Substrate processing apparatus, atmosphere control method, substrate processing method, manufacturing method of the semiconductor device, and program

Abstract

To enable a reduction of the consumption of an inert gas.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a technique including: a first container including a transfer chamber; a second container communicating with the transfer chamber and including a processing chamber for processing a substrate; a first atmosphere adjustment part capable of adjusting an atmosphere in the first container; a second atmosphere adjustment part capable of adjusting an atmosphere in the second container; and a control part structured to control a supply amount of an inert gas to be supplied to the first container so as to satisfy (a)>(b) or (a)>(c), or both of them in a state in which a pressure in the first container is higher than a pressure in a second container. The technique including: a movement step (a) of moving the substrate between the first container and the second container; a processing step (b) of processing the substrate in the second container; and a standby step (c) of not processing the substrate in the second container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, an atmosphere control method, a substrate processing method, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] As a substrate processing apparatus used in one step of a semiconductor device manufacturing process, there is one including a processing chamber for processing a substrate and a transfer chamber communicable therewith, and each is configured to be able to supply an inert gas (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of reducing the consumption amount of an inert gas.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] According to one aspect, a first container including a transfer chamber, a second container communicating with the transfer chamber and including a processing chamber for processing a substrate, a first atmosphere adjustment unit capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the first container, a second atmosphere adjustment unit capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the second container, a control unit capable of controlling the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the first container such that (a) > (b), (a) > (c), or both, in a state where the pressure in the first container is higher than the pressure in the second container, (a) a moving step of moving the substrate between the first container and the second container (b) a processing step of processing the substrate in the second container (c) A standby process in which the substrate is not processed in the second container A technique having the above is provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the consumption amount of the inert gas can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0009] The substrate processing apparatus described in the following examples is used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices and is configured to perform a predetermined process on a substrate to be processed. The substrate to be processed is, for example, a silicon wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as "substrate") as a semiconductor substrate on which a semiconductor device (semiconductor device) is fabricated. In this specification, when the term "substrate" is used, it may mean "the substrate itself" or "a laminate (aggregate) of the substrate and a predetermined layer or film formed on its surface" (that is, when the substrate including a predetermined layer or film formed on the surface is referred to as the substrate). Also, when the term "surface of the substrate" is used in this specification, it may mean "the surface (exposed surface) of the substrate itself" or "the surface of a predetermined layer or film formed on the substrate, that is, the outermost surface of the substrate as a laminate". When the term "substrate" is used in this specification, it is synonymous with the case when the term "substrate" is used. Examples of the predetermined process (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "process") performed on the substrate include oxidation process, diffusion process, annealing process, etching process, pre-cleaning process, chamber cleaning process, film formation process, etc. In this embodiment, the case of performing a film formation process in particular is taken as an example.

[0010] All the drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the respective elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily match the actual ones. Also, the dimensional relationships and ratios of the respective elements do not necessarily match among multiple drawings.

[0011] (1) Overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus The overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of the overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus described by way of example here is of a so-called cluster type, having a plurality of processing modules 201a to 201d around a vacuum transfer chamber 103. More specifically, the substrate processing apparatus in the illustrated example processes a substrate 200 and is roughly classified into a vacuum transfer chamber (transfer module) 103, load lock chambers (load lock modules) 122 and 123, an atmospheric transfer chamber (front end module) 121, an IO stage (load port) 105, a plurality of processing modules (process modules) 201a to 201d, and a controller 281 as a control unit. Hereinafter, each of these components will be specifically described. In the following description, in the front-back, left-right directions, the X1 direction is the right, the X2 direction is the left, the Y1 direction is the front, and the Y2 direction is the back.

[0013] (Vacuum transfer chamber) The vacuum transfer chamber 103 functions as a "transfer chamber" which is a transfer space where the substrate 200 is transferred under negative pressure. The housing 101 constituting the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is formed in a hexagonal shape in plan view. The housing 101 is also called a "first container". And to each side of the hexagon, the load lock chambers 122 and 123 and each of the processing modules 201a to 201d are respectively connected via gate valves 160, 165, 161a to 161d.

[0014] At a substantially central portion of the vacuum transfer chamber 103, a vacuum transfer robot 112 as a transfer robot for transferring (transferring) the substrate 200 under negative pressure is installed with a flange 115 as a base. The vacuum transfer robot 112 is configured to be able to move up and down while maintaining the airtightness of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 by an elevator 116 and a flange 115 (see FIG. 2).

[0015] The vacuum transfer chamber 103 is provided with a first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 for adjusting the atmosphere inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103. The first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 has a first gas supply unit 170a capable of supplying an inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and a first exhaust unit 170b capable of exhausting the atmosphere inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103 (see FIG. 2).

[0016] The first gas supply unit 170a has a first gas supply pipe 171 communicating with the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber 103. The first gas supply pipe 171 is provided, in order from the upstream direction, with a first gas source 172, a mass flow controller (flow control unit) MFC 173, and a valve 174 which is an on-off valve. The first gas source 172 is an inert gas source. The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas. The first gas supply unit 170a is mainly constituted by the first gas supply pipe 171, MFC 173, and valve 174.

[0017] The first exhaust unit 170b has an exhaust pipe 175 communicating with the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber 103. An APC (AutoPressure Controller) 176 which is a pressure controller for controlling the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 to a predetermined pressure is provided in the exhaust pipe 175. The APC 176 has a valve body (not shown) whose opening degree can be adjusted, and adjusts the conductance of the exhaust pipe 175 in accordance with an instruction from the controller 281. Further, a valve 177 is provided on the downstream side of the APC 176 in the exhaust pipe 175. The exhaust pipe 175, valve 177, and APC 176 are collectively referred to as the first exhaust unit 170b. Furthermore, a DP (Dry Pump) 178 is provided downstream of the exhaust pipe 175. The DP 178 exhausts the atmosphere of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 through the exhaust pipe 175.

[0018] A first pressure measurement unit 179 capable of measuring the pressure inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is provided in the vacuum transfer chamber 103. The first pressure measurement unit 179 can be configured by using, for example, a pressure sensor. The measurement result of the pressure by the first pressure measurement unit 179 is output to the controller 281 described later.

[0019] (Load Lock Chamber) Of the six side walls of the housing 101 that constitutes the vacuum transfer chamber 103, two side walls located on the front side are connected to the loading load lock chamber 122 for loading and the unloading load lock chamber 123 for unloading, respectively, via gate valves 160 and 165. A substrate mounting table 150 for the transfer chamber is installed in the load lock chamber 122, and a substrate mounting table 151 for the unloading chamber is installed in the load lock chamber 123. Each of the load lock chambers 122 and 123 is configured to be able to withstand negative pressure.

[0020] Each of the load lock chambers 122 and 123 is provided with a third atmosphere adjustment unit 180 for adjusting the atmosphere in the load lock chambers 122 and 123. The third atmosphere adjustment unit 180 includes a third gas supply unit 180a capable of supplying an inert gas to the load lock chambers 122 and 123, and a third exhaust unit 180b capable of exhausting the atmosphere in the load lock chambers 122 and 123 (see FIG. 2).

[0021] The third gas supply unit 180a has a third gas supply pipe 181 communicating with the inside of the load lock chambers 122 and 123. The third gas supply pipe 181 is provided, in order from the upstream direction, with a third gas source 182, an MFC 183 which is a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 184 which is an on-off valve. The third gas source 182 is an inert gas source. The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas. The third gas source 182 may be shared with the first gas source 172 of the first gas supply unit 170a. The third gas supply unit 180a is mainly constituted by the third gas supply pipe 181, the MFC 183, and the valve 184.

[0022] The third exhaust section 180b has an exhaust pipe 185 communicating with the load lock chambers 122 and 123. An APC 186, which is a pressure controller for controlling the pressure inside the load lock chambers 122 and 123 to a predetermined pressure, is provided in the exhaust pipe 185. The APC 186 has a valve body (not shown) with adjustable opening degree, and adjusts the conductance of the exhaust pipe 185 according to an instruction from the controller 281. Also, a valve 187 is provided on the downstream side of the APC 186 in the exhaust pipe 185. The exhaust pipe 185, the valve 187, and the APC 186 are collectively referred to as the third exhaust section 180b. Further, a DP 188 is provided downstream of the exhaust pipe 185. The DP 188 exhausts the atmosphere in the load lock chambers 122 and 123 through the exhaust pipe 185. The DP 188 may be shared with the DP 178 of the first exhaust section 170b.

[0023] (Atmosphere transfer chamber) An atmosphere transfer chamber 121 is connected to the front sides of the load lock chambers 122 and 123 via gate valves 128 and 129. The atmosphere transfer chamber 121 is used under substantially atmospheric pressure.

[0024] An atmosphere transfer robot 124 for transferring the substrate 200 is installed in the atmosphere transfer chamber 121. The atmosphere transfer robot 124 is configured to be lifted and lowered by an elevator 126 installed in the atmosphere transfer chamber 121 and to reciprocate in the left - right direction by a linear actuator 132 (see FIG. 2).

[0025] A clean unit 118 for supplying clean air is installed above the atmosphere transfer chamber 121 (see FIG. 2). Also, a device (hereinafter referred to as "pre - aligner") 106 for aligning the notch or orientation flat formed on the substrate 200 is installed on the left side of the atmosphere transfer chamber 121 (see FIG. 1).

[0026] (IO stage) On the front side of the housing 125 of the atmospheric transfer chamber 121, a substrate loading / unloading port 134 for loading and unloading the substrate 200 with respect to the atmospheric transfer chamber 121 and a pod opener 108 are installed. On the side opposite to the pod opener 108 with the substrate loading / unloading port 134 in between, that is, on the outer side of the housing 125, an IO stage 105 is installed.

[0027] On the IO stage 105, a plurality of FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods; hereinafter referred to as "pods") 100 for storing a plurality of substrates 200 are mounted. The pod 100 is used as a carrier for transporting the substrate 200 such as a silicon (Si) substrate. Inside the pod 100, a plurality of unprocessed substrates 200 and processed substrates 200 are configured to be stored horizontally in a plurality of compartments respectively.

[0028] The pod 100 on the IO stage 105 is opened and closed by the pod opener 108. The pod opener 108 includes a closure 142 that can open and close the cap 100a of the pod 100 and also close the substrate loading / unloading port 134, and a drive mechanism 109 that drives the closure 142.

[0029] (Processing module) Of the six side walls of the housing 101 that constitutes the vacuum transfer chamber 103, on the remaining four side walls to which the load lock chambers 122 and 123 are not connected, processing modules 201a to 201d for performing desired processing on the substrate 200 are respectively connected via gate valves 161a to 161d so as to be radially located around the vacuum transfer chamber 103. Each of the processing modules 201a to 201d is constituted by cold wall type processing vessels 203a to 203d, and one processing chamber 202a to 202d is formed in each of them. The processing vessel 202 is also referred to as the "second container". In each of the processing chambers 202a to 202d, processing on the substrate 200 is performed as one step of the manufacturing process of semiconductors and semiconductor devices. Examples of the processing performed in each of the processing chambers 202a to 202d include processing for forming a thin film on the substrate, processing for oxidizing, nitriding, carbonizing, modifying, etc. the substrate surface, film formation such as silicide and metal, processing for etching the substrate surface, and various substrate processes such as reflow processing.

[0030] Details of the configuration of each of the processing modules 201a to 201d will be described later.

[0031] (Controller) The controller 281 functions as a control unit (control means) for controlling the operations of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus. For this purpose, the controller 281 as the control unit is constituted by a computer device having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.

[0032] Details of the configuration of the controller 281 will be described later.

[0033] (2) Configuration of the Processing Module Next, the detailed configuration of each of the processing modules 201a to 201d will be described.

[0034] Each of the processing modules 201a to 201d functions as a single wafer type substrate processing apparatus, and all have the same configuration. Here, taking one of the processing modules 201a to 201d as an example, a specific configuration will be described. Since one of the processing modules 201a to 201d is taken as an example, in the following description, the processing modules 201a to 201d will be simply described as "processing module 201", and the cold-wall type processing containers 203a to 203d constituting each of the processing modules 201a to 201d will also be simply described as "processing container 203", the processing chambers 202a to 202d formed in each of the processing containers 203a to 203d will be simply described as "processing chamber 202", and further, the gate valves 161a to 161d corresponding to each of the processing modules 201a to 201d will also be simply described as "gate valve 161".

[0035] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an example of a schematic configuration of a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

[0036] (Processing container) As described above, the processing module 201 is constituted by a cold-wall type processing container 203. The processing container (hereinafter simply referred to as "container") 203 is configured as, for example, a flat sealed container having a circular cross section. Further, the container 203 is made of a metal material such as aluminum (Al) or stainless steel (SUS). Inside the container 203, a processing chamber 202 is provided which constitutes a processing space for processing a substrate 200 such as a silicon wafer. Below the processing chamber 202, a transfer space 202a through which the substrate 200 passes when the substrate 200 is transferred to the processing chamber 202 is formed.

[0037] On the side surface of the container 203, a substrate loading / unloading port 206 adjacent to the gate valve 205 is provided, and the substrate 200 moves between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 through the substrate loading / unloading port 206. A plurality of lift pins 207 are provided at the bottom of the container 203. Further, an exhaust pipe 222 to be described later is provided.

[0038] The exhaust pipe 222 is provided with a second pressure measurement unit 226 capable of measuring the pressure inside the processing chamber 202. The second pressure measurement unit 226 can be configured using, for example, a pressure sensor. The measurement result of the pressure by the second pressure measurement unit 226 is output to a controller 281 described later. Note that the second pressure measurement unit 226 may be arranged at other locations instead of the exhaust pipe 222 as long as it can measure the pressure inside the processing chamber 202.

[0039] Inside the container 203, a substrate support unit 210 for supporting the substrate 200 is arranged. The substrate support unit 210 mainly includes a substrate placement surface 211 for placing the substrate 200, a substrate placement table 212 having the substrate placement surface 211 on its surface, and a heater 213 provided inside the substrate placement table 212 as a heating unit. Through holes 214 through which the lift pins 207 penetrate are provided at positions corresponding to the lift pins 207 on the substrate placement table 212, respectively.

[0040] A wiring 215 for supplying power is connected to the heater 213. The wiring 215 is connected to a heater control unit 216.

[0041] The heater control unit 216 is electrically connected to a controller 281 described later. The controller 281 transmits control information to the heater control unit 216. The heater control unit 216 refers to the received control information and controls the heater 213.

[0042] The substrate placement table 212 is supported by a shaft 217. The shaft 217 penetrates the bottom of the container 203 and is further connected to a lifting unit 218 outside the container 203.

[0043] The elevating part 218 mainly includes a support shaft 218a that supports the shaft 217, and an operating part 218b that raises, lowers, or rotates the support shaft 218a. The operating part 218b has, for example, an elevating mechanism including a motor for realizing elevation and a rotation mechanism such as gears for rotating the support shaft 218a (however, both are not shown). The elevating part 218 may be provided with an indicating part (however, not shown) for giving elevation and rotation instructions to the operating part 218b as a part of the elevating part 218. The indicating part is electrically connected to the controller 281. The indicating part controls the operating part 218b based on the instructions of the controller 281.

[0044] By operating the elevating part 218 to raise and lower the shaft 217 and the substrate mounting table 212, the substrate mounting table 212 can raise and lower the substrate 200 mounted on the substrate mounting surface 211. The periphery of the lower end of the shaft 217 is covered by a bellows 219, whereby the inside of the processing space 202 is kept airtight.

[0045] During the conveyance of the substrate 200, the substrate mounting table 212 descends to a conveyance position where the substrate mounting surface 211 faces the substrate loading / unloading port 206. During the processing of the substrate 200, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate mounting table 212 ascends until the substrate 200 reaches a processing position within the processing space 202.

[0046] A gas introduction hole 231 is provided in the upper part (upstream side) of the processing space 202. For example, the gas introduction hole 231 is provided in the ceiling of the container 203.

[0047] (Atmosphere adjustment part) The gas introduction hole 231 is configured to communicate with a second gas supply part 230 capable of supplying gas to the processing chamber 202. The second gas supply part 230 has a fourth gas supply part 240 and a fifth gas supply part 250 capable of supplying processing gas to the processing chamber 202, and a sixth gas supply part 260 capable of supplying inert gas to the processing chamber 202. Although only one gas introduction hole 231 is shown in FIG. 3, gas introduction holes may be provided for each gas supply part.

[0048] In addition, the exhaust pipe 222 provided at the bottom of the container 203 is configured to communicate with a second exhaust unit 220 capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202.

[0049] A second atmosphere adjustment unit for adjusting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 is configured to include these second gas supply unit 230 and second exhaust unit 220. Hereinafter, the fourth gas supply unit 240, fifth gas supply unit 250, and sixth gas supply unit 260 included in the second gas supply unit 230 and the second exhaust unit 220 will be described in more detail.

[0050] (Fourth Gas Supply Unit) The fourth gas supply unit 240 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The fourth gas supply unit 240 has a fourth gas supply pipe 241. The fourth gas supply pipe 241 corresponds to A in FIG. 3 and is configured to supply gas to the processing chamber 202.

[0051] The fourth gas supply pipe 241 is provided with a fourth gas source 242, an MFC 243 which is a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 244 which is an on-off valve, in order from the upstream direction.

[0052] The fourth gas source 242 is a source of a first gas containing a first element (also referred to as a "first element-containing gas"). The first element-containing gas is a raw material gas, that is, one of the processing gases. Here, the first element is, for example, silicon (Si). That is, the first element-containing gas is, for example, a silicon-containing gas. Specifically, as the silicon-containing gas, for example, monosilane (SiH4) gas can be used. When SiH4 gas is used, the SiH4 gas is thermally decomposed to form a polysilicon film which is a polycrystalline film on the surface of the substrate 200.

[0053] Primarily, the fourth gas supply unit 240 (also referred to as a silicon-containing gas supply system) is constituted by the fourth gas supply pipe 241, the MFC 243, and the valve 244.

[0054] (Fifth Gas Supply Unit) Next, the fifth gas supply unit 250 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The fifth gas supply unit 250 has a fifth gas supply pipe 251. The fifth gas supply pipe 251 corresponds to B in FIG. 3 and is configured to supply gas to the processing chamber 202.

[0055] The fifth gas supply pipe 251 is provided, in order from the upstream direction, with a fifth gas source 252, an MFC 253 which is a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 254 which is an on-off valve.

[0056] The fifth gas source 252 is a source of a second gas containing a second element (hereinafter, also referred to as "second element-containing gas"). The second element-containing gas is one of the processing gases.

[0057] Here, the second element-containing gas contains a second element different from the first element. As the second element, for example, it is oxygen (O). Here, the second element-containing gas will be described as an oxygen-containing gas, for example. As the oxygen-containing gas, for example, there is O2.

[0058] The fifth gas supply unit 250 is mainly constituted by the fifth gas supply pipe 251, the MFC 253, and the valve 254.

[0059] Note that when forming a film on the substrate 200 with only the first gas, the fifth gas supply unit 250 may not be provided.

[0060] (Sixth Gas Supply Unit) Next, the sixth gas supply unit 260 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The sixth gas supply unit 260 has a sixth gas supply pipe 261. The sixth gas supply pipe 261 corresponds to C in FIG. 3 and is configured to supply gas to the processing chamber 202.

[0061] The sixth gas supply pipe 261 is provided, in order from the upstream direction, with a sixth gas source 262, an MFC 263 which is a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 264 which is an on-off valve.

[0062] The sixth gas source 262 is an inert gas source. The inert gas is a gas that evacuates the atmosphere inside the container 203 or acts as a carrier gas for the first gas or the second gas, and is, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas.

[0063] The sixth gas supply unit 260 is mainly composed of a sixth gas supply pipe 261, an MFC 263, and a valve 264.

[0064] The fourth gas supply unit 240, the fifth gas supply unit 250, and the sixth gas supply unit 260 described above are collectively referred to as the second gas supply unit 230.

[0065] (Second exhaust unit) Subsequently, the second exhaust unit 220 shown in FIG. 3 will be described.

[0066] The exhaust pipe 222 is connected to the container 203 so as to communicate with the processing space 202. An APC 223, which is a pressure controller for controlling the inside of the processing space 202 to a predetermined pressure, is provided in the exhaust pipe 222.

[0067] The APC 223 has a valve body (not shown) whose opening degree can be adjusted, and adjusts the conductance of the exhaust pipe 222 in accordance with an instruction from the controller 281. Also, a valve 224 is provided upstream of the APC 223 in the exhaust pipe 222. The exhaust pipe 222, the valve 224, and the APC 223 are collectively referred to as the second exhaust unit 220.

[0068] Furthermore, a DP 225 is provided downstream of the exhaust pipe 222. The DP 225 exhausts the atmosphere of the processing space 202 through the exhaust pipe 222.

[0069] (3) Configuration of the controller Next, the controller 281 will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0070] The controller 281, which is a control unit (control means), is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 401, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 402, a storage unit 403 as a storage device, and an I / O port 404. The RAM 402, the storage unit 403, and the I / O port 404 are configured to be able to exchange data with the CPU 401 via an internal bus 405.

[0071] A network transceiver 282 is provided which is connected to the upper device 270 via a network. The network transceiver 282 can receive information such as the processing history and processing schedule of the substrate 200 during a lot.

[0072] The storage unit 403 is composed of, for example, a flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. In the storage unit 403, a process recipe describing the procedures and conditions of substrate processing and a control program for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus are stored in a readable manner.

[0073] Note that the process recipe is a combination that causes the controller 281 to execute each procedure in the substrate processing step described later so as to obtain a predetermined result, and functions as a program. Hereinafter, this process recipe, control program, etc. are collectively referred to simply as a program. Note that when the term "program" is used in this specification, it may include only the process recipe alone, only the control program alone, or both of them. Also, the RAM 402 is configured as a memory area (work area) that temporarily holds programs, data, etc. read by the CPU 401.

[0074] The I / O port 404 is connected to each component of the substrate processing apparatus, such as the gate valve 205, the elevating unit 218, each pressure regulator, each pump, and the heater control unit 216.

[0075] The CPU 401 is configured to read and execute a control program from the storage unit 403, and to read a process recipe from the storage unit 403 in response to an input of an operation command from the input / output device 283 or the like. Then, the CPU 401 is configured to control the opening / closing operation of the gate valve 205, the raising / lowering operation of the lifting unit 218, the heater control unit 216, the on / off control of each pump, the flow rate adjustment operation of the MFC, valves, etc. so as to conform to the content of the read process recipe.

[0076] Also, the CPU 401 functions as a pressure calculation unit 401a capable of calculating the differential pressure between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 by executing the control program read from the storage unit 403. The pressure calculation unit 401a is configured to calculate the pressure difference between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 based on the pressure measurement result by the first pressure measurement unit 179 and the pressure measurement result by the second pressure measurement unit 226.

[0077] Note that the controller 281 can be configured by installing a program in a computer using an external storage device (for example, a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, an optical disk such as a DVD, a magneto-optical disk such as an MO, a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory) 284 storing the above-described program. Note that the means for supplying a program to the computer is not limited to the case of supplying via the external storage device 284. For example, a communication means such as the Internet or a dedicated line may be used to supply the program without passing through the external storage device 284. Note that the storage unit 403 and the external storage device 284 are configured as a computer-readable recording medium. Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to simply as a recording medium. Note that, in this specification, when the term "recording medium" is used, it may include only the storage unit 403 alone, only the external storage device 284 alone, or both of them.

[0078] (4) Substrate processing step Next, with reference to FIG. 8, as one step of the semiconductor manufacturing process, a step of forming a film on the substrate 200 using the substrate processing apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described. In the following description, the operations of the respective units constituting the substrate processing apparatus are controlled by the controller 281.

[0079] (Substrate loading step S202) The substrate loading step S202 will be described. Here, the substrate 200 waiting in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is transferred into the processing chamber 202 of the processing module 201.

[0080] Specifically, the substrate mounting table 212 is lowered to the transfer position (transfer position) of the substrate 200, and the lift pin 207 is passed through the through hole 214 of the substrate mounting table 212. As a result, the lift pin 207 protrudes by a predetermined height from the surface of the substrate mounting table 212.

[0081] Subsequently, the gate valve 205 is opened to communicate the transfer space 202a with the adjacent vacuum transfer chamber 103. Then, the vacuum transfer robot 112 places the substrate 200 on the lift pin 207.

[0082] When the substrate 200 is placed on the lift pin 207, the substrate mounting table 212 is raised, the substrate 200 is placed on the substrate mounting surface 211, and further, as shown in FIG. 3, it is raised to the substrate processing position.

[0083] (First pressure adjustment step S203) The first pressure adjustment step S203 will be described. Here, the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is adjusted to the substrate processing pressure.

[0084] Specifically, when the substrate mounting table 212 moves to the substrate processing position, the atmosphere is exhausted from the processing chamber 202 through the exhaust pipe 222 to adjust the pressure in the processing chamber 202 so that the inside of the processing chamber 202 becomes a predetermined substrate processing pressure.

[0085] Note that the specific pressure adjustment in the first pressure adjustment step S203 will be described in detail later.

[0086] (Film formation step S204) Next, the film formation step S204 will be described.

[0087] Here, the substrate 200 is heated by the heater 213 while being placed on the substrate placement surface 211. While adjusting the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 to a predetermined substrate processing pressure, when the temperature of the substrate 200 reaches a predetermined temperature, for example, 400°C to 600°C, a processing gas is supplied from the gas supply unit onto the substrate to form a predetermined film.

[0088] For example, a first gas supply step of supplying a source gas, which is a first element-containing gas, onto the substrate 200 and a second gas supply step of supplying a reaction gas, which is a second element-containing gas, onto the substrate 200 are repeated a predetermined number of times.

[0089] In this way, in the film formation step S204, for example, a silicon-containing gas is supplied onto the substrate 200 to form a Si-containing film on the substrate 200. At this time, an oxygen-containing gas may be supplied to form a SiO film.

[0090] (Second pressure adjustment step S205) The second pressure adjustment step S205 will be described. Here, after the film formation step S204 of forming a film on the substrate 200, the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 is adjusted to the substrate transfer pressure.

[0091] Specifically, for example, when a film with a desired film thickness is formed by repeating the first gas supply step and the second gas supply step a predetermined number of times, the atmosphere is exhausted from the processing chamber 202 through the exhaust pipe 222 to adjust the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 so that the inside of the processing chamber 202 reaches a predetermined substrate transfer pressure.

[0092] Note that the specific pressure adjustment in the second pressure adjustment step S205 will be described in detail later.

[0093] (Substrate unloading step S206) Next, the substrate unloading process S206 will be described. Here, after adjusting the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 to a predetermined substrate transfer pressure, the substrate stage 212 is lowered and moved to the transfer position. When the substrate 200 is moved to the transfer position, the gate valve 205 is opened, and the substrate 200 is unloaded from the transfer space 202a to the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0094] (5) Atmosphere control Next, the atmosphere control in each of the above-described series of processes S202 to S206 will be described. In the following description as well, the operations for atmosphere control are controlled by the controller 281.

[0095] In the substrate loading process S202 and the substrate unloading process S206, the substrate 200 is loaded and unloaded between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 of the processing module 201. At this time, in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, in order to prevent contamination due to the diffusion of the atmosphere from the side of the processing chamber 202, the first gas supply unit 170a of the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 supplies an inert gas into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, and maintains a state where the pressure inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than that inside the processing chamber 202.

[0096] However, if the supply of the inert gas is continuously performed, the consumption amount of the inert gas may increase. In particular, since the volume of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is larger than that of the processing chamber 202, this is remarkable.

[0097] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the atmosphere control described below is performed.

[0098] (Outline of atmosphere control) As the atmosphere control in the present embodiment, at least one of the following (i) to (iv) is performed while maintaining the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 > the pressure of the processing chamber 202.

[0099] (i) Regarding the gas supply amount to the vacuum transfer chamber 103, it shall be made such that it is different between when the substrate is being loaded / unloaded and when the substrate is being processed. When the substrate is being loaded / unloaded, it is during the implementation of the transfer process of moving the substrate 200 between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202. For example, it corresponds to when the substrate is being loaded during the substrate loading process S202 or when the substrate is being unloaded during the substrate unloading process S206. When the substrate is being processed, it is during the implementation of the processing step of processing the substrate 200 in the processing chamber 202. For example, it corresponds to when film formation is taking place during the film formation process S204.

[0100] (ii) Regarding the gas supply control to the vacuum transfer chamber 103, during substrate processing and during equipment standby, the gas supply shall be stopped, or the gas supply amount shall be made less than that during substrate loading / unloading. During equipment standby, it is during the implementation of the standby step where the substrate 200 is not being processed in the processing chamber 202. For example, it corresponds to when each of the steps S202 to S206 is not being implemented.

[0101] (iii) Regarding the gas exhaust control to the vacuum transfer chamber 103, during substrate processing and during equipment standby, the gas exhaust shall be stopped, or the gas exhaust amount shall be made less than that during substrate loading / unloading.

[0102] (iv) Regarding the gas supply and exhaust control to the vacuum transfer chamber 103, during substrate processing and during equipment standby, the gas supply and the gas exhaust shall be stopped. By stopping them, the atmosphere inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is retained within the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0103] By appropriately implementing at least any one or a combination of (i) to (iv) above, the gas supply to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be reduced, and it becomes possible to reduce the gas consumption compared to the case of continuous supply.

[0104] (Example of the processing flow for atmosphere control) Here, an example of the above-described atmosphere control will be further described in more detail by applying it to each of the steps S202 to S206.

[0105] In the substrate loading process S202, the substrate 200 to be processed is loaded from the vacuum transfer chamber 103 into the processing chamber 202 of the processing module 201. Then, after the substrate 200 is loaded, the gate valve 205 between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing module 201 is closed.

[0106] Thereafter, in the first pressure adjustment process S203, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted to be greater than the pressure in the processing chamber 202 and this state is maintained. At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is set to a predetermined substrate processing pressure PP1. Therefore, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 becomes a pressure PW1 higher than the substrate processing pressure PP1.

[0107] In the film formation process S204, film formation is performed on the substrate 200. At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is maintained at the substrate processing pressure PP1. On the other hand, regarding the pressure control in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, while maintaining the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 greater than the pressure in the processing chamber 202, the gas supply and gas exhaust in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 are stopped. Or, even if not stopped until the end, the gas supply amount and gas exhaust amount in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 are reduced to such an extent that the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be maintained greater than the pressure in the processing chamber 202.

[0108] After the film formation on the substrate 200 is completed, in the second pressure adjustment process S205, the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is set to a predetermined substrate transfer pressure PP3. At this time, regarding the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the gas supply and gas exhaust in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 are restarted, and the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is set to a pressure PW2 higher than the substrate transfer pressure PP3, and the state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is greater than the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is maintained. Note that such state maintenance may be realized, for example, by supplying an inert gas into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, or may be realized by the cooperation of the first gas supply unit 170a and the first exhaust unit 170b (that is, both gas supply and gas exhaust).

[0109] Then, in the substrate unloading process S206, the gate valve 205 between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing module 201 is opened, and the processed substrate 200 is unloaded from the processing module 201 to the vacuum transfer chamber 103, thereby ending a series of substrate processing steps for the substrate 200.

[0110] By such atmosphere control, the state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 > the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is maintained. Therefore, in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, contamination due to atmosphere diffusion from the side of the processing chamber 202 can be prevented. Moreover, while preventing contamination from the side of the processing chamber 202, the gas supply to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be reduced, and the gas consumption can be reduced compared to the case of continuous supply.

[0111] (Specific example of atmosphere control) Next, the atmosphere control in this embodiment will be further described in more detail with specific examples. Here, as specific examples, the first aspect to the twentieth aspect will be exemplified in order.

[0112] (First aspect) The first aspect corresponds to the basic processing mode of the atmosphere control in this embodiment.

[0113] Regarding the substrate processing steps through the above-mentioned steps S202 to S206, when focusing on the substrate 200, they can be classified into the following steps (a) to (c). (a) Transfer step of moving the substrate 200 between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 (b) Processing step of processing the substrate 200 in the processing chamber 202 (c) Standby step of not processing the substrate 200 in the processing chamber 202

[0114] When there are processes (a) to (c), as the atmosphere control according to the first aspect, the following control processes are performed. Specifically, while maintaining the state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 > the pressure in the processing chamber 202, in the "processing step" or "standby step", the gas supply amount to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is made less than that in the "transfer step". Here, "making less" includes not supplying gas (that is, stopping gas supply).

[0115] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the first aspect, a processing chamber 202 for processing the substrate 200, a vacuum transfer chamber 103 communicable with the processing chamber 202, a first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 having a first gas supply unit 170a capable of supplying an inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and a first exhaust unit 170b capable of exhausting the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, a second atmosphere adjustment unit having a second gas supply unit 230 capable of supplying a processing gas to the processing chamber 202 and a second exhaust unit 220 capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202, a controller 281 that controls such that the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is either (a) > (b), (a) > (c), or both, in a state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202, and a technology having the above is provided.

[0116] By the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103. For example, in the processing chamber 202 after the processing step, there may be gas, particles, etc. remaining from the substrate processing. Therefore, if they invade the vacuum transfer chamber 103, there is a risk of adhering to the inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the substrate 200 in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, etc. In contrast, by the atmosphere control according to the first aspect, by making the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202, the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 is prevented from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0117] Moreover, according to the atmosphere control according to the first aspect, while preventing the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be reduced compared to the case of constantly supplying gas (that is, when flowing the inert gas through the vacuum transfer chamber 103 continuously).

[0118] This is particularly useful when a plurality of processing chambers 202a to 202d are provided and different gases are used in each.

[0119] (Second aspect) In addition to the first aspect described above, the second aspect is controlled so as to stop the gas supply and the gas exhaust and keep the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0120] Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the second aspect, In the above step (b) or (c), a technique is provided in which the first gas supply unit 170a stops supplying the inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and / or the first exhaust unit 170b stops exhausting the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103. That is, as the atmosphere control according to the second aspect, regarding the stop of the supply of the inert gas and the stop of the exhaust of the atmosphere, either one or both of these are performed.

[0121] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, by stopping the supply of the inert gas, the supply amount of the inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be more reliably reduced. Also, by stopping the exhaust from the vacuum transfer chamber 103, a state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202 can be surely maintained.

[0122] (Third aspect) In the third aspect, when both the stop of the supply of the inert gas and the stop of the exhaust of the atmosphere described in the second aspect above are performed, these are not performed simultaneously but at a predetermined time difference.

[0123] Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the third aspect, In the above step (b) or (c), a technique is provided in which the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 stops the supply of the inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and stops the exhaust of the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 with a predetermined time difference. The predetermined time difference may be set in advance and is not particularly limited as long as it is within the period of the step (b) or (c). Also, as long as they are not performed simultaneously but with a predetermined time difference, there is no limitation on the order (which one is performed first).

[0124] When both the supply stop of the inert gas and the exhaust stop of the atmosphere are performed, if they are performed simultaneously, the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 may be disturbed and particles in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 may fly up. On the other hand, according to the atmosphere control according to the third aspect, by performing each with a predetermined time difference, it is possible to suppress the flying up of particles in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0125] (Fourth Aspect) The fourth aspect specifically defines the predetermined time difference described in the above third aspect.

[0126] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the fourth aspect, A technique is provided in which the predetermined time difference is a time during which the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be maintained higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202. The predetermined time can be derived in advance based on information such as the volume of the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the pressure in the processing chamber 202 in the processing step, and the processing capabilities of the first gas supply unit 170a and the first exhaust unit 170b.

[0127] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, by specifically defining the predetermined time difference, it is possible to surely maintain the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0128] (Fifth Aspect) In addition to the first aspect described above, in the case of exhausting the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the exhaust control is performed in the processing mode described below.

[0129] Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the fifth aspect, A technique is provided in which the amount of the atmosphere exhausted from the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is either (a) < (b), (a) < (c), or both. That is, when exhausting the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the amount of the atmosphere exhausted in the step (a) is made less than the amount of the atmosphere exhausted in each of the steps (b) and / or (c). The term "made less" as used herein also includes not exhausting the atmosphere (i.e., setting the exhaust amount to "0").

[0130] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, it becomes possible to surely maintain a state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign matter into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0131] (Sixth Aspect) In addition to the first aspect described above, paying attention to the difference (differential pressure) between the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure in the processing chamber 202, the control process of the aspect described below is performed.

[0132] Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the sixth aspect, A technique is provided in which when the differential pressure between the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure in the processing chamber 202 exceeds a first threshold value, the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 increases the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0133] The first threshold value is preset so as to be a value slightly smaller than the pressure difference between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 such that the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 does not enter the vacuum transfer chamber 103. Further, the first threshold value is preset so as to be a value slightly smaller than the limit value described later.

[0134] For example, even when the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is higher than the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 by a differential pressure corresponding to the first threshold value, depending on the gate valve 205 and the surrounding seal structure, etc., the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 may not move into the vacuum transfer chamber 103. However, for example, when the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is significantly higher than the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, if the differential pressure between the two exceeds the first threshold value to a certain extent, it may exceed the limit value of the hard configuration such as the gate valve 205, and there is a risk that the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 will flow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0135] To avoid such a situation, in the atmosphere control according to the sixth aspect, a first threshold value is set in advance. Then, when the differential pressure between the inside of the processing chamber 202 and the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 exceeds the first threshold value, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is increased so that the differential pressure becomes smaller.

[0136] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, based on the preset first threshold value, when there is a risk that the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 will flow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, by increasing the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 to reduce the differential pressure, such a risk can be eliminated beforehand. Therefore, it is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign matter into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0137] Regarding the first threshold value, it only needs to be set based on the gate valve 205, the surrounding hard configuration, process conditions, the usage status of parts, etc. As long as the risk of atmosphere inflow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be eliminated beforehand, it is not limited to a specific value. This is because it is considered that the conditions regarding the differential pressure between the inside of the processing chamber 202 and the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 change depending on the gate valve 205, the surrounding hard configuration, process conditions, the usage status of parts, etc.

[0138] (Seventh Aspect) The seventh aspect further specifically defines the atmosphere control according to the sixth aspect described above.

[0139] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the seventh aspect, When the differential pressure between the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure in the processing chamber 202 exceeds the first threshold value, a technique is provided in which the first gas supply unit 170a supplies an inert gas into the vacuum transfer chamber 103. At this time, the supply amount of the inert gas shall be the exhaust amount of the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 < the supply amount of the inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0140] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, by supplying an inert gas into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0141] (Eighth aspect) The eighth aspect further specifically defines the atmosphere control according to the sixth aspect, similar to the seventh aspect described above.

[0142] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the eighth aspect, When the differential pressure between the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure in the processing chamber 202 exceeds the first threshold value, a technique is provided in which the first exhaust unit 170b stops exhausting the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 or reduces the exhaust amount.

[0143] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, by stopping the exhaust of the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 or reducing the exhaust amount, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0144] (Ninth aspect) Also in the ninth aspect, the atmosphere control according to the sixth aspect is further specifically defined, similar to the seventh aspect described above.

[0145] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the ninth aspect, when the differential pressure between the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure in the processing chamber 202 exceeds the first threshold value, an inert gas is supplied into the vacuum transfer chamber 103, and when the differential pressure becomes lower than the first threshold value, a technique for stopping the supply of the inert gas is provided.

[0146] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, while eliminating the possibility of atmosphere inflow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103 based on the first threshold value, when the possibility disappears, the supply of the inert gas can be stopped, and thus the supply amount of the inert gas to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be more reliably reduced.

[0147] (Tenth aspect) The tenth aspect specifically defines the recognition control for the differential pressure described in the sixth aspect above.

[0148] As described above, the CPU 401 in the controller 281 which is a control unit (control means) functions as a pressure calculation unit 401a by executing the control program read from the storage unit 403. That is, as a function of the control unit, it includes a pressure calculation unit 401a capable of calculating the differential pressure between the processing chamber 202 and the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0149] The pressure measurement results by the first pressure measurement unit 179 capable of measuring the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure measurement results by the second pressure measurement unit 226 capable of measuring the pressure in the processing chamber 202 are respectively output to the pressure calculation unit 401a. Then, the pressure calculation unit 401a calculates the pressure difference between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 based on the pressure measurement results from each. Hereinafter, the first pressure measurement unit 179 and the second pressure measurement unit 226 may be collectively referred to simply as the "pressure measurement unit". Then, the pressure calculation unit 401a calculates the differential pressure between the pressure in the processing chamber 202 and the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 based on the pressure values measured by the pressure measurement unit.

[0150] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, based on the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit, the differential pressure calculation unit 401a can calculate the differential pressure between the processing chamber 202 and the vacuum transfer chamber 103 in real time. That is, monitoring of the differential pressure between the processing chamber 202 and the vacuum transfer chamber 103 becomes possible.

[0151] Therefore, as described in the sixth aspect above, when controlling whether to increase the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 based on the first threshold value, the pressure control can be performed while quickly responding to the change in the differential pressure (that is, without delay when exceeding the first threshold value, for example). Furthermore, more accurate control becomes possible.

[0152] (Eleventh aspect) In addition to the first aspect described above, the eleventh aspect synchronizes the atmosphere control for the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 with the pressure fluctuation in the processing chamber 202.

[0153] As described above, in the processing chamber 202, when implementing the substrate processing process, the following respective processes are passed through. That is, after loading the substrate 200 into the processing chamber 202, a first pressure adjustment step S203 of adjusting the pressure in the processing chamber 202 to the substrate processing pressure, a processing step of supplying a processing gas to the processing chamber 202 to process the substrate 200 (for example, a film formation step S204), and a second pressure adjustment step S205 of adjusting the pressure in the processing chamber 202 to the substrate transfer pressure after the processing step are controlled to be executed in order.

[0154] Under such circumstances, as the atmosphere control according to the eleventh aspect, in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted in synchronization with at least one process. That is, when the pressure in the processing chamber 202 fluctuates in each process, the pressure adjustment in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is performed while synchronizing with the pressure fluctuation. Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the eleventh aspect, after loading the substrate 200 into the processing chamber 202, a first pressure adjustment step of adjusting the pressure in the processing chamber 202 to the substrate processing pressure, A substrate processing step of supplying a processing gas to a processing chamber 202 to process a substrate 200, A second pressure adjustment step of adjusting the pressure in the processing chamber 202 to a substrate transfer pressure after the substrate processing step, is controlled to be executed, In the vacuum transfer chamber 103, a technique is provided in which the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted in synchronization with at least one process.

[0155] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, by synchronizing the pressure adjustment of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 with the pressure fluctuation in the processing chamber 202, it is possible to surely maintain a state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202. Therefore, it is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0156] (Twelfth aspect) The twelfth aspect more specifically defines the steps described in the eleventh aspect described above.

[0157] For example, when the processing step of processing the substrate 200 is the film forming step S204, in the film forming step S204, a first gas supply step of supplying a source gas, which is a first element-containing gas, onto the substrate 200 and a second gas supply step of supplying a reaction gas, which is a second element-containing gas, onto the substrate 200 are repeated a predetermined number of times. The first gas supply step may be a source gas supply step, and the second gas supply step may be a reaction gas supply step. The predetermined number of times is 1 or more. A third gas (for example, an inert gas) supply step may be executed between the first gas supply step and the second gas supply step.

[0158] In such a situation, pressure fluctuations in the processing chamber 202 may occur in the first gas supply step and the second gas supply step.

[0159] Therefore, in the atmosphere control according to the twelfth aspect, in addition to each step described in the eleventh aspect described above, including each step of the first gas supply step and the second gas supply step, the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted in synchronization with at least one of these steps. Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the twelfth aspect, the substrate processing step is, a first gas supply step of supplying a raw material gas to the substrate 200, a second gas supply step of supplying a reaction gas to the substrate 200, is controlled to be repeated a predetermined number of times, In the vacuum transfer chamber 103, a technique is provided in which the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted in synchronization with at least one step.

[0160] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, the pressure adjustment for the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be made to more precisely synchronize with the pressure fluctuation in the processing chamber 202. Therefore, it becomes possible to surely maintain a state where the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign matter into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0161] (Thirteenth aspect) The thirteenth aspect further specifically defines the pressure adjustment in each step described in the above-described eleventh aspect or twelfth aspect.

[0162] As described in the eleventh aspect or twelfth aspect, the pressure in the processing chamber 202 may vary in each step. Based on this, in the atmosphere control according to the eleventh aspect or twelfth aspect, the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted in synchronization with at least one of each step.

[0163] However, it is conceivable that there may be a case where the pressure control for adjusting the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 cannot catch up with the pressure fluctuation in each step in the processing chamber 202. For example, in the atmosphere control according to the eleventh aspect, when transitioning from the film formation step S204, which is a processing step, to the second pressure adjustment step S205, there is a possibility that the inside of the processing chamber 202 returns to the substrate transfer pressure in the second pressure adjustment step S205 within T seconds. On the other hand, since the vacuum transfer chamber 103 has a larger space volume than the processing chamber 202, it requires a pressure adjustment time of T seconds + several seconds. If the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 becomes higher than the pressure inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103 during those several seconds, there is a risk that the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 may flow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103. Also, for example, in the atmosphere control according to the twelfth aspect, a process of alternately supplying processing gases is assumed. However, since the switching between the first gas supply and the second gas supply is fast, there is a possibility that the pressure adjustment of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 may not be able to keep up. If the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 becomes higher than the pressure inside the vacuum transfer chamber 103 during the period when it cannot keep up, there is a risk that the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 may flow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0164] Therefore, in the atmosphere control according to the thirteenth aspect, in order to be able to follow the pressure fluctuations inside the processing chamber 202, the pressure adjustment of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is performed so as to obtain a pressure value set higher assuming such pressure fluctuations. In other words, as the atmosphere control according to the thirteenth aspect, the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is set to a pressure value that maintains a pressure even higher than the pressure inside the processing chamber 202 even if there are pressure fluctuations in each step inside the processing chamber 202, more specifically, a pressure value set to be even higher by a predetermined value than the higher of the pressures before and after the fluctuation inside the processing chamber 202, and a technique is provided that is adjusted to be such.

[0165] Specifically, for example, consider a case where the pressure PP1 in the processing chamber 202 in the first pressure adjustment step S203 is 200 Pa, and the pressure PP2 in the processing chamber 202 in the subsequent film formation step S204 is 100 Pa. In that case, regarding the pressure TP2 in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 in the film formation step S204, the pressure TP2 is adjusted to be higher so that it becomes a pressure value of 230 Pa, which is set 30 Pa higher than 200 Pa, which is the higher of the pressures PP1 and PP2 before and after the change in the processing chamber 202. Also, for example, consider a case where the pressure PP2 in the processing chamber 202 in the film formation step S204 is 100 Pa, and the pressure PP3 in the processing chamber 202 in the subsequent second pressure adjustment step S205 is 300 Pa. In that case, regarding the pressure TP3 in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 in the second pressure adjustment step S205, the pressure TP3 is adjusted in advance to be higher so that it becomes a pressure value of 330 Pa, which is set 30 Pa higher than 300 Pa, which is the higher of the pressures PP2 and PP3 before and after the change in the processing chamber 202.

[0166] According to such an atmosphere control of the processing mode, by making the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 higher than the higher of the pressures before and after the change in the processing chamber 202, it is possible to adjust the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 while quickly following the pressure fluctuation in the processing chamber 202. Therefore, when adjusting the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 in synchronization with at least one of the respective steps, it is possible to prevent a situation where the pressure adjustment in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 does not follow the pressure fluctuation in each step in the processing chamber 202. As a result, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be maintained at a pressure higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202 even when there is a pressure fluctuation in the processing chamber 202, which is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign matter into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0167] (The fourteenth aspect) In addition to the first aspect described above, the fourteenth aspect is to perform atmosphere control also for the load lock chambers 122 and 123.

[0168] As described above, load lock chambers 122 and 123 that can communicate with the vacuum transfer chamber 103 are connected to the vacuum transfer chamber 103. Focusing on the load lock chambers 122 and 123, when transferring the substrate 200 between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the load lock chambers 122 and 123, the following steps (d) and (e) will be performed. (d) Step of reducing the pressure in the load lock chambers 122 and 123 (e) Transfer step of moving the substrate 200 between the load lock chambers 122 and 123 and the vacuum transfer chamber 103

[0169] When there are steps (d) and (e), as the atmosphere control according to the fourteenth aspect, the following control processes are performed. Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the fourteenth aspect, having load lock chambers 122 and 123 that can communicate with the vacuum transfer chamber 103, when the pressure in the load lock chambers 122 and 123 is higher than the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, the controller 281 is provided with a technique that enables the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 to be controlled such that (e) > (d). That is, the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 that adjusts the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the third atmosphere adjustment unit 180 that adjusts the atmosphere in the load lock chambers 122 and 123 are controlled so as to have such a relationship.

[0170] By the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, similar to the relationship between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202, the atmosphere of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 can be prevented from entering the load lock chambers 122 and 123. That is, when the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is also adjacent to the load lock chambers 122 and 123, by preventing the atmosphere of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 from entering the load lock chambers 122 and 123, it is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances not only into the vacuum transfer chamber 103 but also into the load lock chambers 122 and 123. Moreover, it is also possible to reduce the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0171] (Fifteenth aspect) The fifteenth aspect further specifically defines the atmosphere control according to the fourteenth aspect described above.

[0172] In the step (d) above, the load lock chambers 122 and 123 are in a depressurized state. Based on this, as the atmosphere control according to the fifteenth aspect, when the load lock chambers 122 and 123 are in a depressurized state, a technique is provided in which the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is controlled to have a pressure lower than the pressure in the load lock chambers 122 and 123.

[0173] By the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, even when the load lock chambers 122 and 123 are in a depressurized state, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 from entering the load lock chambers 122 and 123. Therefore, it is very useful for suppressing the intrusion of foreign substances into the load lock chambers 122 and 123.

[0174] (Sixteenth aspect) The sixteenth aspect further specifically defines the atmosphere control according to the fourteenth aspect described above.

[0175] As the atmosphere control according to the sixteenth aspect, when the load lock chambers 122 and 123 are in a depressurized state, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202 and lower than the pressure in the load lock chambers 122 and 123, and a technique is provided in which it is controlled to be such a pressure.

[0176] By the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere from entering either between the processing chamber 202 and the vacuum transfer chamber 103 or between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the load lock chambers 122 and 123, and suppress the intrusion of foreign substances.

[0177] (Seventeenth aspect) The seventeenth aspect, in addition to the first aspect described above, defines the atmosphere control when unloading the substrate 200 from the processing chamber 202.

[0178] Specifically, as the atmosphere control according to the seventeenth aspect, When moving the substrate 200 from the vacuum transfer chamber 103 to the processing chamber 202, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is set to be equal to or higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 202. Thereafter, the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 are communicated with each other so that the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is higher than the pressure in the processing chamber 200. A technique is provided.

[0179] Regarding the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the pressure in the processing chamber 202, basically, by maintaining the relationship of the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 > the pressure in the processing chamber 202, the intrusion of the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 into the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is prevented. However, if the pressure difference between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 is large, when the gate valve 205 between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 is opened, a large amount of the atmosphere in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 may flow into the processing chamber 202. This is an unintended movement of the atmosphere, which may cause, for example, the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 to disperse, or it may take time to adjust the pressure for subsequent substrate processing. Also, when adjusting the pressure, it is conceivable to use an inert gas, so there is also a possibility of consuming more inert gas.

[0180] On the other hand, according to the atmosphere control according to the seventeenth aspect, by performing atmosphere control in accordance with the timing of communicating the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202, it is possible to suppress the pressure difference from becoming too large when carrying out the substrate 200 from the processing chamber 202. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the unintended movement of the atmosphere and eliminate the situations where the above-mentioned possibilities occur.

[0181] (The eighteenth aspect) The eighteenth aspect specifically defines the operation of the gate valve 205 in addition to the first aspect described above.

[0182] That is, as the operation control according to the eighteenth aspect, The substrate loading and unloading outlet 206 that communicates the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202, It has a gate valve 205 that can open and close the substrate loading / unloading outlet 206, In the step (a) above, the gate valve 205 is in the open state, In the step (b) or (c) above, the gate valve 205 is in the closed state, A technology is provided.

[0183] According to the operation control of such a processing mode, in the step (b) or (c), since the atmosphere is adjusted with the gate valve 205 closed, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere of the processing chamber 202 from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and reduce the gas supply amount to the vacuum transfer chamber 103. For example, even if the supply amount of the inert gas is reduced with the gate valve 205 open, ultimately the pressures of the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 will become the same, and there is a risk that the atmosphere of the processing chamber 202 will flow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103. However, according to the operation control according to the eighteenth aspect, such a risk can be eliminated.

[0184] In addition, when the pressure in the processing chamber 202 > the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103, even if the gate valve 205 is closed, there is a risk that the atmosphere in the processing chamber 202 will flow into the vacuum transfer chamber 103. Therefore, even when performing the operation control according to the eighteenth aspect, it is assumed that the relationship where the pressure in the processing chamber 202 < the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is maintained.

[0185] (The nineteenth aspect) The nineteenth aspect further specifically defines the "standby process" described in the first aspect above.

[0186] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the nineteenth aspect, In the standby process, the processing in the processing chamber 202 is stopped, A technology is provided.

[0187] The standby process refers to, for example, the idling state. In the idling state, an inert gas may be supplied to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the processing chamber 202 (however, in a state without the substrate 200).

[0188] Even in such a standby process, by applying the atmosphere control according to the above-described first aspect, it is possible to reduce the amount of gas supplied to the vacuum transfer chamber 103 while preventing the inflow of the atmosphere of the processing chamber 202 into the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0189] (The twentieth aspect) The twentieth aspect further specifically defines the atmosphere control described in the above-described first aspect.

[0190] That is, as the atmosphere control according to the twentieth aspect, the pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber 103 is adjusted by the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170, and the pressure in the processing chamber 202 is adjusted by the second atmosphere adjustment unit. A technique is provided

[0191] According to the atmosphere control of such a processing mode, the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 is responsible for adjusting the pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber 103, and the second atmosphere adjustment unit is responsible for adjusting the pressure of the processing chamber 202. In that case, the pressure adjustment by the first atmosphere adjustment unit 170 is performed, for example, jointly by the first gas supply unit 170a and the first exhaust unit 170b, but it is not limited thereto. For example, it may be performed by only the first gas supply unit 170a or only the first exhaust unit 170 operating. The same applies to the second atmosphere adjustment unit. For example, it may be performed jointly by the second gas supply unit 230 and the second exhaust unit 220, or it may be performed by only the second gas supply unit 230 or only the second exhaust unit 220 operating.

[0192] (The twenty-first aspect) The twenty-first aspect is a configuration in which the second container described in the above-described first aspect is different.

[0193] In the twenty - first aspect, as shown in FIG. 9, a processing container 203 as a second container includes an upper container 2031 including a processing chamber 202, a transfer chamber 330 communicating with the processing chamber 202, and a lower container 2032 adjacent to the upper container 2031.

[0194] In this case, the transfer chamber 330 is provided with a seventh gas supply unit 310 capable of supplying gas to the transfer chamber 330 and a fourth exhaust unit 320 capable of exhausting the atmosphere from the transfer chamber 330. In this aspect, the seventh gas supply unit 310 and the fourth exhaust unit 320 may be collectively regarded as a second atmosphere adjustment unit. The pressure in the transfer chamber 330 is adjusted by the second atmosphere adjustment unit.

[0195] In this aspect, the substrate support unit 210 may be configured to support a plurality of substrates 200, and in the processing chamber 202, a plurality of substrates 200 may be processed collectively. The substrate support unit 210 in this aspect is provided with a lifting unit and is configured to be able to transfer (lift and lower) a plurality of substrates 200 between the processing chamber 202 and the transfer chamber 330.

[0196] In this aspect, the substrate 200 moved into the processing chamber 202 is processed by the processing gas supplied from the second gas supply unit 230.

[0197] According to such a processing mode, even when moving a substrate between the first container and the second container, specifically, between the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and the transfer chamber 330 in the processing container 203, by applying the above - described atmosphere control, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere of the transfer chamber 330 from flowing into the vacuum transfer chamber 103 and reduce the gas supply amount to the vacuum transfer chamber 103.

[0198] (6) Other embodiments As described above, one embodiment of the present disclosure has been specifically described. However, the present technology is not limited to the above - described one embodiment and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

[0199] For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example of supplying two types of gases was used, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and one type of gas or three or more types of gases may be supplied to form a film.

[0200] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which each of the processing containers 203a to 203d includes one processing chamber has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a configuration including a plurality of processing chambers or processing spaces in the processing container 203, which is the second container, may be included.

[0201] The above-described aspects and modifications can be used in appropriate combinations. At this time, the processing procedures and processing conditions can be the same as, for example, the processing procedures and processing conditions of the above-described aspects and modifications.

[0202] The technology of the present disclosure can be suitably applied not only when forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes a plurality of substrates at a time but also when forming a film using a single-wafer-type substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time. The present disclosure can also be suitably applied when forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall type processing furnace and when forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace. Even when using these substrate processing apparatuses, each process can be performed under the same processing procedures and processing conditions as those of the above-described aspects and modifications, and the same effects as those of the above-described aspects and modifications can be obtained.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0203] 103... Vacuum transfer chamber, 170... First atmosphere adjustment unit, 170a... First gas supply unit, 170b... First exhaust unit, 200... Substrate, 202, 202a to 202d... Processing chambers, 220... Second exhaust unit, 230... Second gas supply unit, 281... Controller

Claims

1. A first container including a transfer chamber; A second container communicating with the transfer chamber and including a processing chamber for processing a substrate; A first atmosphere adjuster capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the first container; A second atmosphere adjuster capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the second container; A control unit capable of controlling such that the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the first container satisfies (a) > (b), (a) > (c), or both, in a state where the pressure in the first container is higher than the pressure in the second container; (a) A transfer step of moving the substrate between the first container and the second container (b) A processing step of processing the substrate in the second container (c) A standby step of not processing the substrate in the second container A substrate processing apparatus having the above.

2. The first atmosphere adjuster has a first gas supply unit capable of supplying an inert gas into the first container and a first exhaust unit capable of exhausting the atmosphere in the first container, The second atmosphere adjuster has a second gas supply unit capable of supplying a processing gas to the second container and a second exhaust unit capable of adjusting the atmosphere in the second container, In the (b) or the (c), the first gas supply unit stops supplying the inert gas to the first container and / or the first gas exhaust unit stops exhausting the atmosphere in the first container The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. In the (b) or the (c), the first atmosphere adjuster performs the stop of supplying the inert gas to the first container and the stop of exhausting the atmosphere in the first container with a predetermined time difference The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

4. The predetermined time is a time capable of maintaining a state where the pressure in the first container is higher than the pressure in the second container The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 3.

5. The amount of the atmosphere exhausted from the first container is set such that (a) < (b), (a) < (c), or both The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

6. When the differential pressure between the pressure in the first container and the pressure in the second container exceeds a first threshold value, the first atmosphere adjuster increases the pressure in the first container The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

7. When the differential pressure between the pressure in the first container and the pressure in the second container exceeds the first threshold value, the first gas supply unit supplies an inert gas into the first container The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 6.

8. When the differential pressure between the pressure in the first container and the pressure in the second container exceeds the first threshold value, the first gas exhaust unit stops exhausting the atmosphere in the first container or reduces the exhaust amount. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7.

9. When the differential pressure becomes lower than the first threshold value, the supply of the inert gas is stopped. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6.

10. Furthermore, It includes a pressure calculation unit capable of calculating the differential pressure between the second container and the first container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7.

11. After loading a substrate into the second container, A first pressure adjustment step of adjusting the pressure in the second container to a substrate processing pressure; A substrate processing step of supplying a processing gas to the second container to process the substrate; After the substrate processing step, a second pressure adjustment step of adjusting the pressure in the second container to a substrate transfer pressure; It is controlled to execute, In the first container, the pressure of the first container is adjusted in synchronization with at least one process. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. The substrate processing step is A first gas supply step of supplying a raw material gas to the substrate; A second gas supply step of supplying a reaction gas to the substrate; It is controlled to repeat a predetermined number of times, In the first container, the pressure of the first container is adjusted in synchronization with at least one process. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11.

13. The pressure of the first container is adjusted to a pressure value set to maintain a pressure higher than the pressure in the second container even when there are pressure fluctuations in each process in the second container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 12.

14. Furthermore, it has a load lock chamber that can communicate with the first container, When the pressure in the load lock chamber is higher than the pressure in the first container, the control unit can control the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the first container so that (e) > (d). (d) A step of depressurizing the load lock chamber (e) A moving step of moving the substrate between the load lock chamber and the first container The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

15. When the load lock chamber is in a depressurized state, the pressure in the first container is controlled to be higher than the pressure in the second container and lower than the pressure in the load lock chamber. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14.

16. When moving the substrate from the first container to the second container, the pressure in the first container is set to be equal to or higher than the pressure in the second container. Thereafter, the first container and the second container are communicated with each other so that the pressure in the first container is higher than the pressure in the second container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

17. The pressure in the first container that can communicate with the second container for processing the substrate is in a state higher than the pressure in the second container. The supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the first container is set to either (a) > (b), (a) > (c), or both. (a) A transfer step of transferring the substrate between the first container and the second container (b) A processing step of processing the substrate in the second container (c) A standby step of not processing the substrate in the second container An atmosphere control method.

18. A substrate processing method using the atmosphere control method according to claim 17.

19. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the atmosphere control method according to claim 17.

20. The pressure in the first container that can communicate with the second container for processing the substrate is in a state higher than the pressure in the second container. The supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the first container is set to either (a) > (b), (a) > (c), or both, (a) A transfer step of transferring the substrate between the first container and the second container (b) A processing step of processing the substrate in the second container (c) A standby step of not processing the substrate in the second container A program for causing a computer to execute on a substrate processing apparatus.

Images