Substrate processing device, substrate processing system, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique that can reduce the burden on an operator in setting operation information for a transfer robot.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device includes: a loading chamber in which a container for accommodating a substrate is placed; a first transfer chamber having a first transfer robot therein for inserting and removing substrates to / from the container; multiple processing modules for processing the substrates; a second transfer chamber having a second transfer robot therein for receiving the substrates between the first transfer chamber and the processing modules; a memory unit for memorizing multiple layout information indicating the arrangement of the loading chamber, the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing modules; and a control unit capable of controlling the operation of the first transfer robot and the second transfer robot on the basis of the layout information in the memory unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing system, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for controlling the extension and contraction and rotation speed of a substrate transport robot in a semiconductor manufacturing device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-181187 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a substrate processing apparatus is installed in a factory or the like, an operator performs a setting operation to set transport operation information for a transport robot that transports substrates in accordance with the layout of each room constituting the apparatus.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of reducing the burden placed on an operator in setting transport operation information for a transport robot that transports substrates. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a loading chamber in which a container for accommodating a substrate is loaded; a first transfer chamber including a first transfer robot for transferring substrates between the container and the first transfer chamber; a plurality of processing modules for processing the substrates; a second transfer chamber that transfers the substrate between the first transfer chamber and the processing module and has a second transfer robot therein; a storage unit in which a plurality of pieces of layout information indicating an arrangement of the placement chamber, the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing modules are stored; a control unit capable of controlling operations of the first transport robot and the second transport robot based on the layout information in the storage unit; A technique is provided that includes: Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the burden on an operator in setting transport operation information for a transport robot that transports substrates. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a schematic side view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a processing module included in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a control unit included in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a setting screen for setting the device configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows the set device configuration. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing layout information of an apparatus configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of setting layout information in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an arrangement of a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses included in a substrate processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships, ratios, etc. of the elements in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the real ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships, ratios, etc. of the elements among multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to each other.

[0010] <Substrate processing equipment> The substrate processing apparatus 20 of this embodiment is a substrate processing apparatus equipped with a vertical reactor.

[0011] 1, 2A, and 2B, the substrate processing apparatus 20 includes a plurality of processing modules 30 for processing substrates (wafers) W. In the present embodiment, as an example, the substrate processing apparatus 20 includes four processing modules 30, but is not limited to this. For example, the number of processing modules 30 included in the substrate processing apparatus 20 may be three or less or five or more.

[0012] The four processing modules 30 are arranged in a row in the horizontal direction as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the four processing modules 30 can independently process a substrate W. That is, the four processing modules 30 are independently controlled by a control unit 100 described later.

[0013] The substrate W here includes a product substrate, a dummy substrate, a monitor substrate, etc. In other words, the substrate W supported by the substrate support stage 40 may be a product substrate, a dummy substrate, or a monitor substrate, or a mixture of these may be supported.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2B, the processing module 30 includes a reactor 32 as an example of a processing vessel. The reactor 32 is located at the top of the processing module 30. A substrate W is loaded into the reactor 32. Specifically, a substrate support 40 supporting at least one substrate W is loaded (carried) into the reactor 32. The space inside the reactor 32 is also called a processing chamber for processing the substrate W. A gas supply system (not shown) that supplies a processing gas, an inert gas, and the like into the reactor 32 is connected to the reactor 32. A predetermined amount of gas is supplied into the reactor 32 by the gas supply system. An exhaust system (not shown) that exhausts the processing gas, the inert gas, and the like from the reactor 32 is also connected to the reactor 32. The exhaust system adjusts the pressure inside the reactor 32. A heater (not shown) as an example of a heating unit is disposed on the outer periphery of the reactor 32. The temperature inside the reactor 32 is adjusted by the heater. In this embodiment, the gas supply system, exhaust system, and heater provided in the processing module 30 are controlled by a temperature control unit 122, a gas flow rate control unit 124, and a pressure control unit 126, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3. The temperature control unit 122, the gas flow rate control unit 124, and the pressure control unit 126 are controlled by the control unit 100, which will be described later.

[0015] The substrate W loaded into the reaction furnace 32 is heated by a heater in the reaction furnace 32 and is treated with a processing gas supplied from a gas supply system. In this manner, a film is formed on the substrate W in the reaction furnace 32, i.e., in the processing chamber.

[0016] The processing module 30 also includes a preparation chamber 36. The preparation chamber 36 is located at the bottom of the processing module 30. In other words, the preparation chamber 36 is located below the reaction furnace 32. The preparation chamber 36 communicates with the inside of the reaction furnace 32, i.e., the processing chamber, through the furnace opening 32A of the reaction furnace 32. The preparation chamber 36 is provided with a lifting device 37 to which a substrate support table 40 is fixed. The lifting device 37 moves the substrate support table 40 fixed to the lifting table 37A upward together with the lifting table 37A to load it into the reaction furnace 32. The peripheral portion of the lifting table 37A contacts the peripheral portion of the furnace opening 32A of the reaction furnace 32 via a seal member (not shown) to separate the inside of the reaction furnace 32 from the inside of the preparation chamber 36. The lifting device 37 has a function of rotating the lifting table 37A in the horizontal direction around the vertical axis. 2B, the direction in which the lifting / lowering platform 37A is lifted / lowered by the lifting device 37 is indicated by an arrow Z. In this embodiment, the lifting / lowering direction of the lifting / lowering platform 37A is the same as the vertical direction.

[0017] The processing module 30 is provided with an entrance 34 for inserting and removing the substrate W. The entrance 34 is opened and closed by a gate valve 35. Note that the size of the entrance 34 in this embodiment is set to a size that allows the substrate W and the extendable arm 64 and hand unit 66 of the second transport robot 60 supporting the substrate W to enter and exit.

[0018] (Second transport room) As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2B, the substrate processing apparatus 20 has a second transfer chamber 50 equipped therein with a second transfer robot 60. The second transfer chamber 50 extends in the direction in which the four processing modules 30 are arranged. The second transfer chamber 50 is adjacent to each processing module 30 and the first transfer chamber 86. The second transfer chamber 50 communicates with each processing module 30 via the entrance / exit 34 of each processing module 30. The housings 51 constituting the second transfer chamber 50 are fixed to the housings 31 constituting the processing modules 30, respectively. The inside of the second transfer chamber 50 is kept in an air atmosphere and a cleanliness level suitable for the transfer of the substrate W. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the inside of the second transfer chamber 50 may be kept in a vacuum atmosphere by connecting an exhaust device or the like to the second transfer chamber 50 to keep a cleanliness level suitable for the transfer of the substrate W.

[0019] A transport rail 52 is provided on the floor of the second transport chamber 50, extending in the direction in which the four processing modules 30 are arranged. The second transport robot 60 moves along this transport rail 52. The second transport robot 60 transports the substrate W along the transport rail 52 while holding the substrate W. Hereinafter, the direction in which the second transport robot 60 moves, i.e., the direction in which the substrate W is transported, will be referred to as the substrate transport direction as appropriate. The substrate transport direction is the direction indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 1. The direction indicated by the arrow UP in FIGS. 2A and 2B indicates the vertical upward direction.

[0020] (Second transport robot) 1, the second transfer robot 60 is configured to move along the transfer rail 52 within the second transfer chamber 50. The second transfer robot 60 is a device that can move while holding a substrate W. The second transfer robot 60 is controlled by the control unit 100 to move between a target (specified) processing module 30 and a substrate transfer position D. The substrate transfer position D is a position where the substrate W is transferred between the first transfer robot 84 and the second transfer robot 60, and is a position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1. The substrate transfer position D shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and it is preferable to set an optimal position depending on the configurations and device conditions of the first transfer robot 84 and the second transfer robot 60.

[0021] The second transfer robot 60 is configured to be capable of transferring the substrate W between the first transfer chamber 86 and the processing module 30. Specifically, the second transfer robot 60 includes a transfer table 62, an extendable arm 64, and a hand unit 66, as shown in Figures 1 and 2A.

[0022] The transport platform 62 is a base that moves on the transport rail 52. A drive unit (not shown) for moving the transport platform 62 along the transport rail 52 in the transport direction is provided inside the transport platform 62.

[0023] The extendable arm 64 is provided rotatably in the horizontal direction on the transfer table 62. The extendable arm 64 is configured to be extendable.

[0024] The hand portion 66 is provided at the tip of the extendable arm 64. The hand portion 66 holds the substrate W. Specifically, the hand portion 66 holds the substrate W by supporting it from below.

[0025] The second transfer robot 60 also includes a lifting device (not shown) that enables the extendable arm 64 to rise and fall relative to the transfer table 62. The extendable arm 64 rises and falls relative to the transfer table 62 by this lifting device.

[0026] The second transport robot 60 is configured to be able to extend an extendable arm 64 toward the substrate support table 40 and transfer a substrate W held by a hand portion 66 to the substrate support table 40, or receive a processed substrate W from the substrate support table 40.

[0027] The second transport robot 60 is controlled by the transport control unit 110 for the operation of transferring the substrate W between the substrate support table 40 and the first transport robot 84. Specifically, the second transport robot 60 is controlled by the transport control unit 110 for the movement operation of the transport table 62, the extension operation of the extendable arm 64, and the lifting and lowering operation of the extendable arm 64. In addition, the control unit 100 controls which of the four processing modules 30 the second transport robot 60 will transfer the substrate W to.

[0028] (Storage room) As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 20 has a placement chamber 78 equipped with a load port 82 on which a container 80 is placed.

[0029] The container 80 is a container capable of accommodating at least one substrate W and capable of being delivered to the outside. One example is a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), but is not limited to this. Each container 80 accommodates, as the substrate W, a product substrate, a dummy substrate, a monitor substrate, etc.

[0030] The load port 82 is a base on which the container 80 can be placed. As an example, in the present embodiment, in a plan view of the substrate processing apparatus 20, four load ports 82 are arranged in a row in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. Furthermore, the number of load ports 82 may be more than four or less than four.

[0031] The container 80 and the load port 82 are disposed in a mounting chamber 78. The mounting chamber 78 is formed by a housing 79.

[0032] (First transport room) As shown in Fig. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 20 has a first transfer chamber 86 equipped therein with a first transfer robot 84. The first transfer chamber 86 extends in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction in a plan view. The direction perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction is appropriately referred to as the substrate transfer direction. In Fig. 1, the substrate transfer direction is indicated by an arrow Y.

[0033] The first transfer chamber 86 is located between the placement chamber 78 and the processing module 30. One side of a housing 87 constituting the first transfer chamber 86 is connected to the housing 31 of the processing module 30. The other side of the housing 87 is provided with entrances (not shown) for the substrate W at positions corresponding to the four load ports 82. These entrances are closed by shutters (not shown). The first transfer chamber 86 is maintained in an air atmosphere at a cleanliness level suitable for the transfer of the substrate W. It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and an exhaust device or the like may be connected to the first transfer chamber 86 to create a vacuum atmosphere inside the first transfer chamber 86 to maintain a cleanliness level suitable for the transfer of the substrate W.

[0034] (First transport robot) 1, the first transport robot 84 is configured to move within a first transport chamber 86 along rails 88. The first transport robot 84 is also a device that is capable of moving while holding a substrate W. The first transport robot 84 is controlled by the control unit 100 to move between a target (specified) container 80 and a substrate transfer position D.

[0035] The first transport robot 84 is configured to be capable of transferring the substrate W to and from the container 80 placed on the load port 82. The first transport robot 84 is also configured to be capable of directly transferring the substrate W to and from the second transport robot 60. Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2A, the first transport robot 84 includes a moving stage 85, an extendable arm 84A, and a hand unit 84B.

[0036] The movable stage 85 is a base that moves on rails 88. Inside the movable stage 85, a drive unit (not shown) for moving the movable stage 85 along the rails 88 in the substrate transfer direction is provided.

[0037] The extendable arm 84A is provided so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction on a moving base 85. The extendable arm 84A is configured to be extendable.

[0038] The hand portion 84B is provided at the tip of the extendable arm 84A. This hand portion 84B holds the substrate W. Specifically, the hand portion 84B holds the substrate W by supporting it from below.

[0039] The first transfer robot 84 is also provided with a lifting device (not shown) that enables the extendable arm 84A to rise and fall relative to the moving stage 85. The extendable arm 84A is raised and lowered relative to the moving stage 85 by this lifting device.

[0040] The first transport robot 84 is configured to be able to extend an extendable arm 84A toward the container 80 and use a hand unit 84B to remove a substrate W from the container 80 or to place a processed substrate W into the container 80.

[0041] The first transport robot 84 is controlled by the transport control unit 110 for its operation of inserting and removing the substrate W between the container 80 placed on the load port 82 and its operation of handing over the substrate W to and from the second transport robot 60. Specifically, the first transport robot 84 is controlled by the transport control unit 110 for the movement operation of the movable stage 85, the extension operation of the extendable arm 84A, and the lifting and lowering operation of the extendable arm 84A. In addition, the control unit 100 controls which of the four containers 80 the first transport robot 84 will insert and remove the substrate W from.

[0042] In the substrate processing apparatus 20 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, when the loading chamber 78 is disposed in front of the maintenance area M, the first transport chamber 86 is disposed rearward of the loading chamber 78 so as to be parallel to the loading chamber 78, the second transport chamber 50 is disposed rearward of the first transport chamber 86 so as to be perpendicular to the first transport chamber 86, and the processing module 30 is disposed rearward of the first transport chamber 86 so as to be parallel to the second transport chamber 50.

[0043] (Control unit) 3, the substrate processing apparatus 20 includes a control unit 100. The control unit 100 is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101A, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 101B, a storage unit 101C, and an I / O port 101D.

[0044] The RAM 101B, the storage unit 101C, and the I / O port 101D are configured to be able to exchange data with the CPU 101A via an internal bus 101E. An input / output device 102 configured as, for example, a touch panel is connected to the control unit 100. The input / output device 102 is an example of an operation unit of the present disclosure. In addition, an external communication unit 104 for communicating with, for example, a higher-level device is connected to the control unit 100.

[0045] The storage unit 101C is composed of, for example, a flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. In the storage unit 101C, a control program for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus, a process recipe in which procedures and conditions of substrate processing described later are described, etc. are readably stored. The process recipe is a combination of procedures in a substrate processing step described later that is executed by the control unit 100 to obtain a predetermined result, and functions as a program. Hereinafter, the process recipe and the control program are collectively referred to simply as a program. In addition, the process recipe is also simply referred to as a recipe. In this specification, when the word program is used, it may include only a recipe, only a control program, or both. The RAM 101B is configured as a memory area (work area) in which programs and data read by the CPU 101A are temporarily stored.

[0046] The I / O port 101D is connected to a transport control unit 110 and a plurality of process control units 120. The transport control unit 110 is configured to be capable of controlling the transport of the substrate W. The process control unit 120 is configured to be capable of controlling the film formation process of the substrate W. In this embodiment, since four processing modules 30 are provided, four process control units 120 are provided corresponding to the respective processing modules 30. This makes it possible to perform the film formation process independently for each processing module 30.

[0047] The CPU 101A is configured to read and execute a control program from the storage unit 101C, and also to read a recipe from the storage unit 101C in response to an input of an operation command from the input / output device 102, etc. The CPU 101A is configured to be capable of causing the transport control unit 110 to control the transport operations of the substrate W by the first transport robot 84, the lifting device 37, and the second transport robot 60, the opening and closing operations of the gate valve 35 and the shutter, the positioning operation of the load port 82, etc., in accordance with the contents of the read recipe.

[0048] Furthermore, the CPU 101A is configured to be able to cause the process control unit 120 to control the temperature control unit 122, the gas flow rate control unit 124, and the pressure control unit 126 in accordance with the contents of the read recipe. The temperature control unit 122 is configured to be able to control the temperature adjustment operation of the heater that heats the inside of the reaction furnace 32. The gas flow rate control unit 124 is configured to be able to control the flow rate adjustment operation of the gas supplied into the reaction furnace 32. The pressure control unit 126 is configured to be able to control the pressure adjustment operation in the reaction furnace 32.

[0049] The control unit 100 can be configured by installing the above-mentioned program stored in the external storage unit 103 (for example, a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD, a magneto-optical disk such as an MO, or a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory) into a computer. The storage unit 101C and the external storage unit 103 are configured as computer-readable recording media. Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to simply as recording media. When the term recording media is used in this specification, it may include only the storage unit 101C alone, only the external storage unit 103 alone, or both. The program may be provided to the computer using a communication means such as the Internet or a dedicated line, without using the external storage unit 103.

[0050] The storage unit 101C also stores a plurality of pieces of layout information indicating the arrangement of the placement chamber 78, the first transfer chamber 86, the second transfer chamber 50, and the processing modules 30. Specifically, the plurality of pieces of layout information include first layout information in which the plurality of processing modules 30 (four in this embodiment) are arranged so that each entrance / exit 34 faces a first direction perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction in the second transfer chamber 50 in a plan view of the substrate processing apparatus 20, and second layout information in which the plurality of processing modules 30 are arranged so that each entrance / exit 34 faces a second direction different from the first direction with respect to the substrate transfer direction. In this embodiment, the first direction and the second direction are opposite to each other.

[0051] The storage unit 101C also stores a plurality of pieces of transport operation information of the first transport robot 84 and a plurality of pieces of transport operation information of the second transport robot 60, each of which is associated with a plurality of pieces of layout information.

[0052] The transport operation information of the second transport robot 60 includes information on the transfer direction in which the substrate W is transferred between the inside of the processing module 30 and the processing module via the entrance 34 of the processing module 30. Specifically, the information includes information on the extension and contraction direction (the same direction as the transfer direction) of the extendable arm 64 when transferring the substrate W.

[0053] The transport operation information of the second transport robot 60 also includes position information of the plurality of processing modules 30. The position information of the plurality of processing modules 30 may be information regarding the distance from the reference position B of the second transport robot 60 to the transfer position of the substrate W to each processing module 30. In this embodiment, the reference position B of the second transport robot 60 is set to the position of the second transport robot 60 that is closest to the first transport chamber 86 while moving on the transport rail 52, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The second transport robot 60 transports the substrate W to the specified processing module 30 by moving on the transport rail 52 based on the position information of the processing module 30 specified by the control unit 100.

[0054] The control unit 100 is configured to be able to control the operation of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 based on the layout information stored in the memory unit 101C. Specifically, the control unit 100 has a transport control unit 110 that controls the operation of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60, and is configured to be able to control the operation of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 via the transport control unit 110. More specifically, the control unit 100 is configured to be able to control the operation of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 by acquiring transport operation information associated with selected layout information from among a plurality of pieces of layout information, and passing (expanding) this transport operation information to the transport control unit 110.

[0055] The input / output device 102 is configured to be able to set information for selecting one piece of layout information from a plurality of pieces of layout information. Specifically, in a system parameter setting screen for setting the device configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 4, the number of processing modules is input (or selected) and the arrangement of the second transfer chamber relative to the processing modules is set. Note that the arrangement of the second transfer chamber relative to the processing modules here refers to the right or left arrangement when the placement chamber 78 of the substrate processing apparatus 20 is regarded as the front. Based on information regarding the number of processing modules and the arrangement of the second transfer chamber relative to the processing modules, the control unit 100 is configured to select one piece of layout information from a plurality of pieces of layout information and pass the selected layout information to the transfer control unit 110.

[0056] Fig. 5 shows layout information selected by the control unit 100 based on information input by the input / output device 102. In the example of Fig. 5, the first layout information is selected as the layout information.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows an example of the transport operation information of the first transport robot 84 and the transport operation information of the second transport robot 60 linked to the layout information. The placement table position information of the first transport robot 84 is position information of the container 80 placed on each load port 82. The substrate transfer position information of the first transport robot 84 is information about the substrate transfer position D where the substrate W is transferred to and from the second transport robot 60. The arm rotation information of the first transport robot 84 is information about the extension and extension operation of the telescopic arm 84A. The support section elevation information of the first transport robot 84 is information about the elevation and lowering of a support section (not shown) that supports the telescopic arm 84A so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The substrate transfer position information of the second transport robot 60 is information about the substrate transfer position D where the substrate W is transferred to and from the first transport robot 84. The arm rotation information of the second transport robot 60 is information about the extension and lowering operation of the telescopic arm 64. The support section elevation information of the second transport robot 60 is information about the elevation and lowering of a support section (not shown) that supports the telescopic arm 64 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The processing module position information of the second transfer robot 60 is position information of each processing module 30 .

[0058] When the placement chamber 78, the first transfer chamber 86, the second transfer chamber 50, and the processing module 30 are electrically connected, the control unit 100 can select one piece of layout information from among a plurality of pieces of layout information. In other words, when any of the device components is not electrically connected, the control unit 100 cannot select layout information, and thus startup due to poor connection is prevented.

[0059] In addition, the layout information may be set in advance, and if any of the loading chamber 78, the first transport chamber 86, the second transport chamber 50, and the processing module 30 are not electrically connected, the control unit 100 may determine that the preset layout information and the device configuration are inconsistent, and may prevent startup.

[0060] The control unit 100 is also configured to be able to control the transport control unit 110 in accordance with the processing of the substrate W.

[0061] Next, the initial setting when the substrate processing apparatus 20 is installed in a factory or the like will be described. First, each device constituting the substrate processing apparatus 20 (the placement chamber 78, the first transfer chamber 86, the second transfer chamber 50, and the plurality of processing modules 30) is installed in the factory, and these devices are electrically connected. After the connection of each device constituting the substrate processing apparatus 20 is completed, the substrate processing apparatus 20 is started. When the substrate processing apparatus 20 is started, the control unit 100 is started as shown in FIG. 7 (step S100). When the control unit 100 is started, a system parameter setting screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. The operator sets various parameters while checking the system parameter setting screen (step S102). When the operator sets various parameters, the control unit 100 selects one layout information from among the plurality of layout information (step S104). Here, when the operator sets the transport layout to LEFT, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, when the operator sets the transport layout to RIGHT, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S108. In step S106, the control unit 100 selects the first layout information as the layout information. Meanwhile, in step S108, the control unit 100 selects the second layout information as the layout information. Then, in step S110, the layout information selected by the control unit 100 is passed (developed) to the transfer control unit 110. The transfer control unit 110 controls the operation of the first transfer robot 84 and the second transfer robot 60 based on each transfer operation information linked to the passed layout information.

[0062] <Method of Manufacturing Semiconductor Device> Next, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the substrate processing apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, that is, a procedure for processing the substrate W, will be described.

[0063] When the substrate processing apparatus 20 is started, the control unit 100 selects layout information based on various set parameters, and transfers each transport operation information of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 to the transport control unit 110. The transport control unit 110 controls the operations of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 based on each transport operation information transferred.

[0064] When an order for substrate processing is input, the transfer control unit 110 operates the first transfer robot 84 and the second transfer robot 60 in response to a request from the control unit 100 . First, the substrate W is taken out from the container 80 placed in the placement chamber 78 by using the first transfer robot 84 in the first transfer chamber 86 .

[0065] Next, the first transfer robot 84 is moved to deliver the substrate W to the second transfer robot 60 in the second transfer chamber 50 .

[0066] The second transport robot 60 that has received the substrate W moves toward the designated processing module 30 and delivers the substrate W to the substrate support table 40 .

[0067] The substrate support table 40 that has received the substrate W is raised and loaded into the reaction furnace 32. The substrate W loaded into the reaction furnace 32 is subjected to a film formation process.

[0068] In this manner, the film formation process is performed on the substrate W, and a semiconductor device is manufactured.

[0069] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the operations of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 are controlled based on a plurality of layout information items that indicate the arrangement of the placement chamber 78, the first transport chamber 86, the second transport chamber 50, and the processing modules 30 stored in the storage unit, so that it is possible to reduce the burden on the operator in setting the transport operation information of the transport robot that transports the substrate W. In particular, it is possible to reduce the burden on the operator in the initial setting immediately after the substrate processing apparatus 20 is installed in the factory. Furthermore, even when a processing module 30 is added to the substrate processing apparatus 20, it is possible to reduce the burden on the operator in the setting.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the loading chamber 78 is positioned in front of the maintenance area M, and the first transport chamber 86, the second transport chamber 50, and the processing module 30 are positioned based on this, so that when two substrate processing apparatuses 20 are installed in a factory, the maintenance area M can be shared, making it possible to reduce the installation space.

[0071] In addition, in this embodiment, since the layout information includes the first layout information and the second layout information, the burden on the operator in setting the layout in accordance with the device configuration can be reduced, and erroneous operation by the operator can be prevented.

[0072] Furthermore, when a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 20 are installed side by side in a semiconductor factory, a maintenance area M is provided for each apparatus in which maintenance work is performed. However, as shown in FIG. 8, by changing the apparatus layout, the maintenance area M can be shared between the substrate processing apparatuses 20, which allows the apparatus installation area to be reduced and ensures the number of apparatuses to be installed. In FIG. 8, a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 20 (two in FIG. 8) are arranged so as to share the maintenance area M with each other. Specifically, the maintenance area M is set on the substrate processing apparatus 20 on the opposite side to the second transfer chamber 50 side of the processing module 30. As shown in FIG. 8, the substrate processing system of this embodiment has a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 20 arranged so as to share the maintenance area M with each other.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the memory unit 101C stores multiple pieces of transport operation information for the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 linked to each of multiple layout information, so that when the layout information is determined, the transport operation information for the first transport robot 84 and the transport operation information for the second transport robot 60 are automatically expanded to control the operation of the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60.

[0074] In this embodiment, various parameters on the system parameter setting screen are input from the input / output device 102, and the control unit 100 selects and develops one piece of layout information from multiple pieces of layout information. This reduces the burden on the operator compared to when the operator sets the transport operation information of the first transport robot 84 and the transport operation information of the second transport robot 60 according to the device configuration.

[0075] In addition, in this embodiment, when the layout information is selected by the control unit 100, the selected layout information is passed (developed) to the transport control unit 110. This reduces the burden on the operator and shortens the setup work time.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport operation information of the second transport robot 60 includes information on the transfer direction for transferring the substrate W between the inside of the processing module 30 and the entrance / exit 34, thereby reducing the time required for the operator to make settings according to the equipment layout each time.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport operation information of the second transport robot 60 includes the position information of multiple processing modules 30, so that the distance between the second transport robot 60 and the target processing module 30 can be easily determined.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second transport robot 60 moves along the transport rail toward the specified processing module based on the position information of the processing module 30, and can therefore move accurately and quickly to the desired processing module.

[0079] In this embodiment, the arm of the second transport robot 60 transfers the substrate W to and from the processing module 30. Since the movement of this arm is also included in the transport operation information, it is possible to reduce the work time that the operator has to make settings according to the layout of the apparatus each time. It is also possible to prevent erroneous settings by the operator.

[0080] In this embodiment, the expandable arm 84A of the first transport robot 84 transfers the substrate W to and from the container 80. Since the movement of this arm is also included in the transport operation information, it is possible to reduce the time required for the operator to make settings according to the layout of the apparatus each time. It is also possible to prevent erroneous settings by the operator.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by directly transferring the substrate W between the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60, an area for temporarily placing the substrate W is not required, making it possible to simplify the device configuration.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the loading chamber 78, the first transport chamber 86, the second transport chamber 50, and the processing module 30 are connected, it becomes possible to select one piece of layout information from among a plurality of pieces of layout information, thereby enabling reliable development of transport operation information.

[0083] In the above-mentioned embodiment, an example of forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be suitably applied to, for example, a case where a film is formed using a single-wafer type substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time. In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example of forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall type processing furnace has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be suitably applied to, for example, a case where a film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace.

[0084] When using these substrate processing apparatuses, each process can be performed according to the same process procedures and under the same process conditions as in the above-mentioned aspects and modifications, and the same effects as in the above-mentioned aspects and modifications can be obtained.

[0085] <Other embodiments> The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the substrate W is transported by the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. For example, the first transport robot 84 and the second transport robot 60 may be configured to transfer the substrate W from the container 80 to another sealed container and transport the sealed container, or may be configured to transport the container 80. In this embodiment, the same effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiment can be obtained. In addition, in this embodiment, the second transport robot 60 can further simultaneously transport multiple substrates W to a processing module, which has the effect of shortening the transport time of the substrates W.

[0086] The above-mentioned aspects and modifications may be used in appropriate combination. The processing procedures and processing conditions in such a case may be the same as those of the above-mentioned aspects and modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 20 Substrate processing equipment 30 Processing Module 50 Second Transport Room 60 Second Transport Robot 78 Storage Room 80 containers 84 First Transport Robot 86 First Transport Room W substrate

Claims

1. a loading chamber in which a container for accommodating a substrate is loaded; a first transfer chamber including a first transfer robot for transferring substrates between the container and the first transfer chamber; a plurality of processing modules for processing the substrates; a second transfer chamber that transfers the substrate between the first transfer chamber and the processing module and has a second transfer robot therein; a storage unit in which a plurality of pieces of layout information indicating an arrangement of the placement chamber, the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing modules are stored; a control unit capable of controlling operations of the first transport robot and the second transport robot based on the layout information of the storage unit; A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

2. When the placement chamber is disposed in front of a maintenance area, the placement chamber, the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing module are the first transport chamber is disposed behind the placement chamber and parallel to the placement chamber; the second transport chamber is disposed at a rear of the first transport chamber so as to be perpendicular to the first transport chamber, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing module is disposed rearward of the first transfer chamber and parallel to the second transfer chamber.

3. Each of the processing modules is provided with an entrance / exit for the substrate, 2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the layout information includes first layout information in which the processing modules are arranged so that each of the entrances faces a first direction perpendicular to a substrate transport direction in the second transport chamber in a planar view, and second layout information in which the processing modules are arranged so that each of the entrances faces a second direction different from the first direction with respect to the substrate transport direction in a planar view.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite to each other.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage unit stores a plurality of pieces of transport operation information of the first transport robot and a plurality of pieces of transport operation information of the second transport robot, each piece being associated with a plurality of pieces of layout information.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising an operation unit capable of setting information for selecting one piece of layout information from the plurality of pieces of layout information.

7. a transport control unit that controls operations of the first transport robot and the second transport robot, The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit is capable of controlling the operation of the first transport robot and the second transport robot by acquiring the transport operation information associated with selected layout information from among the plurality of layout information and passing it to the transport control unit.

8. Each of the processing modules is provided with an entrance / exit for the substrate, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transport operation information of the second transport robot includes information on a transfer direction in which the substrate is transferred between the inside of the processing module and the second transport robot via the entrance.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transport operation information of the second transport robot includes position information of the plurality of processing modules.

10. The second transport chamber includes a transport rail, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second transport robot transports the substrate by moving on the transport rail toward the processing module designated based on the position information.

11. the second transport robot has an arm that is horizontally rotatable and extendable, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the arm transfers the substrate to and from the processing module.

12. The first transport robot has an arm that is horizontally rotatable and extendable, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the arm transfers the substrate to and from the container.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first transport robot and the second transport robot directly transfer the substrate to and from each other.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the placement chamber, the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing module are connected, one of the plurality of pieces of layout information can be selected.

15. A substrate processing system comprising a plurality of the substrate processing apparatuses according to claim 1 , the substrate processing apparatuses being arranged to share a maintenance area.

16. The substrate processing system according to claim 15 , wherein the maintenance area is set on a side opposite to the second transfer chamber side of the plurality of processing modules.

17. a step of storing layout information indicating an arrangement of the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing modules, which is capable of performing an operation of removing the substrate from a loading chamber in which a container for accommodating the substrate is placed by a first transfer robot in a first transfer chamber, transferring the substrate to a second transfer robot in a second transfer chamber, and transferring the substrate received by the second transfer robot to a plurality of processing modules for processing the substrate; controlling operations of the first transport robot and the second transport robot based on the layout information; processing the substrate received from the second transfer robot in the processing module; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having the above structure.

18. a step of storing layout information indicating an arrangement of the first transfer chamber, the second transfer chamber, and the processing modules, which is capable of performing an operation of removing the substrate from a loading chamber in which a container for accommodating the substrate is placed by a first transfer robot in a first transfer chamber, transferring the substrate to a second transfer robot in a second transfer chamber, and transporting the substrate received by the second transfer robot to a plurality of processing modules for processing the substrate; a step of controlling operations of the first transport robot and the second transport robot based on the layout information; processing the substrate received from the second transfer robot in the processing module; A program for causing a computer to execute the above in a substrate processing apparatus.

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