the front box and the rear box is provided with two supply systems of approximately equal height.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, In the front and rear boxes, an electrical box housing electrical equipment for controlling the first or second side box is mounted on at least the side with the lower height.

14. A side box, characterized in that, It protrudes further outward than the outer side of the processing module that is parallel to the front-rear direction, and houses a part of the supply system for supplying processing gas into the processing container of the processing substrate, and is configured to be able to maintain the part of the supply system by entering from at least one of the front, rear and top, independent of side entry.

15. A substrate processing method, characterized in that, It has the following processes: The substrate, which is loaded through a first loading inlet located on the front side, is provided to a first processing container of a processing substrate of a first processing module; the substrate, which is loaded through a second loading inlet located on the front side, is provided to a second processing container of a processing substrate of a second processing module disposed adjacent to the side of the first processing module; processing gas is supplied to the first processing container from a first supply system included in a first utility disposed adjacent to the rear side of the first processing module; processing gas is supplied to the second processing container from a second supply system included in a second utility disposed adjacent to the rear side of the second processing module; maintenance of a portion of the first supply system is performed independently of access from the side of a first side box, by access from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the first side box, which protrudes outward beyond a first outer side parallel to the front-rear direction of the first processing module and accommodates a portion of the first supply system.

16. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that, It has the following processes: The substrate, which is loaded through a first loading inlet located on the front side, is provided to a first processing container of a processing substrate of a first processing module; the substrate, which is loaded through a second loading inlet located on the front side, is provided to a second processing container of a processing substrate of a second processing module disposed adjacent to the side of the first processing module; processing gas is supplied to the first processing container from a first supply system included in a first utility disposed adjacent to the rear side of the first processing module; processing gas is supplied to the second processing container from a second supply system included in a second utility disposed adjacent to the rear side of the second processing module; maintenance of a portion of the first supply system is performed independently of access from the side of a first side box, by access from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the first side box, which protrudes outward beyond a first outer side parallel to the front-rear direction of the first processing module and accommodates a portion of the first supply system.

17. A program product storing a program that causes a computer in a substrate processing apparatus to perform the following steps: The substrate is supplied to a first processing container of a processing substrate of a first processing module through a first loading inlet located on the front side; the substrate is supplied to a second processing container of a processing substrate of a second processing module disposed adjacent to the side of the first processing module through a second loading inlet located on the front side; processing gas is supplied to the first processing container from a first supply system included in a first utility disposed adjacent to the rear of the first processing module; processing gas is supplied to the second processing container from a second supply system included in a second utility disposed adjacent to the rear of the second processing module; maintenance of a portion of the first supply system is performed by entering from at least one of the front, rear, and top of the first side box, which protrudes outward beyond a first outer side parallel to the front-rear direction of the first processing module and accommodates a portion of the first supply system, regardless of whether the entry is from the side of the first side box.

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