Wafer processing system and wafer processing method

Abstract

To provide a wafer processing system which suppresses reduction of an operation rate of the wafer processing system, and a wafer processing method.SOLUTION: A wafer processing system 1 comprises: a batch processing section 4 which collectively processes a lot including a plurality of wafers W; a leaf processing section 6 which processes the wafers of the lot one by one; an interface section 5 which delivers the wafers from the batch processing section to the leaf processing section; and a control device. The interface section includes: a wafer holding part which holds the wafer; a process liquid supply section which supplies a process liquid onto a top face of the wafer held by the wafer holding part; and a first imaging part which images the top face of the wafer held by the wafer holding part. The leaf processing section includes a conveyance device 61 which receives the wafer from the wafer holding part. The control device determines whether or not a surface state of the top face of the wafer is normal based on the image picked up by the first imaging part and, in a case where the surface state is abnormal, conveys the wafer from the wafer holding part to the leaf processing section using the conveyance device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing system and a substrate processing method.

Background Art

[0002] A substrate processing system including a batch processing unit, a single-wafer processing unit, and an interface unit is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). The batch processing unit processes a lot including a plurality of substrates at once. The single-wafer processing unit processes the substrates of the lot one by one. The interface unit transfers the substrates from the batch processing unit to the single-wafer processing unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of suppressing a decrease in the operating rate of a substrate processing system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A substrate processing system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a batch processing unit that collectively processes a lot including a plurality of substrates, a single-wafer processing unit that processes the substrates of the lot one by one, an interface unit that transfers the substrates from the batch processing unit to the single-wafer processing unit, and a control unit. The interface unit includes a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate, a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and a first imaging unit that images the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit. The single-wafer processing unit has a transfer device that receives the substrate from the substrate holding unit. The control unit determines whether the surface state of the upper surface of the substrate is normal based on an image captured by the first imaging unit. When the surface state is abnormal, the substrate is transferred from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit by the transfer device without supplying the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the upper surface of the substrate.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, a decrease in the operating rate of the substrate processing system can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding members or components are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0009] 〔Substrate Processing System〕 Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing system 1 includes a loading / unloading unit 2, a first interface unit 3, a batch processing unit 4, a second interface unit 5, a single wafer processing unit 6, and a control device 9.

[0011] The loading / unloading unit 2 serves as both a loading unit and an unloading unit. Therefore, the substrate processing system 1 can be miniaturized. The loading / unloading unit 2 includes a load port 21, a stocker 22, a loader 23, and a cassette transfer device 24.

[0012] The load port 21 is disposed on the negative side in the X-axis direction of the loading / unloading unit 2. A plurality (for example, four) of load ports 21 are arranged along the Y-axis direction. The number of load ports 21 is not particularly limited. A cassette C is placed on the load port 21. The cassette C accommodates a plurality of (for example, 25) substrates W and is loaded / unloaded with respect to the load port 21. Inside the cassette C, the substrate W is held horizontally and is held at a second pitch P2 (P2 = N × P1) which is N times the first pitch P1 in the vertical direction. N is a natural number of 2 or more, and is 2 in the present embodiment, but may be 3 or more.

[0013] The stockers 22 are arranged in a plurality (for example, four) along the Y-axis direction at the center of the loading / unloading section 2 in the X-axis direction. The stockers 22 are arranged in a plurality (for example, two) along the Y-axis direction adjacent to the first interface section 3 on the positive side of the X-axis direction of the loading / unloading section 2. The stockers 22 may be arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. The stockers 22 temporarily store the cassette C in which the substrate W before the cleaning process is stored, the cassette C from which the substrate W has been taken out and whose inside has become empty, etc. The number of the stockers 22 is not particularly limited.

[0014] The loader 23 is adjacent to the first interface section 3 and is arranged on the positive side of the X-axis direction of the loading / unloading section 2. The cassette C is placed on the loader 23. The loader 23 is provided with a lid opening / closing mechanism (not shown) for opening and closing the lid of the cassette C. A plurality of loaders 23 may be provided. The loader 23 may be arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

[0015] The cassette transfer device 24 transfers the cassette C between the load port 21, the stockers 22, and the loader 23. The cassette transfer device 24 is, for example, an articulated transfer robot.

[0016] The first interface section 3 is arranged on the positive side of the X-axis direction of the loading / unloading section 2. The first interface section 3 transfers the substrate W between the loading / unloading section 2, the batch processing section 4, and the single-wafer processing section 6. The first interface section 3 includes a substrate transfer device 31, a lot forming section 32, and a first delivery stand 33.

[0017] The substrate transfer device 31 transfers the substrate W between the cassette C placed on the loader 23, the lot forming section 32, and the first delivery stand 33. The substrate transfer device 31 consists of a multi-axis (for example, six-axis) arm robot and has a substrate holding arm 31a at its tip. The substrate holding arm 31a has a plurality of holding claws (not shown) capable of holding a plurality of substrates W (for example, 25 substrates). The substrate holding arm 31a can take an arbitrary position and posture in the three-dimensional space while holding the substrate W by the holding claws.

[0018] The lot forming unit 32 is arranged on the positive side in the X-axis direction of the first interface unit 3. The lot forming unit 32 holds a plurality of substrates W at the first pitch P1 to form a lot L.

[0019] The first delivery stand 33 is adjacent to the single wafer processing unit 6 and is arranged on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the first interface unit 3. The first delivery stand 33 temporarily stores the substrate W received from the fourth transfer device 61 until it is delivered to the loading / unloading unit 2.

[0020] The batch processing unit 4 is arranged on the positive side in the X-axis direction of the first interface unit 3. The loading / unloading unit 2, the first interface unit 3, and the batch processing unit 4 are arranged in this order from the negative side to the positive side in the X-axis direction. The batch processing unit 4 collectively processes a lot L including a plurality of (for example, 50 or 100) substrates W at the first pitch P1. One lot L is composed of, for example, the substrates W in M cassettes C. M is a natural number of 2 or more. M may be the same natural number as N or a different natural number from N. The batch processing unit 4 includes a chemical solution tank 41, a rinse solution tank 42, a first transfer device 43, a processing tool 44, and a drive device 45.

[0021] The chemical solution tank 41 and the rinse solution tank 42 are arranged along the X-axis direction. For example, the chemical solution tank 41 and the rinse solution tank 42 are arranged in this order from the positive side to the negative side in the X-axis direction. The chemical solution tank 41 and the rinse solution tank 42 are also collectively referred to as a processing tank. The number of the chemical solution tank 41 and the rinse solution tank 42 is not limited to that in FIG. 1. For example, although the chemical solution tank 41 and the rinse solution tank 42 are one set in FIG. 1, they may be a plurality of sets.

[0022] The chemical solution tank 41 stores the chemical solution in which the lot L is immersed. The chemical solution is, for example, an aqueous phosphoric acid solution (H3PO4). The aqueous phosphoric acid solution selectively etches and removes the silicon nitride film out of the silicon oxide film and the silicon nitride film. The chemical solution is not limited to the aqueous phosphoric acid solution. The chemical solution may be DHF (dilute hydrofluoric acid), BHF (a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride), dilute sulfuric acid, SPM (a mixture of sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water), SC1 (a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and water), SC2 (a mixture of hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water), TMAH (a mixture of tetramethylammonium hydroxide and water), a plating solution, or the like. The chemical solution may be for stripping treatment or plating treatment. The number of chemical solutions is not particularly limited, and a plurality of them may be used.

[0023] The rinse solution tank 42 stores the first rinse solution in which the lot L is immersed. The first rinse solution is pure water for removing the chemical solution from the substrate W, and is, for example, DIW (deionized water).

[0024] The first transfer device 43 includes a guide rail 43a and a first transfer arm 43b. The guide rail 43a is disposed on the negative Y-axis side with respect to the processing tank. The guide rail 43a extends in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) from the first interface portion 3 to the batch processing portion 4. The first transfer arm 43b moves in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) along the guide rail 43a. The first transfer arm 43b may move in the vertical direction or may rotate around the vertical axis. The first transfer arm 43b transfers the lot L in a batch between the first interface portion 3 and the batch processing portion 4.

[0025] The processing tool 44 receives and holds the lot L from the first transfer arm 43b. The processing tool 44 holds a plurality of substrates W at a first pitch P1 in the Y-axis direction, and holds each of the plurality of substrates W vertically.

[0026] The drive device 45 moves the processing tool 44 in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The processing tool 44 immerses the lot L in the chemical solution stored in the chemical solution tank 41, then immerses the lot L in the first rinse solution stored in the rinse solution tank 42, and then passes the lot L to the first transfer device 43.

[0027] In the present embodiment, the number of units of the processing tool 44 and the driving device 45 is one, but it may be plural. In the latter case, one unit immerses the lot L in the chemical solution stored in the chemical solution tank 41, and another unit immerses the lot L in the first rinse solution stored in the rinse solution tank 42. In this case, the driving device 45 may move the processing tool 44 in the Z-axis direction, and it is not necessary to move the processing tool 44 in the X-axis direction.

[0028] The second interface unit 5 is disposed on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the batch processing unit 4. The second interface unit 5 conveys the substrate W between the batch processing unit 4 and the single-wafer processing unit 6. The second interface unit 5 includes an immersion tank 51, a second transfer device 52, a third transfer device 53, and a second delivery stage 54.

[0029] The immersion tank 51 is disposed outside the movement range of the first transfer arm 43b. For example, the immersion tank 51 is disposed at a position shifted in the positive Y-axis direction with respect to the processing tank. The immersion tank 51 stores the second rinse solution in which the lot L is immersed. The second rinse solution is, for example, DIW (deionized water). The substrate W is held in the second rinse solution until it is lifted from the second rinse solution by the third transfer device 53. Since the substrate W exists below the liquid level of the second rinse solution, the surface tension of the second rinse solution does not act on the substrate W, and the collapse of the uneven pattern of the substrate W can be prevented.

[0030] The second transfer device 52 includes a Y-axis driving device 52a, a Z-axis driving device 52b, and a second transfer arm 52c.

[0031] The Y-axis driving device 52a is disposed on the positive side in the X-axis direction of the second interface unit 5. The Y-axis driving device 52a extends from the second interface unit 5 to the batch processing unit 4 along the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction). The Y-axis driving device 52a moves the Z-axis driving device 52b and the second transfer arm 52c in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis driving device 52a may include a ball screw.

[0032] The Z-axis drive device 52b is movably attached to the Y-axis drive device 52a. The Z-axis drive device 52b moves the second transfer arm 52c in the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis drive device 52b may include a ball screw.

[0033] The second transfer arm 52c is movably attached to the Z-axis drive device 52b. The second transfer arm 52c receives and holds the lot L from the first transfer arm 43b. The second transfer arm 52c holds a plurality of substrates W at a first pitch P1 in the Y-axis direction and holds each of the plurality of substrates W in the vertical direction. The second transfer arm 52c moves in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by the Y-axis drive device 52a and the Z-axis drive device 52b. The second transfer arm 52c is configured to be movable to a plurality of positions including a delivery position, an immersion position, and a standby position.

[0034] The delivery position is a position where the lot L is delivered between the first transfer arm 43b and the second transfer arm 52c. The delivery position is a position on the negative side in the Y-axis direction and the positive side in the Z-axis direction.

[0035] The immersion position is a position where the lot L is immersed in the immersion tank 51. The immersion position is a position on the positive side in the Y-axis direction and the negative side in the Z-axis direction relative to the delivery position.

[0036] The standby position is a position where the second transfer arm 52c waits when the delivery of the lot L and the immersion of the lot L in the immersion tank 51 are not performed. The standby position is directly below the delivery position (negative side in the Z-axis direction) and is a position that does not interfere with the movement of the first transfer arm 43b. In this case, since the second transfer arm 52c can move to the delivery position only by moving upward (positive side in the Z-axis direction), the throughput is improved. The standby position may be the same position as the immersion position. In this case, it is possible to prevent particles that may be generated when the first transfer device 43 operates from adhering to the second transfer arm 52c. The standby position may be a position directly above the immersion position (positive side in the Z-axis direction). Thus, by setting the standby position to a position different from the delivery position, contact between the first transfer arm 43b and the second transfer arm 52c can be prevented.

[0037] While the first transfer device 43 is operating, the second transfer device 52 moves the second transfer arm 52c to the dipping position or the standby position. Thereby, contact between the first transfer arm 43b and the second transfer arm 52c can be prevented.

[0038] The third transfer device 53 is composed of a multi-axis (for example, 6-axis) articulated robot and has a third transfer arm 53a at its tip. The third transfer arm 53a has holding claws (not shown) that can hold a single substrate W. The third transfer arm 53a can take any position and posture in three-dimensional space while holding the substrate W with the holding claws. The third transfer device 53 transfers the substrate W between the second transfer arm 52c at the dipping position and the second delivery stage 54. At this time, since the dipping tank 51 is arranged outside the movement range of the first transfer arm 43b, the first transfer arm 43b and the third transfer arm 53a do not interfere with each other. Thereby, either the first transfer device 43 or the third transfer device 53 can be operated independently regardless of the operating state of the other. For this reason, the first transfer device 43 and the third transfer device 53 can be operated at an arbitrary timing, so that the time required for transferring the substrate W can be shortened. As a result, the productivity of the substrate processing system 1 is improved.

[0039] The second delivery stage 54 is adjacent to the single-wafer processing unit 6 and is arranged on the negative side in the X-axis direction of the second interface unit 5. The second delivery stage 54 temporarily stores the substrate W received from the third transfer device 53 until it is delivered to the single-wafer processing unit 6. The substrate W taken out from the dipping tank 51 is placed on the second delivery stage 54. The substrate W placed on the second delivery stage 54 is preferably in a state where, for example, its surface is wet with the second rinse liquid. In this case, the surface tension of the second rinse liquid does not act on the substrate W, and collapse of the uneven pattern of the substrate W can be suppressed. The number of the second delivery stages 54 may be one or more. Details of the second delivery stage 54 will be described later.

[0040] The single-wafer processing unit 6 is arranged on the negative X-axis side of the second interface unit 5 and on the positive Y-axis side of the loading / unloading unit 2, the first interface unit 3, and the batch processing unit 4. The single-wafer processing unit 6 processes the substrates W one by one. The single-wafer processing unit 6 includes a fourth transfer device 61, a liquid processing device 62, and a drying device 63.

[0041] The fourth transfer device 61 includes a guide rail 61a, a fourth transfer arm 61b, and a second imaging unit 61c. The guide rail 61a is arranged on the negative Y-axis side of the single-wafer processing unit 6. The guide rail 61a extends along the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) in the single-wafer processing unit 6. The fourth transfer arm 61b moves in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) and the vertical direction along the guide rail 61a and rotates around the vertical axis. The fourth transfer arm 61b transfers the substrate W between the second delivery stage 54, the liquid processing device 62, the drying device 63, and the first delivery stage 33. The number of the fourth transfer arms 61b may be one or more. In the latter case, the fourth transfer device 61 transfers a plurality of (for example, five) substrates W at once. The second imaging unit 61c is attached to the fourth transfer arm 61b. The second imaging unit 61c images the upper surface of the substrate W transferred by the fourth transfer arm 61b and obtains a second upper surface image which is an image of the upper surface of the substrate W. The second imaging unit 61c may include a camera and generate an image by the camera. The second imaging unit 61c may include a laser light source and a camera and generate an image by the optical cutting method. The second imaging unit 61c only needs to be able to image the upper surface of the substrate W transferred by the fourth transfer arm 61b and may be attached to the side wall, ceiling, etc. of the single-wafer processing unit 6. In the example of FIG. 1, there is one second imaging unit 61c, but the second imaging unit 61c may be two or more.

[0042] The liquid processing device 62 is arranged on the positive side in the X-axis direction and the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the single-wafer processing unit 6. The liquid processing device 62 is of the single-wafer type and processes the substrate W one by one with a processing liquid. The liquid processing device 62 is arranged in multiple stages (for example, three stages) in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). Thereby, a plurality of substrates W can be processed with the processing liquid simultaneously. There may be a plurality of processing liquids, for example, pure water such as DIW and a drying liquid having a lower surface tension than pure water. The drying liquid may be an alcohol such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol).

[0043] The drying device 63 is arranged adjacent to the liquid processing device 62 on the negative side in the X-axis direction. In this case, the end face on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the single-wafer processing unit 6 can be arranged flush or substantially flush with the end face on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the second interface unit 5. For this reason, almost no dead space is generated, so the footprint of the substrate processing system 1 can be reduced. On the contrary, if the drying device 63 is arranged adjacent to the liquid processing device 62 on the positive side in the Y-axis direction, the end face on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the single-wafer processing unit 6 protrudes beyond the end face on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the second interface unit 5, and dead space may be generated. The drying device 63 is of the single-wafer type and dries the substrate W one by one with a supercritical fluid. The drying device 63 is arranged in multiple stages (for example, three stages) in the vertical direction. Thereby, a plurality of substrates W can be dried simultaneously.

[0044] Both the liquid processing device 62 and the drying device 63 do not have to be of the single-wafer type. The liquid processing device 62 may be of the single-wafer type and the drying device 63 may be of the batch type. The drying device 63 may dry a plurality of substrates W collectively with a supercritical fluid. The number of substrates W processed collectively in the drying device 63 may be equal to or more than the number of substrates W processed collectively in the liquid processing device 62, but may also be less. Devices other than the liquid processing device 62 and the drying device 63 may be arranged in the single-wafer processing unit 6.

[0045] The control device 9 is, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 91 and a recording medium 92 such as a memory. The recording medium 92 is an example of a storage unit. A program for controlling various processes executed in the substrate processing system 1 is stored in the recording medium 92. The control device 9 controls the operation of the substrate processing system 1 by causing the CPU 91 to execute the program stored in the recording medium 92. The control device 9 includes an input interface 93 and an output interface 94. The control device 9 receives a signal from the outside through the input interface 93 and transmits a signal to the outside through the output interface 94.

[0046] The above program is stored, for example, in a computer-readable recording medium, and is installed from the recording medium into the recording medium 92 of the control device 9. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a hard disk (HD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magneto-optical disk (MO), a memory card, and the like. The program may be downloaded from a server via the Internet and installed in the recording medium 92 of the control device 9. The control device 9 is an example of a control unit and may function as a part of the substrate standby unit.

[0047] In the substrate processing system 1, the substrate W is conveyed in the order of the loading / unloading unit 2, the first interface unit 3, the batch processing unit 4, the second interface unit 5, and the single-wafer processing unit 6, and then returns to the loading / unloading unit 2.

[0048] 〔Details of the Configuration of the Second Delivery Stand〕 Referring to FIG. 2, the details of the configuration of the second delivery stand 54 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the second delivery stand 54 in the embodiment. FIG. 2(a) is a top view, and FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view. FIG. 2(b) corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along line IIb-IIb in FIG. 2(a).

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the second transfer stage 54 includes a substrate holding unit 70, a first imaging unit 75, and a pure water supply unit 80. In FIG. 2(a), the pure water supply unit 80 is omitted.

[0050] The substrate holding unit 70 includes a liquid receiving part 71 and a plurality of pins 72. The liquid receiving part 71 includes a bottom plate 71a and a wall part 71b. The bottom plate 71a has a disk-like shape. The wall part 71b is provided annularly on the bottom plate 71a. The plurality of pins 72 are provided on the bottom plate 71a. In this embodiment, the number of pins 72 is three, but it may be four or more. The surface including the upper ends of the respective pins 72 is horizontal. The upper ends of the respective pins 72 are located above the upper end of the wall part 71b. The plurality of pins 72 support the substrate W from below above the bottom plate 71a.

[0051] The first imaging unit 75 is provided above the substrate holding unit 70. The first imaging unit 75 images the upper surface of the substrate W supported by the pins 72 and acquires a first upper surface image which is an image of the upper surface of the substrate W. The first imaging unit 75 may include a camera and generate an image by the camera. The first imaging unit 75 may include a laser light source and a camera and generate an image by the optical cutting method. In the example of FIG. 2, the number of the first imaging units 75 is one, but the number of the first imaging units 75 may be two or more.

[0052] The pure water supply unit 80 includes a nozzle 81, a pure water supply line 82, and a return line 83. The pure water supply line 82 is connected to the nozzle 81. The nozzle 81 discharges the pure water supplied through the pure water supply line 82. A branch point 85 is provided in the pure water supply line 82, and the return line 83 is connected to the branch point 85. Even during a period when the discharge of pure water from the nozzle 81 is not performed, pure water flows through the portion of the pure water supply line 82 upstream of the branch point 85 and the return line 83. The pure water supply unit 80 configured in this way supplies pure water to the upper surface of the substrate W. The pure water supply unit 80 is an example of a processing liquid supply unit.

[0053] 〔Operation of the Substrate Processing System〕 Referring to FIG. 3, the operation of the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment, that is, the substrate processing method will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the substrate processing method according to the embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 3 is performed under the control of the control device 9.

[0054] First, the cassette C is carried into the loading / unloading unit 2 in a state of accommodating a plurality of substrates W and placed on the load port 21. Inside the cassette C, the substrate W is held horizontally and held in the vertical direction at a second pitch P2 (P2 = N × P1). N is a natural number of 2 or more, and is 2 in this embodiment, but may be 3 or more.

[0055] Next, the cassette transfer device 24 transfers the cassette C from the load port 21 to the loader 23. The lid of the cassette C transferred to the loader 23 is opened by the lid opening / closing mechanism.

[0056] Next, the substrate transfer device 31 receives the substrate W accommodated in the cassette C (S1 in FIG. 3) and transfers it to the lot forming unit 32.

[0057] Next, the lot forming unit 32 holds a plurality of substrates W at a first pitch P1 (P1 = P2 / N) to form a lot L (S2 in FIG. 3). One lot L is composed of, for example, the substrates W of M cassettes C. Since the pitch of the substrate W becomes narrower from the second pitch P2 to the first pitch P1, the number of substrates W to be processed in a batch can be increased.

[0058] Next, the first transfer device 43 receives the lot L from the lot forming unit 32 and transfers it to the processing tool 44.

[0059] Next, the processing tool 44 descends from above the chemical liquid tank 41, immerses the lot L in the chemical liquid, and performs chemical liquid treatment (S3 in FIG. 3). Then, the processing tool 44 rises to lift the lot L from the chemical liquid, and then moves horizontally (negative X-axis direction) toward above the rinse liquid tank 42.

[0060] Next, the processing tool 44 descends from above the rinse liquid tank 42, immerses the lot L in the first rinse liquid, and performs rinse liquid treatment (S3 in FIG. 3). Then, the processing tool 44 ascends to lift the lot L from the first rinse liquid. Next, the first transfer device 43 receives the lot L from the processing tool 44 and delivers it to the second transfer device 52.

[0061] Next, the second transfer arm 52c of the second transfer device 52 moves in the horizontal direction (positive side of the Y-axis direction), descends from above the immersion tank 51, and immerses the lot L in the second rinse liquid (S4 in FIG. 3). The plurality of substrates W of the lot L are held in the second rinse liquid until they are lifted from the second rinse liquid by the third transfer device 53. Since the substrates W are present below the liquid level of the second rinse liquid, the surface tension of the second rinse liquid does not act on the substrates W, and the collapse of the uneven patterns on the substrates W can be prevented.

[0062] Next, the third transfer device 53 transfers the substrates W of the lot L held by the second transfer arm 52c in the second rinse liquid to the second delivery stand 54. The third transfer device 53 transfers the substrates W to the second delivery stand 54 one by one, for example. At the second delivery stand 54, in order to suppress the drying of the upper surface of the substrate W and the collapse of the uneven pattern, pure water is discharged onto the upper surface of the substrate W, and a second liquid film LF2 that is a liquid film of pure water is formed.

[0063] Next, the fourth transfer device 61 receives the substrate W from the second delivery stand 54 and transfers it to the liquid treatment device 62.

[0064] Next, the liquid treatment device 62 treats the substrates W one by one with a liquid (S5 in FIG. 3). There may be a plurality of liquids. For example, it may be pure water such as DIW and a drying liquid having a lower surface tension than pure water. The drying liquid may be an alcohol such as IPA, for example. The liquid treatment device 62 supplies pure water and the drying liquid to the upper surface of the substrate W in this order to form a liquid film of the drying liquid.

[0065] Next, the fourth transfer device 61 receives the substrate W from the liquid processing device 62 and horizontally holds the substrate W with the liquid film of the drying liquid facing upward. The fourth transfer device 61 transfers the substrate W from the liquid processing device 62 to the drying device 63.

[0066] Next, the drying device 63 dries the substrate W one by one with a supercritical fluid (S5 in FIG. 3). The drying liquid can be replaced with a supercritical fluid, and collapse of the uneven pattern of the substrate W due to the surface tension of the drying liquid can be suppressed. Since a pressure-resistant container is required for the supercritical fluid, in order to miniaturize the pressure-resistant container, it is performed by single-wafer processing instead of batch processing.

[0067] Note that the drying device 63 is of a single-wafer type in this embodiment, but as described above, it may also be of a batch type. The batch-type drying device 63 dries a plurality of substrates W on which liquid films are formed all at once with a supercritical fluid. While the single-wafer type drying device 63 has one transfer arm for holding the substrate W, the batch-type drying device 63 has a plurality of transfer arms.

[0068] In this embodiment, the drying device 63 dries the substrate W by supercritical drying, but the drying method is not particularly limited. The drying method may be any method that can suppress collapse of the uneven pattern of the substrate W. For example, spin drying, scan drying, or water-repellent drying may be used. In spin drying, the liquid processing device 62 rotates the substrate W and removes the drying liquid from the upper surface of the substrate W by shaking off the drying liquid by centrifugal force. In scan drying, while moving the supply position of the drying liquid from the center of the substrate W toward the outer periphery of the substrate W, the substrate W is rotated and the liquid film is shaken off the substrate W by centrifugal force. In scan drying, further, the supply position of a drying gas such as nitrogen gas may be moved from the center of the substrate W toward the outer periphery of the substrate W so as to follow the supply position of the drying liquid.

[0069] Next, the fourth transfer device 61 receives the substrate W from the drying device 63 and transfers it to the first transfer stand 33.

[0070] Next, the substrate transfer device 31 receives the substrate W from the first delivery stage 33 and stores it in the cassette C (S6 in FIG. 3). The cassette C is carried out from the carry-in / carry-out section 2 in a state where a plurality of substrates W are accommodated.

[0071] Incidentally, when the substrate W is transferred from the batch processing unit 4 to the single-wafer processing unit 6 in the substrate processing system 1, pure water is discharged onto the upper surface of the substrate W at the second delivery stage 54 to form the second liquid film LF2. At this time, when the upper surface of the substrate W carried into the second delivery stage 54 has liquid repellency, when pure water is discharged onto the upper surface of the substrate W, the pure water may bounce off the upper surface of the substrate W and the pure water may fall from the substrate W during the conveyance of the substrate W. In this case, maintenance of the substrate processing system 1 is performed. For this reason, the operation rate of the substrate processing system 1 decreases.

[0072] For example, when evaluating the etching characteristics of a silicon nitride film by etching a monitor substrate having a silicon nitride film formed on its surface with a phosphoric acid aqueous solution, a bare silicon substrate may be included as a dummy substrate in a part of the lot L. In this case, the upper surfaces of some of the substrates in the lot L may become liquid repellent. This is because the upper surface of the monitor substrate etched with the phosphoric acid aqueous solution becomes lyophilic, but the upper surface of the bare silicon substrate etched with the phosphoric acid aqueous solution becomes liquid repellent. For example, when dummy substrates used in different processes are reused, the upper surfaces of some of the substrates in the lot L may become liquid repellent. For example, when an irregular event occurs during the processing of a product substrate, the upper surface of the substrate may become liquid repellent.

[0073] Hereinafter, a technique will be described that can suppress the fall of pure water from the substrate W and suppress a decrease in the operation rate of the substrate processing system 1 when the substrate W having a liquid-repellent upper surface is transferred from the batch processing unit 4 to the single-wafer processing unit 6.

[0074] 〔Operation of the second delivery stage〕 Referring to FIGS. 4 to 10, an example of the operation of the second delivery table 54 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the second delivery table 54. The processes shown in FIG. 4 are carried out under the control of the control device 9. FIGS. 5 to 8 are cross-sectional views showing an example of the operation of the second delivery table 54.

[0075] In step S101, when the substrate W is transported to the second delivery table 54 by the third transport device 53, as shown in FIG. 5, the substrate W is placed on the three pins 72. At this time, a first liquid film LF1, which is a liquid film of the second rinse liquid, is formed on the upper surface of the substrate W.

[0076] In step S102, as shown in FIG. 6, the first imaging unit 75 images the upper surface of the substrate W supported by the three pins 72 and obtains a first upper surface image, which is an image of the upper surface of the substrate W. The first imaging unit 75 transmits the obtained first upper surface image to the control device 9.

[0077] In step S103, the control device 9 determines whether the surface state of the substrate W is normal based on the first upper surface image. For example, the control device 9 calculates the ratio of the area covered by the first liquid film LF1 to the total area of the upper surface of the substrate W in the first upper surface image (hereinafter referred to as the "first area ratio"). Based on whether the calculated first area ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control device 9 determines whether the surface state of the substrate W is normal. When the first area ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control device 9 determines that the upper surface of the substrate W has hydrophilicity and the surface state of the substrate W is normal. When the first area ratio is less than the threshold value, the control device 9 determines that the upper surface of the substrate W has hydrophobicity and the surface state of the substrate W is abnormal. The threshold value is, for example, 100%. The threshold value may be a value less than 100%, for example, 90%. The control device 9 may store the first area ratio in association with information for identifying the substrate W (for example, substrate ID). In this case, it becomes easier to identify the cause when a product defect occurs.

[0078] In this embodiment, first, the control device 9 binarizes the first top surface image, calculates the ratio of the number of black pixels to the total number of pixels including black and white pixels (hereinafter referred to as "black ratio"), and determines whether the surface state of the substrate W is normal based on whether the calculated black ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold value. When the black ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control device 9 determines that the top surface of the substrate W has a hydrophilic property and the surface state of the substrate W is normal. When the black ratio is less than the threshold value, the control device 9 determines that the top surface of the substrate W has a hydrophobic property and the surface state of the substrate W is abnormal. The threshold value is, for example, 100%. The threshold value may be a value less than 100%, for example, 90%. The control device 9 may store the black ratio in association with information for identifying the substrate W (for example, substrate ID). In this case, it becomes easier to identify the cause when a product defect occurs.

[0079] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the first top surface image of the substrate W with a normal surface state. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the first top surface image of the substrate W with an abnormal surface state. In each of FIGS. 9 and 10, the left diagram shows the first top surface image before the binarization process, and the right diagram shows the first top surface image after the binarization process. In the example of FIG. 9, the first liquid film LF1 is formed on the entire surface of the substrate W, and the black ratio of the first top surface image after the binarization process is 100%. In this case, the control device 9 determines that the top surface of the substrate W has a hydrophilic property and the surface state of the substrate W is normal. In the example of FIG. 10, the first liquid film LF1 is formed in a partial region of the surface of the substrate W, and the black ratio of the first top surface image after the binarization process is 1%. In this case, the control device 9 determines that the top surface of the substrate W has a hydrophobic property and the surface state of the substrate W is abnormal.

[0080] When it is determined in step S103 that the surface state of the substrate W is normal (YES in step S103), the control device 9 proceeds with the process to step S104. When it is determined in step S103 that the surface state of the substrate W is not normal (abnormal) (NO in step S103), the control device 9 proceeds with the process to step S121.

[0081] In step S104, as shown in FIG. 7, the nozzle 81 discharges pure water toward the upper surface of the substrate W. As a result, a second liquid film LF2, which is a liquid film of pure water, is formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. After the second liquid film LF2 is formed on the upper surface of the substrate W, the nozzle 81 stops discharging pure water onto the substrate W.

[0082] In step S105, the control device 9 determines whether the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W. For example, when there is no substrate W in the liquid processing device 62, the control device 9 determines that the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W. For example, when there is a substrate W in the liquid processing device 62, the control device 9 determines that the liquid processing device 62 cannot accept the substrate W.

[0083] If it is determined in step S105 that the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W (YES in step S105), the control device 9 advances the process to step S106. If it is determined in step S105 that the liquid processing device 62 cannot accept the substrate W (NO in step S105), the control device 9 causes the substrate W to wait on the second transfer stand 54 until the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W.

[0084] In step S106, the control device 9 determines whether a predetermined waiting time has elapsed since the substrate W was transported to the second transfer stand 54. The predetermined waiting time is preset in advance by, for example, a processing recipe. The predetermined waiting time may be 0 seconds. That is, step S106 may be omitted.

[0085] If it is determined in step S106 that the predetermined waiting time has elapsed (YES in step S106), the control device 9 advances the process to step S107. If it is determined in step S106 that the predetermined waiting time has not elapsed (NO in step S106), the control device 9 causes the substrate W to wait on the second transfer stand 54 until the predetermined waiting time elapses.

[0086] When it is determined in step S103 that the state of the substrate W is abnormal (NO in step S103), the control device 9 advances the process to step S121. That is, when the state of the substrate W is abnormal, the second liquid film LF2 is not formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. In this case, when the fourth transfer device 61 transfers the substrate W from the substrate holding unit 70 to the liquid processing device 62, it is possible to suppress the droplets from falling from the upper surface of the substrate W, and the maintenance frequency can be reduced. For this reason, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the operating rate of the substrate processing system.

[0087] In step S121, the control device 9 determines whether the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W. For example, when there is no substrate W in the liquid processing device 62, the control device 9 determines that the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W. For example, when there is a substrate W in the liquid processing device 62, the control device 9 determines that the liquid processing device 62 cannot accept the substrate W.

[0088] When it is determined in step S121 that the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W (YES in step S121), the control device 9 advances the process to step S107. That is, when the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W, the control device 9 changes the transfer schedule so that the fourth transfer device 61 immediately transfers the substrate W from the substrate holding unit 70 to the liquid processing device 62 without waiting for the elapse of a predetermined waiting time. In this case, it is easy to suppress the collapse of the uneven pattern of the substrate W. The transfer schedule is a list of the transfer destinations and transfer orders of each substrate W arranged in time series.

[0089] When it is determined in step S121 that the liquid processing device 62 cannot accept the substrate W (NO in step S121), the control device 9 makes the substrate W wait on the second delivery stage 54 until the liquid processing device 62 can accept the substrate W.

[0090] In step S107, as shown in FIG. 8, the fourth transfer device 61 unloads the substrate W supported by the three pins 72 from the second delivery stage 54 and transfers it to the liquid processing device 62. When the fourth transfer device 61 transfers the substrate W, the second imaging unit 61c images the upper surface of the substrate W transferred by the fourth transfer arm 61b and acquires a second upper surface image which is an image of the upper surface of the substrate W. The second imaging unit 61c transmits the acquired second upper surface image to the control device 9.

[0091] In step S108, the control device 9 determines whether the surface state of the substrate W is normal based on the second upper surface image. For example, the control device 9 calculates the ratio of the area covered by the second liquid film LF2 to the total area of the upper surface of the substrate W in the second upper surface image (hereinafter referred to as "second area ratio"), and determines whether the surface state of the substrate W is normal based on whether the calculated second area ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold value. When the second area ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control device 9 determines that the upper surface of the substrate W has hydrophilicity and the surface state of the substrate W is normal. When the second area ratio is less than the threshold value, the control device 9 determines that the upper surface of the substrate W has hydrophobicity and the surface state of the substrate W is abnormal. The threshold value is, for example, 100%. The threshold value may be a value less than 100%, for example, 90%. The control device 9 may store the second area ratio in association with information for identifying the substrate W (for example, substrate ID). In this case, it becomes easier to identify the cause when a product defect occurs.

[0092] In step S108, the control device 9 may calculate a value obtained by subtracting the second area ratio from the first area ratio, and output an alarm when the calculated value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. This is because when the value obtained by subtracting the second area ratio from the first area ratio is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, there is a possibility that droplets have dropped from the substrate W during the transfer of the substrate W by the fourth transfer device 61. In step S108, an alarm may be output when the second imaging unit 61c detects that droplets have dropped from the substrate W during the transfer of the substrate W by the fourth transfer arm 61b. The alarm includes, for example, a display indicating that there is a possibility that droplets have dropped from the substrate W during the transfer of the substrate W.

[0093] In step S108, the case where the control device 9 determines the surface state of the substrate W based on the second top surface image has been described, but it is not limited thereto. The control device 9 may determine the surface state of the substrate W based on the first top surface image in the same manner as in step S103. In this case, in step S107, the second imaging unit 61c may not image the top surface of the substrate W conveyed by the fourth transfer arm 61b, and the fourth transfer device 61 may not have the second imaging unit 61c.

[0094] When it is determined in step S108 that the surface state of the substrate W is normal (YES in step S108), the control device 9 advances the process to step S109. When it is determined in step S108 that the surface state of the substrate W is abnormal (NO in step S108), the control device 9 advances the process to step S110.

[0095] In step S109, the liquid processing device 62 performs liquid processing on the substrate W according to a normal recipe, and the process ends. The normal recipe is an example of the first processing recipe.

[0096] In step S110, the liquid processing device 62 performs liquid processing on the substrate W according to a rescue recipe, and the process ends. The rescue recipe is an example of the second processing recipe. The rescue recipe is a processing recipe different from the normal recipe. The rescue recipe is, for example, a processing recipe in which a step of supplying SC1 to the substrate W is added before the first step in the normal recipe. When the top surface of the substrate W has hydrophobicity, it is difficult to form a liquid film on the top surface of the substrate W. For this reason, collapse of the uneven pattern of the substrate W may occur, and adjacent patterns may come into contact with each other. By supplying SC1 to the substrate W before the first step in the normal recipe, contact between adjacent patterns can be separated. Therefore, the occurrence of product defects can be suppressed. Before the step of supplying SC1 to the substrate W, a step of supplying hydrofluoric acid (HF), DSP (a mixed solution of pure water, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and hydrogen peroxide solution), etc. to the substrate W may be performed. In this case, it is easy to separate the contact between adjacent patterns.

[0097] As described above, according to the embodiment, the control device 9 determines whether the surface state of the upper surface of the substrate W is normal based on the first upper surface image captured by the first imaging unit 75. When it is determined that the surface state of the upper surface of the substrate W is abnormal, the substrate W is transported from the substrate holding unit 70 to the liquid processing device 62 by the fourth transport device 61 without supplying pure water from the pure water supply unit 80 to the upper surface of the substrate W. In this case, when the fourth transport device 61 transports the substrate W from the substrate holding unit 70 to the liquid processing device 62, it is possible to suppress droplets from dropping from the upper surface of the substrate W, and the maintenance frequency can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the operating rate of the substrate processing system.

[0098] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, replaced, or changed in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0099] 1 Substrate processing system 4 Batch processing unit 5 Second interface unit 6 Single-wafer processing unit 9 Control device 61 Fourth transport device 70 Substrate holding unit 75 First imaging unit 80 Pure water supply unit W Substrate

Claims

1. A batch processing unit that collectively processes a lot including a plurality of substrates, A single-wafer processing unit that processes the substrates of the lot one by one, An interface unit that transfers the substrates from the batch processing unit to the single-wafer processing unit, A control unit, comprising: The interface unit has a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate, a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and a first imaging unit that images the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and has: The single-wafer processing unit has a transfer device that receives the substrate from the substrate holding unit, The control unit determines whether the surface state of the upper surface of the substrate is normal based on the image captured by the first imaging unit, When the surface state is abnormal, the substrate is transferred from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit by the transfer device without supplying the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the upper surface of the substrate. A substrate processing system.

2. When the surface state is normal, the control unit supplies the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the upper surface of the substrate and then transfers the substrate from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit by the transfer device. The substrate processing system according to claim 1.

3. When the surface state is normal, the control unit waits for the substrate in the substrate holding unit until a waiting time elapses from the time when the substrate is held by the substrate holding unit. The substrate processing system according to claim 1.

4. When the surface state is abnormal and the single-wafer processing unit can accept the substrate, the control unit immediately transfers the substrate from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit by the transfer device. The substrate processing system according to claim 1.

5. The control unit When the surface state is normal, the substrate is processed in the single-wafer processing unit based on the first processing recipe. When the surface state is abnormal, the substrate is processed in the single-wafer processing unit based on a second processing recipe different from the first processing recipe. The substrate processing system according to claim 1.

6. The second processing recipe is a processing recipe in which a step of supplying SC1 to the substrate is added before the first step in the first processing recipe. The substrate processing system according to claim 5.

7. The determination of whether the surface state is normal is performed based on the ratio of the area covered by the processing liquid to the total area of the upper surface of the substrate. The substrate processing system according to claim 1.

8. It includes a storage unit that stores the ratio in association with information for identifying the substrate. The substrate processing system according to claim 7.

9. The single-wafer processing unit has a second imaging unit that images the upper surface of the substrate while the substrate is being transferred by the transfer device. The control unit determines whether droplets have fallen from the substrate while the substrate is being transferred by the transfer device based on the image captured by the first imaging unit and the image captured by the second imaging unit. The substrate processing system according to claim 1.

10. The processing liquid is pure water. The substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A substrate processing method using a substrate processing system, wherein the substrate processing system includes a batch processing unit that collectively processes a lot including a plurality of substrates, a single-wafer processing unit that processes the substrates of the lot one by one, an interface unit that transfers the substrates from the batch processing unit to the single-wafer processing unit, a control unit, and is provided with wherein the interface unit includes a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate, a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, a first imaging unit that images the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and has wherein the single-wafer processing unit has a transfer device that receives the substrate from the substrate holding unit, and determines whether the surface state of the upper surface of the substrate is normal based on an image captured by the first imaging unit, and when the surface state is abnormal, the substrate is transferred from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit by the transfer device without supplying the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the upper surface of the substrate, A substrate processing method.

12. When the surface state is normal, after supplying the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the upper surface of the substrate, the substrate is transferred from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit by the transfer device, The substrate processing method according to claim 11.

13. When the surface state is normal, the substrate is held in the substrate holding unit until a waiting time elapses from the time when the substrate is held in the substrate holding unit, The substrate processing method according to claim 11.

14. When the surface state is abnormal and the single-wafer processing unit can accept the substrate, the transfer device immediately transfers the substrate from the substrate holding unit to the single-wafer processing unit. The substrate processing method according to claim 11.

15. When the surface state is normal, the substrate is processed in the single-wafer processing unit based on a first processing recipe. When the surface state is abnormal, the substrate is processed in the single-wafer processing unit based on a second processing recipe different from the first processing recipe. The substrate processing method according to claim 11.

16. The second processing recipe is a processing recipe in which a step of supplying SC1 to the substrate is added before the first step in the first processing recipe. The substrate processing method according to claim 15.

17. The determination of whether the surface state is normal is performed based on the ratio of the area covered by the processing liquid to the total area of the upper surface of the substrate. The substrate processing method according to claim 11.

18. It includes a storage unit that stores the ratio in association with information for identifying the substrate. The substrate processing method according to claim 17.

19. The single-wafer processing unit has a second imaging unit that images the upper surface of the substrate while the substrate is being transferred by the transfer device. Based on the image captured by the first imaging unit and the image captured by the second imaging unit, it is determined whether droplets have fallen from the substrate while the substrate is being transferred by the transfer device. The substrate processing method according to claim 11.

20. The processing liquid is pure water. The substrate processing method according to any one of claims 11 to 19.

Images