Load port, substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and manufacturing method of the semiconductor device

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of suppressing an inclination of a substrate container when a lid of the substrate container is opened.SOLUTION: The present invention includes: a frame body that constitutes a part of a wall that partitions an inside and an outside of a local clean environment, and has a first surface on the outside of the local clean environment with which an opening part of a substrate container can airtightly abut, and an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass; an engagement mechanism that is provided on the first surface side and is configured to be capable of switching between an engaged state in which the frame body engages with a flange formed around the opening part and a non-engaged state in which the frame body does not engage with the flange and does not restrict the movement of the substrate container in an up-down direction and a front-rear direction. The engagement mechanism includes: a pair of heads respectively engaging with at least two recessed parts respectively formed on opposite sides of the flange; and a pair of driving parts respectively moving the pair of heads in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface. The pair of heads each has a contact part for generating a force pressing the flange against the first surface by a transition from the non-engaged state to the engaged state, the contact part is a tapered surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In one step of a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a process may be performed in which a lid of a substrate container placed on a load port is opened to transport the substrates contained in the substrate container (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-102580 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-62191 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique that can suppress tilting of a substrate container when the lid of the substrate container is opened. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a frame that forms part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of a local clean environment, the frame having a first surface outside the local clean environment that can be airtightly abutted against an opening of a substrate container, and an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass; a locking mechanism provided on the first surface side and configured to be switchable between an engaged state in which the locking mechanism engages with a flange formed around the opening and a disengaged state in which the locking mechanism does not engage with the flange and does not restrict movement of the substrate container in the up-down direction and the back-and-forth direction, The locking mechanism includes: a pair of heads that engage with at least two recesses formed on both sides of the flange, respectively; a pair of drive units that move the pair of heads, respectively, in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface; The pair of heads each have a contact portion that generates a force pressing the flange against the first surface by transitioning from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and the contact portion is a tapered surface. Technology is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the substrate container from tilting when the lid of the substrate container is opened. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are side views illustrating the configuration of a locking mechanism of a load port according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a substrate container according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] Fig. 4(A) is a diagram showing a state in which a substrate container is fixed to a frame of a load port by a locking mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 4(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate container is released from the frame of the load port by the locking mechanism of Fig. 4(A). [Figure 5] 4(A) is a diagram for explaining the locking mechanism as viewed from the Y-axis direction. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process in a substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Fig. 7(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate container is fixed to the frame of the load port by the locking mechanism according to Modification 1. Fig. 7(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate container is released from the frame of the load port by the locking mechanism of Fig. 7(A). [Figure 8]Fig. 8(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate container is fixed to the frame of the load port by the locking mechanism according to Modification 2. Fig. 8(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate container is released from the frame of the load port by the locking mechanism of Fig. 8(A). [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a locking mechanism according to a second modification. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a third modification. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a fourth modified example. FIG. [Figure 12] Fig. 12(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the locking mechanism according to Modification 4 in a state in which it is in contact with the flange of the substrate container, and Fig. 12(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the locking mechanism according to Modification 4 in a state in which it is released from contact with the flange of the substrate container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. It should be noted that the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships, ratios, etc. of the elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships, ratios, etc. of the elements between the multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, substantially identical elements between multiple drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and each element is described in the drawing in which it first appears, and its description is omitted in subsequent drawings unless particularly necessary. Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] (1) Overall configuration of substrate processing equipment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] For ease of explanation, the drawings hereinafter show three mutually orthogonal axes, i.e., an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis. The X-axis is an axis along one horizontal direction (the front-rear direction of the substrate processing apparatus 1), the Y-axis is an axis along a direction perpendicular to the X-axis within the horizontal direction (the left-right direction of the substrate processing apparatus 1), and the Z-axis is an axis along a vertical direction (the up-down direction of the substrate processing apparatus 1).

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 2, and an opening is provided at the bottom of a front wall 3 of the housing 2 to allow for maintenance, and the opening is opened and closed by a front maintenance door 5.

[0012] A pod loading / unloading opening is opened in the front wall 3 of the housing 2 so as to communicate between the inside and outside of the housing 2, and the pod loading / unloading opening is opened and closed by a front shutter 7, which is an opening / closing mechanism for the loading / unloading opening. A pod transfer table 8 is installed in front of the pod loading / unloading opening. The pod transfer table 8 is configured to align a pod 9 (also called a FOUP), which is a substrate container placed on it.

[0013] The pod 9 is a sealed substrate transport container that contains and transports wafers 18 as substrates, and is configured to be loaded onto the pod transfer table 8 and unloaded from the pod transfer table 8 by an in-process transport device.

[0014] A rotary pod shelf 11, which is a pod storage shelf, is installed at the upper part of the housing 2 at approximately the center in the X-axis direction, and the rotary pod shelf 11 is configured to store a plurality of pods 9.

[0015] A pod opener 14, which is a pod lid opening and closing mechanism, is provided below the rotary pod shelf 11, and the pod opener 14 has a configuration capable of opening and closing the lid of the pod 9.

[0016] A pod transfer mechanism 15, which is a container transfer section, is installed between the pod transfer table 8, the rotary pod shelf 11, and the pod opener 14. The pod transfer mechanism 15 is configured to hold a pod 9 and move up and down in the Z-axis direction (also referred to as the up-down direction), and move back and forth horizontally in the Y-axis direction (also referred to as the left-right direction) and the X-axis direction (also referred to as the front-rear direction). The pod 9 is configured to be transferred between the pod transfer table 8, the rotary pod shelf 11, and the pod opener 14.

[0017] A sub-housing 16 is provided extending to the rear end at the bottom of approximately the center in the X-axis direction inside the housing 2. A pair of wafer loading / unloading ports, which are openings for loading and unloading wafers 18 into and out of the sub-housing 16, are opened in a front wall 17 of the sub-housing 16, arranged vertically in two tiers, one above the other, and pod openers 14 are provided for the upper and lower wafer loading / unloading ports, respectively.

[0018] A load port 21 for transferring wafers 18 in the pod 9 is installed on the front wall 17. The load port 21 includes a mounting table 22 for placing the pod 9 thereon, and is configured to transfer the wafers 18 in the pod 9 by opening and closing the lid of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 22 using a pod opener 14.

[0019] The sub-housing 16 forms a transfer chamber 23 (also referred to as a substrate transfer space) that is airtightly separated from the space (also referred to as a pod transfer space) in which the pod transfer mechanism 15 and the rotary pod shelf 11 are disposed. A wafer transfer mechanism 24, which is a transfer machine, is installed in the transfer chamber 23. The wafer transfer mechanism 24 is configured to load and unload wafers 18 onto a boat 26, which is a substrate holder.

[0020] The transfer chamber 23 is provided with a standby section 27 for accommodating the boat 26 and allowing it to wait, and a vertical processing furnace 28 is provided above the standby section 27. The processing furnace 28 has a processing chamber 29 formed therein, and a furnace opening is formed at the lower end of the processing chamber 29, and the furnace opening is configured to be opened and closed by a furnace opening shutter. The processing furnace 28 is an example of a processing container for processing wafers 18.

[0021] A boat elevator 32, which is a substrate holder lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the boat 26, is installed below the processing furnace 28. A seal cap 34 serving as a lid is attached horizontally to the boat elevator 32. The seal cap 34 supports the boat 26 vertically and is configured to be able to airtightly close the furnace throat when the boat 26 is loaded into the processing chamber 29.

[0022] The boat 26 is configured to hold multiple wafers 18 (for example, 50 to 125) in a horizontal position with their centers aligned in multiple stages. In this specification, a numerical range such as "50 to 125" means that the range includes both the lower and upper limits. Thus, for example, "50 to 125" means "50 or more and 125 or less." The same applies to other numerical ranges.

[0023] A clean unit 35 is disposed opposite the boat elevator 32, and the clean unit 35 is composed of a supply fan and a dust filter to supply a purified atmosphere or clean air which is an inert gas.

[0024] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 100, which controls the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 100 may be built into the substrate processing apparatus 1, or may be provided so as to be accessible to the substrate processing apparatus 1 from outside the substrate processing apparatus 1. In the following, a case where the control unit 100 according to this embodiment is applied to the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described, but the control unit 100 may also control apparatuses other than the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0025] (2) Load port configuration Next, the configuration of the load port 21 will be described. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the locking mechanism 41 of the load port 21. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a pod 9. Note that in order to explain the configuration of the locking mechanism 41 of the load port 21, FIG. 2 does not show the locking mechanism 43 that abuts the pod 9 against the frame 40, which is part of the front wall 17. A control unit 100 is electrically connected to the locking mechanism 41 and the locking mechanism 43. In other words, the control unit 100 is configured to control the desired operations of each part of the locking mechanism 41 and the locking mechanism 43 at the desired timing.

[0026] The load port 21 has a frame body 40 that forms part of the front wall 17 that separates the inside and outside of the local clean environment (mini-environment), a mounting table 22 having one end fixed to the frame body 40, a locking mechanism 41 that positions the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 22, and a locking mechanism 43, which will be described in detail later, that presses the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 22 against the frame body 40.

[0027] That is, the frame 40 is configured to separate the transfer chamber 23, which is a local clean environment, from the pod transfer space, which is outside the local clean environment. The frame 40 has a surface 40a as a first surface on the pod transfer space side, a surface 40b as a second surface on the transfer chamber 23 side, and an opening 40c through which the wafers 18 accommodated in the pod 9 can pass. In other words, the opening 40c through which the wafers 18 can pass is formed in the front wall 17, which separates the inside and outside of the local clean environment.

[0028] The mounting table 22 is configured so that the pod 9 can be placed on it on the pod transfer space side.

[0029] The locking mechanism 41 is composed of a support base 45 on which the pod 9 is placed on the mounting base 22, a plurality of guide members 46 that allow the support base 45 to slide in the X-axis direction, a plurality of pins 48 that fit into recesses 47 formed in the bottom surface of the pod 9 to position the pod 9 on the support base 45, and an engagement portion 50 that rotates to be able to engage with an engagement groove 49 formed in the bottom surface of the pod 9.

[0030] The engaging portion 50 is rotatable by a driving portion 51, and is configured to rotate between a position where it engages with the engaging groove 49 and a position where the engagement is released. The support base 45 is configured to be movable approximately perpendicular to the surface 40a by the guide member 46 moving in the X-axis direction on the mounting table 22. In this way, the pod 9 placed on the support base 45 in the load port 21 is positioned and fixed on the mounting table 22.

[0031] The locking mechanism 43 is configured so that the flange 54 of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 22 is in airtight contact with the frame 40 via the seal member 42. In other words, the opening 44 of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 22 is configured to be able to airtightly contact the surface 40a surrounding the opening 40c.

[0032] The pod 9 is configured to accommodate a plurality of (e.g., 25) wafers 18 arranged substantially horizontally in multiple stages. An opening 44 for inserting and removing the wafers 18 is formed in one end face of the pod 9, and a lid 52 corresponding to the opening 44 is removably attached to the opening 44. As shown in Fig. 3, the lid 52 is provided with, for example, two keyholes 53, and the lid 52 can be attached and detached from the opening 44 by locking and unlocking the keyholes 53 with the pod opener 14. The lid 52 is configured to make the inside of the pod 9 substantially airtight.

[0033] Additionally, flanges 54 are formed around the opening 44 of the pod 9, protruding from each side of the pod 9 toward the outer periphery. Two recesses 55 are formed on each side of the flange 54, spaced a predetermined distance apart in the Z-axis direction. The recesses 55 form a space resembling an inverted truncated square pyramid inside. That is, the side of the recess 55 is slightly inclined rather than perpendicular to the depth direction. Note that the number of recesses 55 is not limited to two on each side of the flange 54; one or more recesses may be formed on each side. The flange 54 may have a lattice-like rib structure protruding outward, and each recess 55 may correspond to one of the depressions between the ribs.

[0034] In addition, the pod 9 is provided on its upper surface with a flange-shaped handle 56 that can be gripped by a transfer robot.

[0035] Next, the configuration of the locking mechanism 43 will be described. Fig. 4(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the pod 9 is fixed to the surface 40a of the frame 40 by the locking mechanism 43. Fig. 4(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the pod 9 is released from the surface 40a of the frame 40 by the locking mechanism 43. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the locking mechanism 43 when Fig. 4(A) is viewed from the Y-axis direction. Note that in Fig. 5, the pod 9 is shown by a two-dot chain line to explain the details of the locking mechanism 43.

[0036] The locking mechanism 43 is fixed to the surface 40a of the frame 40 by a plate-shaped support 60. In other words, the locking mechanism 43 is provided only on the surface 40a outside the local clean environment. This prevents the locking mechanism 43 from interfering with the pod opener 14, mapping sensor, etc., and allows the locking mechanism 43 to be easily attached to existing equipment.

[0037] The locking mechanism 43 has a pair of heads 62 that engage with at least two recesses 55 formed on both side surfaces of the flange 54, respectively, and a pair of drive units 63 that are configured to move the pair of heads 62 in a direction substantially parallel to the surface 40a. The pair of heads 62 and the pair of drive units 63 have the same configuration and are arranged symmetrically on the surface 40a at positions facing each other across the opening 40c. Therefore, the following description will be given using the head 62 and drive unit 63 that engage with the recesses 55 formed on one side surface of the pod 9.

[0038] The head 62 has a contact portion 64 at one end that abuts against the side surface of the recess 52 and generates a force pressing the flange 54 against the surface 40a. The contact portion 64 has a tapered surface 64a that is inclined with respect to the direction of movement to the dock position, which presses the pod 9 against the surface 40a. A pivot 65 is inserted into an axial hole provided approximately in the center of the head 62, and the head 62 is rotatable around the pivot 65. The pivot 65 is fixed to the support portion 60 so as to be approximately perpendicular to the surface 40a. The contact portion 64 has a corner (tip) that first contacts the flange 54 when the head 62 is rotated. The corner has a first tapered surface 64a that is chamfered with a surface approximately perpendicular to the surface 40a, and a second tapered surface 64b that is chamfered with a surface slightly inclined with respect to the surface 40a. This surface is inclined so that it moves away from the surface 40a as it approaches the tip of the head 62, and the angle is, for example, 1° to 40°.

[0039] Here, the position where the pod 9 is pressed against the surface 40a by the movement of the guide member 46 in the load port 21 is referred to as the docked position, and the position where the pod 9 is separated from the surface 40a is referred to as the undocked position.

[0040] The drive unit 63 is composed of a cylinder 66 that can expand and contract on a plane substantially parallel to the flange 54 to be locked, and a biasing member 67 that presses and biases the head 62 toward the surface 40a. The cylinder 66 can be an air cylinder that can expand and contract in response to changes in air pressure, or the like. The biasing member 67 can be a coil spring that can be arranged along the outer periphery of the pivot 65, or the like. This allows the locking mechanism 43 to directly set an appropriate pressing force that maintains the airtightness of the pod 9 without interfering with the smooth locking operation.

[0041] The cylinder 66 is rotatably fixed to the support part 60 by a pin 68 provided on one end side. The cylinder 66 rotatably supports the head 62 by a pin 69 provided on the other end side of the pin 68. In other words, the cylinder 66 moves without including a component in the X-axis direction, expands and contracts approximately horizontally with respect to the surface 40a, and is configured so that the pin 68 rotates the cylinder 66 relative to the support part 60, and the pin 69 rotates the head 62.

[0042] The locking mechanism 43 is configured to be switchable between an engaged state in which it engages with the recess 55 of the flange 54, as shown in Figure 4(A), and a disengaged state in which it does not engage with the recess 55 of the flange 54 and does not restrict movement of the pod 9 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, as shown in Figure 4(B).

[0043] The locking mechanism 43 has a maximum length in the Y-axis direction (also referred to as the width of the locking mechanism 43) that does not interfere with the pod 9 when it is transported to the load port 21, and is set to, for example, 45 mm or less. The locking mechanism 43 also has a maximum length in the X-axis direction from the surface 40a (also referred to as the thickness protruding from the surface 40a) that does not interfere with the pod 9 when it is transported to the load port 21, and is set to be smaller than the distance between the flange 54 and the surface 40a at the undocked position where the locking mechanism 41 is released and the pod 9 is separated from the surface 40a.

[0044] A pair of heads 62 are rotated around pivots 65 by a pair of drive units 63, and the tapered surfaces 64a of the contact units 64 slide on the flanges 54 when moving to the dock position, and push the heads 62 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the flanges 54 are pressed.

[0045] The pair of heads 62 are configured to transition between the engaged state and the disengaged state described above in synchronization with a precision that does not cause misalignment of the pod 9 in the Y-axis direction by means of the pair of drive units 63. The pair of heads 62 generate a force that presses the flange 54 against the surface 40a by transitioning from the disengaged state to the engaged state.

[0046] Here, when the lid 52 of the pod 9 is opened in the load port 21, the oxygen concentration in the transfer chamber 23 increases. Therefore, when the wafer 18 is transferred, the supply of inert gas into the transfer chamber 23 is increased to exhaust oxygen. As a result, the pressure inside the transfer chamber 23, which is inside the local clean environment, may be 200 Pa or more higher than the outside pressure, and the pod 9 may become detached from the load port 21 when the lid 52 of the pod 9 is opened. Furthermore, when the pod 9 is detached from the load port 21, a gap may be created, causing the atmosphere inside and outside the local clean environment to leak. According to the present disclosure, by abutting the upper side surface of the pod 9 against the frame 40, which is part of the front wall 17, in addition to the bottom surface of the pod 9, the pod 9 can be prevented from tilting in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions even when the pressure inside the local clean environment becomes 200 Pa or more higher than the outside pressure when the lid 52 of the pod 9 is opened.

[0047] (3) Substrate processing process Next, as one step in the semiconductor manufacturing process, a substrate processing step in which wafers 18 are processed using the above-described substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the following description, the operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus 1 is controlled by a control unit 100.

[0048] First, when the pod 9 is supplied to the pod transfer table 8, the pod loading / unloading port is opened by the front shutter 7. The pod 9 on the pod transfer table 8 is carried into the housing 2 by the pod transport mechanism 15 and placed on the rotary pod shelf 11.

[0049] The pod 9 is temporarily stored on the rotary pod shelf 11, and then transported by the pod transport mechanism 15 to one of the pod openers 14 and transferred to the load port 21, or is directly transferred from the pod transfer table 8 to the load port 21. At this time, the opening 40c is closed by the pod opener 14, and clean air is circulated in and filled the transfer chamber 23.

[0050] (Docking process, S1) The pod 9 transferred to the load port 21 is docked by pressing the end face of the flange 54 (i.e., the opening 44 side) against the surface 40a at the edge of the opening 40c of the frame 40 by the locking mechanism 41 and the engaging mechanism 43. Then, the lid 52 is removed by the pod opener 14, opening the opening 44 and connecting it to the local clean space.

[0051] (Substrate loading process, S2) The wafers 18 are removed from the pod 9 by the wafer transfer mechanism 24, and after the wafers 18 are aligned by a notch alignment device, the wafer transfer mechanism 24 transports the wafers 18 into the waiting section 27 at the rear of the transfer chamber 23 and loads (charges) them into the boat 26.

[0052] After transferring the wafers 18 to the boat 26, the wafer transfer mechanism 24 returns to the pod 9 and loads the next wafers 18 into the boat 26. When a predetermined number of wafers 18 have been loaded into the boat 26, the furnace opening of the processing furnace 28, which had been closed by the furnace opening shutter, is opened. The boat 26 is then raised by the boat elevator 32 and loaded into the processing chamber 29, and the furnace opening is airtightly closed by the seal cap 34.

[0053] (Substrate processing step, S3) The processing chamber 29 is evacuated to a desired pressure by replacing the gas with an inert gas, and is then heated to a predetermined temperature to achieve a desired temperature distribution.

[0054] Then, a process gas controlled at a predetermined flow rate is supplied by the gas supply mechanism, and as the process gas flows through the process chamber 29, it comes into contact with the surface of the wafer 18, and a predetermined process is performed on the surface of the wafer 18. Furthermore, the process gas after reaction is exhausted from the process chamber 29 by the exhaust mechanism. In this disclosure, the process gas means the gas supplied into the process chamber 29. This also applies to the following explanation.

[0055] After the preset processing time has elapsed, the gas supply mechanism supplies an inert gas to replace the gas in the processing chamber 29, and the pressure in the processing chamber 29 is returned to normal pressure. In this disclosure, the processing time refers to the time the processing continues. This also applies to the following explanation.

[0056] (Substrate unloading process, S4) The boat 26 is lowered by the boat elevator 32 via the seal cap 34, and the processed wafers 18 are carried out of the boat 26 and housed in the pod 9 of the load port 21 in the reverse order of the above description.

[0057] (Undocking process, S5) The pod opener 14 seals the opening 44 of the pod 9 containing the wafers 18 with the lid 52, and the pod 9 is undocked by releasing the locking mechanism 41 and the engagement mechanism 43 from contacting the edge surface 40a of the opening 40c of the pod 9.

[0058] Then, the pod 9 containing the processed wafers 18 is unloaded from the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the reverse order to the above description.

[0059] (4) Other aspects Next, modifications of the locking mechanism 43 in the above-described embodiment will be described in detail. In the following modifications, only the differences from the above-described embodiment will be described in detail.

[0060] (Variation 1) Fig. 7(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the pod 9 is fixed to the surface 40a of the frame 40 by the locking mechanism 71. Fig. 7(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the pod 9 is released from the surface 40a by the locking mechanism 71.

[0061] The locking mechanism 71 includes a pair of heads 72 that respectively contact at least two recesses 55 formed on both side surfaces of the flange 54, a pair of drive units 73 that drive the pair of heads 72 so that they can move linearly in the Y-axis direction, i.e., approximately parallel to the surface 40a, and a guide member 74 that guides the linear movement of the heads. A tapered surface 72a is formed at the tip of the head 72, inclined so that the distance from the surface 40a increases as the head approaches the tip. The drive units 73 and guide member 74 are fixed to the support unit 60. The drive units 73 may be an air cylinder or the like that can move the head 72 in the Y-axis direction by changing air pressure. The pair of heads 72 are configured to press the flange 54 from both sides by the pair of drive units 73 in synchronization with a precision that does not cause misalignment of the pod 9 in the Y-axis direction.

[0062] That is, the locking mechanism 71 is configured to be movable substantially parallel to the surface 40a, and the pair of heads 72 are configured to abut against the recesses 55 of the flange 54, respectively, to press the pod 9 from both sides without generating any force pressing the flange 54 against the surface 40a.

[0063] This modification also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, this modification also makes it possible to easily set the pressing force so as to suppress deformation of the pod 9 during contact. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce vibrations when docking the pod 9.

[0064] (Variation 2) Fig. 8(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the pod 9 is fixed to the surface 40a of the frame 40 by the locking mechanism 81. Fig. 8(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the pod 9 is released from the surface 40a by the locking mechanism 81. Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view for explaining a diaphragm 83 that constitutes the locking mechanism 81.

[0065] The locking mechanism 81 includes a pair of heads 82 that respectively abut against both side surfaces of the flange 54, a pair of diaphragms 83 that drive the pair of heads 82 in the Y-axis direction by working fluid, a housing 84 that holds the pair of diaphragms 83 and supplies working fluid to the interior thereof, and a pair of regulators 85 that communicate with the interior of the housing 84 via piping and adjust the pressure of the working fluid. The pair of heads 82, the pair of diaphragms 83, and the pair of housings 84 each have the same configuration and are arranged line-symmetrically on the surface 40a at positions facing each other across the opening 40c. Therefore, the following description will be given using the heads 82, diaphragms 83, and housings 84 that abut against the flange 54 on one side of the pod 9.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 9, a working fluid supply path 84a is formed within the housing 84, through which the working fluid supplied from the regulator 85 fills the diaphragm 83. The diaphragm 83 is made of an elastic material such as polyurethane. A space S is formed within the diaphragm 83, into which the working fluid is filled. Meanwhile, the head 82 is made of a wear-resistant, self-lubricating resin such as polyamide.

[0067] The regulator 85 is configured to set the force with which the head 82 presses against the flange 54 to a predetermined value. The regulator 85 may include a three-way valve that switches between supplying and discharging the pressure-regulated working fluid. The regulator 85 is configured to change the pressure of the working fluid in the head 82 via the diaphragm 83, thereby making it possible to move the head 82 in the Y-axis direction. The diaphragm 83 and the housing 84 are commercially available as a clamp module, and are also called a diaphragm-type actuator.

[0068] That is, the pair of regulators 85 are configured to increase the pressure of the working fluid in the space S, thereby moving the pair of heads 82 in a direction to contact the flange 54, and the pair of heads 82 press against the flange 54 from both sides. Also, the pair of regulators 85 are configured to decrease the pressure of the working fluid in the space S, thereby moving the pair of heads 82 in a direction away from the flange 54. The locking mechanism 81 is configured so that even when a pod without a recess 55 is used, the flexibility of the diaphragm allows the pair of heads 82 to abut against the flange 54 and press against the pod 9 from both sides.

[0069] This modification also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, in this modification, the head 82 can be brought into contact with the flange 54 by using a diaphragm-type actuator. That is, the head 82 can be used with a variety of pods 9 that come into contact with the flange 54. Furthermore, the use of a diaphragm-type actuator can suppress air leakage and dust generation.

[0070] (Variation 3) FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the locking mechanism 91. Note that in FIG. 10, the handle 56 formed on the upper surface of the pod 9 is not shown in order to explain the configuration of the locking mechanism 91. The locking mechanism 91 is composed of a head 82 that contacts the upper surface of the flange 54, a drive unit 93 that drives the head 82 up and down using hydraulic fluid, and a regulator 85 that adjusts the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the drive unit 93 to set the force with which the head 82 presses against the flange 54 to a predetermined value. The regulator 85 changes the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the head 82 via the drive unit 93, thereby enabling the head 82 to change its orientation between the Z-axis direction and a −Z-axis direction, which is the direction opposite to the Z-axis direction.

[0071] The locking mechanism 91 is installed on a support portion 92 provided on the surface 40a above the opening 40c of the frame 40. In other words, when the pod 9 is placed on the load port 21, the locking mechanism 91 is disposed above the flange 54 of the pod 9.

[0072] The locking mechanism 91 is configured to increase the pressure of the working fluid in the drive unit 93 using the regulator 85, thereby moving the head 82 in the -Z-axis direction, which is a direction toward the flange 54, and bringing the head 82 into contact with the flange 54. The locking mechanism 91 is also configured to decrease the pressure of the working fluid in the drive unit 93 using the regulator 85, thereby moving the head 82 in the +Z-axis direction, which is a direction away from the flange 54, and releasing the head 82 from contact with the flange 54. In other words, the locking mechanism 91 is configured to be capable of linear movement in the Z-axis direction (also referred to as the up-and-down direction).

[0073] This modification also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, in this modification, the use of a diaphragm-type actuator allows the head 82 to contact the flange 54 while conforming to its shape. Furthermore, the use of a diaphragm-type actuator can suppress air leakage and dust generation. Furthermore, vibrations during docking and undocking can be reduced, allowing for smoother operation.

[0074] (Variation 4) Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the locking mechanism 101. In order to explain the configuration of the locking mechanism 101, Fig. 11 does not show the handle 56 formed on the top surface of the pod 9. Fig. 12(A) is a cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism 101 taken along line AA when it is in contact with the flange 54, and Fig. 12(B) is a cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism 101 taken along line AA when it is released from contact with the flange 54.

[0075] As in the third modification, the locking mechanism 101 is installed on the support portion 92 provided on the surface 40a above the opening 40c of the frame 40. In other words, when the pod 9 is installed on the load port 21, the locking mechanism 101 is disposed above the flange 54 of the pod 9.

[0076] The locking mechanism 101 includes a head 102 that contacts the upper surface of the flange 54, and a linear motion unit 103 that supports the head 102 so that it can move linearly in the Z-axis direction. The linear motion unit 103 includes a housing 106, a biasing member 105 that biases the head 102 toward the flange 54 within the housing 106, and a support member 104 that has one end disposed outside the housing 106 and the other end connected to the head 102. The biasing member 105 is provided around the support member 104 within the housing 106, and the biasing member 105 and the support member 104 are provided coaxially. The biasing member 105 is, for example, a compression coil spring, and the locking mechanism 101 is configured to press the head 102 into contact with the flange 54 using only the restoring force of the biasing member 105. The head 102 is formed with a tapered surface 102a, which is configured so that when the pod 9 is moved from the undocked position to the docked position, the head 102 is pushed up while rubbing against the edge of the flange 54. In this example, the length of the head 102 in the Y-axis direction is sufficiently greater than the spacing of the ribs of the flange in the Y-axis direction. This allows the head 102 to slide smoothly along the ridges of the ribs without getting caught in the depressions between the ribs.

[0077] In this modification, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, in this modification, by using biasing members 105 with different biasing forces, it is possible to easily set the pressing force so as to suppress deformation of the pod 9 and to abut against it.

[0078] The configurations of the locking mechanism, the engaging mechanism, and the pod 9 described in the above embodiments and modifications are merely examples, and may be changed depending on the situation without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0079] Furthermore, the processing flow described in the above embodiment is also an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the processing order may be changed within the scope of the main idea.

[0080] The present disclosure can be applied not only to substrate processing apparatuses for semiconductor manufacturing, but also to apparatuses for processing glass substrates, such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) manufacturing apparatuses, and other substrate processing apparatuses. The substrate processing may include not only film formation processes such as CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition), and epitaxial growth processes such as oxide films, nitride films, and metal-containing films, but also annealing, oxidation, diffusion, etching, exposure, lithography, coating, molding, development, dicing, wire bonding, and inspection processes.

[0081] In the above-described embodiment, an example of processing substrates using a vertical (also called a batch) substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be suitably applied, for example, to a case where substrates are processed using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of processing substrates using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall processing furnace has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be suitably applied to a case where substrates are processed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall processing furnace.

[0082] When using these substrate processing apparatuses, each process can be performed using the same processing procedures and conditions as in the above-described embodiments and modifications, and the same effects as in the above-described embodiments and modifications can be obtained.

[0083] The above-described embodiments and modifications may be used in combination as appropriate. The processing procedures and processing conditions in such a case may be the same as those of the above-described embodiments and modifications, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 9 Pod (substrate container) 18 Wafer (substrate) 40 Frame 40a (first side) 40c aperture 43 Locking mechanism 44 Opening 54 flange 55 recess 62 heads 63 Drive unit 64 Contact area 64a Tapered surface

Claims

1. a frame that forms part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of a local clean environment, the frame having a first surface outside the local clean environment that can be airtightly abutted against an opening of a substrate container, and an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass; a locking mechanism provided on the first surface side and configured to be switchable between an engaged state in which the locking mechanism engages with a flange formed around the opening and a disengaged state in which the locking mechanism does not engage with the flange and does not restrict movement of the substrate container in the up-down direction and the back-and-forth direction, The locking mechanism includes: a pair of heads that engage with at least two recesses formed on both sides of the flange, respectively; a pair of drive units that move the pair of heads respectively in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface; The pair of heads each have a contact portion that generates a force pressing the flange against the first surface by transitioning from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and the contact portion is a tapered surface. Loading port.

2. a frame that forms part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of a local clean environment, the frame having a first surface outside the local clean environment that can be airtightly abutted against an opening of a substrate container, and an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass; a locking mechanism that engages with an engagement groove formed on the bottom surface of the substrate container; a locking mechanism that is provided on the first surface side and is configured to be movable substantially parallel to the first surface, and that abuts against a flange formed around the opening and presses the substrate container from both sides without generating a force that presses the flange against the first surface; A loading port equipped with:

3. The load port according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking mechanism is provided only on the first surface side.

4. 3. The load port according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism prevents the substrate container from tilting in the front-rear direction even if the pressure inside the local clean environment is 200 Pa or more higher than the pressure outside the local clean environment.

5. 3. The load port according to claim 1, further comprising a support table on which the substrate container is placed and which is configured to be movable substantially perpendicular to the first surface.

6. 3. The load port according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the locking mechanism protruding from the first surface is set to be smaller than a distance between the flange and the first surface when the substrate container is in an undocked position separated from the first surface.

7. 2. The load port according to claim 1, wherein the pair of heads transition between the engaged state and the disengaged state in synchronization with a precision that does not cause misalignment of the substrate container in the left-right direction.

8. The load port according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of drive units moves in a manner that does not include a component in the forward / backward direction.

9. 2. The load port according to claim 1, wherein the pair of heads are each rotatably supported and movably in a rotation axis direction, and the pair of drive units each include a cylinder that extends and contracts substantially parallel to the flange to be engaged, and a biasing member that biases the pair of heads in the rotation axis direction.

10. The load port of claim 1 , wherein the pair of heads each have a width of 45 mm or less.

11. 3. The load port according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism includes a head supported for linear movement and abutting against the flange, and a biasing member, and the head is pressed against the flange using only the restoring force of the biasing member.

12. 11. The load port according to claim 10, wherein the pair of heads each have a tapered surface inclined with respect to a direction of movement to a dock position in which the substrate container is pressed against the first surface, and the tapered surface slides over the flange during movement to the dock position, pushing the head in a direction opposite to the direction in which the flange is pressed.

13. 3. The load port according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism comprises: a head disposed above the opening and abutting against a flange provided on the upper surface of the substrate container; an actuator that drives the head in the vertical direction by a working fluid; and a regulator that adjusts the pressure of the working fluid in the actuator to set the force with which the head presses against the flange to a predetermined value.

14. 3. The load port according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a head that abuts against the flange and a diaphragm-type actuator that moves the head, and the head is attached to the diaphragm-type actuator so that its orientation can be changed in a direction different from the direction of movement.

15. a frame that forms part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of a local clean environment, the frame having a first surface outside the local clean environment that can be airtightly abutted against an opening of a substrate container, and an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass; a locking mechanism provided on the first surface side and configured to be switchable between an engaged state in which the locking mechanism engages with a flange formed around the opening and a disengaged state in which the locking mechanism does not engage with the flange and does not restrict movement of the substrate container in the up-down direction and the back-and-forth direction, The locking mechanism includes: a pair of heads that engage with at least two recesses formed on both sides of the flange, respectively; a pair of drive units that move the pair of heads respectively in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface; The pair of heads each have a contact portion that generates a force pressing the flange against the first surface by transitioning from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and the contact portion is a tapered surface. Substrate processing equipment.

16. a frame that forms part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of a local clean environment, the frame having a first surface outside the local clean environment that can be airtightly abutted against an opening of a substrate container, and an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass; a locking mechanism that engages with an engagement groove formed on the bottom surface of the substrate container; a locking mechanism that is provided on the first surface side and is configured to be movable substantially parallel to the first surface, and that abuts against a flange formed around the opening and presses the substrate container from both sides without generating a force that presses the flange against the first surface; A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

17. a step of airtightly abutting an opening of the substrate container against a first surface of a frame that constitutes a part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of the local clean environment and has an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass, the first surface being located outside the local clean environment; a step of switching a locking mechanism, which includes a pair of heads provided on the first surface side and respectively engaging with at least two recesses formed on both sides of a flange formed around the opening, and a pair of drive units that move the pair of heads respectively in directions substantially parallel to the first surface, between an engaged state in which the locking mechanism engages with the flange and a disengaged state in which the locking mechanism does not engage with the flange and does not restrict movement of the substrate container in the up-down direction and the back-and-forth direction; a processing step of processing the substrate taken out from the substrate container through the opening, In the switching step, a tapered surface, which is a contact portion of each of the pair of heads, generates a force pressing the flange against the first surface by transitioning from the disengaged state to the engaged state. Substrate processing method.

18. a step of airtightly abutting an opening of the substrate container against a first surface of a frame that constitutes a part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of the local clean environment and has an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass, the first surface being located outside the local clean environment; a step of engaging a locking mechanism with an engaging groove formed on a bottom surface of the substrate container; a step of moving a locking mechanism provided on the first surface side substantially parallel to the first surface, and abutting the flange formed around the opening against the flange to press the substrate container from both sides without generating a force pressing the flange against the first surface; a processing step of processing the substrate taken out of the substrate container through the opening; A substrate processing method comprising:

19. a step of airtightly abutting an opening of the substrate container against a first surface of a frame that constitutes a part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of the local clean environment and has an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass, the first surface being located outside the local clean environment; a step of switching a locking mechanism, which includes a pair of heads provided on the first surface side and respectively engaging with at least two recesses formed on both sides of a flange formed around the opening, and a pair of drive units that move the pair of heads respectively in directions substantially parallel to the first surface, between an engaged state in which the locking mechanism engages with the flange and a disengaged state in which the locking mechanism does not engage with the flange and does not restrict movement of the substrate container in the up-down direction and the back-and-forth direction; a processing step of processing the substrate taken out from the substrate container through the opening, In the switching step, a tapered surface, which is a contact portion of each of the pair of heads, generates a force pressing the flange against the first surface by transitioning from the disengaged state to the engaged state. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

20. a step of airtightly abutting an opening of the substrate container against a first surface of a frame that constitutes a part of a wall that separates the inside and outside of the local clean environment and has an opening through which a substrate contained in the substrate container can pass, the first surface being located outside the local clean environment; a step of engaging a locking mechanism with an engaging groove formed on a bottom surface of the substrate container; a step of moving a locking mechanism provided on the first surface side substantially parallel to the first surface, and abutting the flange formed around the opening against the flange to press the substrate container from both sides without generating a force pressing the flange against the first surface; a processing step of processing the substrate taken out of the substrate container through the opening; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having the above structure.

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