Substrate processing apparatus, container transfer method, substrate processing method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and recording medium

Abstract

To enhance the transfer throughput of a substrate.SOLUTION: A first container supporting portion capable of supporting a container capable of storing a substrate, a second container supporting portion disposed above the first container supporting portion and provided with a plurality of placement portions on which the container can be placed in a circumferential direction, a rotation shaft that revolves the second container supporting portion, a transport robot capable of delivering and receiving the container to and from the first container supporting portion or the second container supporting portion, a lifting / lowering portion capable of lifting and lowering the transport robot along a lifting / lowering shaft, and a control unit configured to control the rotation shaft and the conveyance robot such that a second movement speed of the raising / lowering unit that raises and lowers the conveyance robot is faster than a first movement speed at which the placement unit moves to a position at which the container can be transferred from the conveyance robot.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] As a substrate processing apparatus, for example, the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-161804 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a substrate processing apparatus (see Patent Document 1 for an example), a container capable of storing substrates is transported from a load port to a mounting portion of a rotary storage shelf. However, there is room for improvement in substrate processing apparatuses in terms of increasing substrate transport throughput.

[0005] The present disclosure provides techniques that enable increased substrate transport throughput. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a technology including: a first container support portion capable of supporting a container capable of storing a substrate; a second container support portion arranged higher than the first container support portion and having a plurality of mounting portions arranged circumferentially on which the container can be placed; a rotation axis that revolves the second container support portion; a transport robot that can transfer the container between the first container support portion or the second container support portion; a lifting portion that can raise and lower the transport robot along a lifting axis; and a control unit that can control the rotation axis and the transport robot so that, when transferring the container from the transport robot to a predetermined mounting portion, a second movement speed of the lifting portion that raises and lowers the transport robot is faster than a first movement speed at which the mounting portion moves to a position where the container can be received from the transport robot. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to increase the substrate transport throughput. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an entire substrate processing apparatus suitably used in one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an outline of an entire substrate processing apparatus suitably used in one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing an outline of an entire substrate processing apparatus suitably used in one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller preferably used in a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a sub-controller preferably used in a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] 10 is an operational diagram showing the operation of a transport robot of a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one aspect of the present disclosure, illustrating a state before a container held by the transport robot is placed on a shelf plate. FIG. [Figure 6B]6B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the transport robot shown in FIG. 6A, showing a state in which the container held by the transport robot is being placed on a shelf board. FIG. [Figure 6C] 6B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the transport robot shown in FIG. 6A, showing a state after the transport robot has placed a container on a shelf board. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a container transfer sequence in a substrate processing apparatus according to a comparative example. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a container transfer sequence in a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A substrate processing apparatus 10 that is preferably used in one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0010] 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 multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, in the following description, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations may be omitted.

[0011] In this specification, the term "wafer" may mean "the wafer itself" or "a laminate (assembly) of a wafer and a predetermined layer, film, etc. formed on its surface," i.e., the wafer may refer to the predetermined layer, film, etc. formed on the surface. In addition, in this specification, the term "surface of a wafer" may mean "the surface (exposed surface) of the wafer itself" or "the surface of a predetermined layer, film, etc. formed on a wafer, i.e., the outermost surface of the wafer as a laminate."

[0012] Furthermore, in this specification, the term "substrate" is synonymous with the term "wafer."

[0013] The substrate processing apparatus 10 in this embodiment is configured as, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs processing steps in a manufacturing method for semiconductor devices (IC: Integrated Circuit). In the following description, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is a batch-type vertical semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a processing apparatus) that performs oxidation, diffusion processing, CVD processing, etc. on substrates. The front-rear, left-right, and up-down (vertical) directions of the substrate processing apparatus 10 in this embodiment are as shown in FIG.

[0014] (Container (FOUP) 4) As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment uses a container 4, also called a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), as a substrate container (wafer carrier) that accommodates wafers 2 as substrates made of, for example, silicon (Si).

[0015] (Load port 14) The substrate processing apparatus 10 has a substrate processing apparatus main body 12. A front wall 12a of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 is provided with a loading / unloading section 14 for loading and unloading (loading in and out) the container 4 into and out of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12. The front wall 12a is provided with a loading / unloading opening 16 that communicates between the inside and outside of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12. The loading / unloading opening 16 is adapted to be opened and closed by an opening / closing part .

[0016] The loading / unloading section 14 is composed of a loading section 20 as an example of a first container support section on which the container 4 is placed, a transport mechanism 22 that transports (slides) the loading section 20 in the forward and backward directions, and a rotating section 24 composed of, for example, a hinge or the like that allows the loading section 20 and the transport mechanism 22 to rotate freely. In this embodiment, two mounting sections 20 and two transport mechanisms 22 are provided side by side in the left-right direction.

[0017] The transport mechanism 22 transports the mounting section 20 in the front-to-rear direction, so that the container 4 placed on the mounting section 20 travels between the inside and outside of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 through the loading / unloading opening 16. In this way, the transport mechanism 22 transports the mounting part 20 between the carry-in / out position and the delivery position. The carry-in / out position is a position outside the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 where the container 4 is delivered to and from an external transport device (not shown). The delivery position is a position inside the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 where the container 4 is delivered to and from a container transfer device 70, which will be described later.

[0018] The platform 20 and the transport mechanism 22 are rotated forward, for example, during maintenance of the inside of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12.

[0019] (Buffer shelf 30) A buffer shelf 30 is provided in the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 at the rear upper part of the loading / unloading section 14, and serves as a first storage section capable of storing a plurality of containers 4.

[0020] The buffer shelf 30 is composed of a support plate 32 attached to the inner surface of the front wall 12a and a plurality of shelf boards 34 supported horizontally on the support plate 32. The buffer shelf 30 is designed so that a plurality of containers 4 can be placed on each shelf board 34 in a line in the left-right direction.

[0021] A sub-housing 40 is provided in the lower rear portion of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12. The sub-housing 40 forms a space that is fluidly isolated from the space within the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 by a horizontal wall 42 provided in the front-rear direction and a vertical wall 44 provided in the top-bottom direction.

[0022] (50 carousels) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, above the sub-housing 40, a rotating shelf 50 is provided on which the container 4 can be placed.

[0023] The rotating shelf 50 is installed vertically and includes a rotating shaft 52, multiple shelves 54 as second container support sections supported radially on the rotating shaft 52, and a support rotation mechanism 52A that drives the rotating shaft 52 to rotate intermittently.

[0024] The support column rotation mechanism 52A includes a CR shaft motor (not shown) as a CR drive unit that rotates the rotation shaft 52. A CR shaft encoder (not shown) is connected to the CR shaft motor as a sensor that detects the rotation direction, rotation position, and rotation speed of the CR shaft motor.

[0025] The shelf board 54 has a plurality of radially arranged protrusions and a central base to which the protrusions are connected. More specifically, the shelf board 54 is formed in the shape of a swastika, which is made up of four interlocking hooks. As shown in FIG. 3, a placement portion 54A is provided at each hook-shaped tip of the shelf board 54, and one shelf board 54 is provided with four placement portions 54A. The mounting portion 54A is the portion surrounded by the two-dot chain line that includes the space between adjacent convex portions and a portion of the configuration of the adjacent convex portions. A plurality of mounting portions 54A are provided in the circumferential direction around the rotation shaft 52.

[0026] The shelf board 54 has four mounting portions 54A on the upper surface thereof, and three pin portions 54B as protrusions are provided on the upper surface thereof. The container 4 is positioned at a predetermined position (on the mounting portion 54A) by engaging a recess (not shown) of the container 4 with the pin portion 54B of the mounting portion 54A.

[0027] When the container 4 is transferred from the hand 86 of the transport robot 78 (described later) onto the shelf board 54, the hand 86 is lowered from a position slightly higher than the shelf board 54 to place the container 4 on the placement section 54A. As an example, a V-shaped groove (not shown) is formed in the recess of the container 4, and when the pin portion 54B fits into the V-shaped groove due to relative movement between the container 4 and the shelf 54 (in the direction of rotation of the shelf 54), the container 4 is configured to be locked.

[0028] (Pod opener) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, two wafer loading ports 60 for carrying wafers 2 into and out of (loading and unloading from) the container 4 into the sub-housing 40 are provided on the vertical wall 44 of the sub-housing 40, arranged vertically. The wafer loading port 60 is provided with a container opening / closing device 62 that opens and closes the container 4 by attaching and detaching the lid of the container 4 . Furthermore, in the vertical wall 44 , a loading / unloading port 64 is formed corresponding to the wafer loading port 60 , which allows the wafer 2 to communicate with the inside and outside of the sub-housing 40 . The container opening / closing device 62 includes a mounting table 62A as an example of a first container support portion on which the container 4 is placed, and a cap attaching / detaching mechanism that attaches and detaches the cap (lid body) of the container 4. The container opening / closing device 62 is configured to open and close the wafer loading / unloading port of the container 4 by attaching and detaching the cap of the container 4 placed on the mounting table using the cap attaching / detaching mechanism.

[0029] (Container transfer device 70) In the substrate processing apparatus main body 12, a container transfer device 70 for transferring the containers 4 is provided between the buffer shelf 30 and the rotary shelf 50. The container transfer device 70 is configured to transfer the container 4 between the mounting section 20 , the buffer shelf 30 , the carousel 50 , and the wafer loading port 60 .

[0030] The container transfer device 70 is composed of a linear actuator 72 provided in the left-right direction on the bottom surface of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12, and an elevator 74 provided upright on top of the linear actuator 72. The elevator 74 is an example of a lifting unit that can move up and down along the lifting axis of the present disclosure.

[0031] The linear actuator 72 uses a motor 72a as a drive source to move an elevator 74 in the left-right direction. The elevator 74 uses a motor (not shown) as a drive source to raise and lower a platform 76 provided on the elevator 74.

[0032] The lifting platform 76 is provided with a transfer robot 78 that holds the container 4 placed at a predetermined position and places (handles) it at another predetermined position.

[0033] The transfer robot 78 is, for example, configured by a SCARA robot (SCARA: Selective compliance assembly robot arm, a horizontal articulated robot). Specifically, the transport robot 78 is equipped with a rotary actuator 80 mounted vertically on the lifting platform 76, and this rotary actuator 80 is configured to rotate a first arm 82, one end of which is fixed to a rotation shaft that is the output shaft of the rotary actuator 80, in a horizontal plane.

[0034] One end of a second arm 84 is pivotally supported on the other end of the first arm 82. The second arm 84 is rotated in a horizontal plane by the rotary actuator 80. It has become. A hand 86 for holding the container 4 is attached horizontally to the other end of the second arm 84, and this hand 86 is designed to scoop up the container 4 from below and hold it horizontally. In addition, by configuring one end of the second arm 84 to be pivotally supported on the other end of the first arm 82, the first arm 82 and the second arm 84 can form a robot arm capable of holding the container 4. With the above configuration, the hand 86 is capable of movement in the up-down, front-back, and left-right directions of the device, that is, three-dimensional movement.

[0035] (Processing chamber (process tube) 92) A processing unit 88 for wafers 2 is provided at the upper rear portion of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12, and a heater unit 90 is installed vertically in the processing unit 88. A processing chamber (process tube) 92 for processing the wafers 2 is concentrically arranged inside the heater unit 90. The processing chamber 92 is connected to a gas introduction pipe 94 for introducing a processing gas, a purge gas, etc. into the processing chamber 92 , and an exhaust pipe 96 for exhausting the atmosphere inside the processing chamber 92 .

[0036] A boat lifting device 100 is provided below the heater unit 90 and within the sub-housing 40 . The boat lifting device 100 is configured to vertically lift and lower a cap 102 that is horizontally disposed directly below the processing chamber 92 . The cap 102 is formed in a disk shape with a diameter larger than the bottom opening of the processing chamber 92 . The cap 102 is configured to seal the bottom opening of the processing chamber 92 and to support the boat 104 in a vertically standing state.

[0037] The boat 104 is configured to hold a plurality of wafers 2 in a state in which the centers are aligned and the wafers are arranged horizontally. The boat 104 is transported into and out of the processing chamber 92 as the cap 102 is raised and lowered by the boat lifting device 100 . The boat 104 is designed to hold a larger number of wafers 2 (for example, 100 to 150 wafers) than the number of wafers 2 housed in one container 4 (for example, 25 wafers). In the processing chamber 92, the wafer 2 can be processed with a predetermined gas.

[0038] (Wafer transfer device 110) In the space inside the sub-housing 40, a wafer transfer device 110 is provided. The wafer transfer device 110 is configured to transfer the wafer 2 between the wafer loading port 60 and the boat 104 .

[0039] The wafer transfer device 110 includes a base 112 . A rotary actuator 114 is installed on the upper surface of the base 112, and a first linear actuator 116 is installed above this rotary actuator 114. The rotary actuator 114 is configured to rotate the first linear actuator 116 in a horizontal plane.

[0040] A second linear actuator 118 is installed above the first linear actuator 116 . The first linear actuator 116 is configured to move the second linear actuator 118 horizontally. A mounting base 120 is installed on top of the second linear actuator 118 . The second linear actuator 118 is configured to move the mount 120 horizontally. A plurality of tweezers 122 for supporting the wafer 2 from below are attached horizontally to the mounting base 120 at equal intervals.

[0041] The wafer transfer device 110 is adapted to be raised and lowered by an elevator 124 .

[0042] (controller 240) The controller 240 serving as a control section for controlling the operation of each section of the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0043] The controller 240 including the main control unit 239 can, for example, adjust the temperature of the heater unit 90, control the lifting operation of the boat lifting device 100, adjust the flow rate of an MFC (not shown) connected to the processing chamber 92, open and close valves and APC valves, start and stop the vacuum pump, and adjust the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 52 of the rotating shelf 50.

[0044] The main control unit 239 is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 239a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 239b, a storage device 239c, and an I / O port 239d. The RAM 239b, the storage device 239c, and the I / O port 239d are configured to be able to exchange data with the CPU 239a via an internal bus 239e. The main control unit 239 is connected to an input / output device 322 configured as, for example, a touch panel.

[0045] The storage device 239c is configured with, for example, a flash memory, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like. The memory device 239c stores readably a control program that controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10, a transport sequence that describes the transport procedure for the container 4 described below, and a process recipe that describes the procedures and conditions for substrate processing. The transfer sequence and process recipe are combined so that the controller 240 can execute each procedure in the substrate processing step described below to obtain a predetermined result, and function as a program. Hereinafter, the process recipes, control programs, etc. will be collectively referred to simply as programs (program products). In this specification, when the word "program" is used, it may include only a process recipe, only a control program, or both. The RAM 239b is configured as a memory area (work area) in which programs, data, etc. read by the CPU 239a are temporarily stored.

[0046] The I / O port 239d is also connected to various transport devices within the apparatus via the drive control unit 237.

[0047] The CPU 239a is configured to read and execute a control program from the storage device 239c, and also to read a process recipe from the storage device 239c in response to an input of an operation command from the input / output device 322, etc. The CPU 239a is configured to control the operations of various transfer devices in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe.

[0048] The controller 240 is not limited to being configured as a dedicated computer, but may also be configured as a general-purpose computer. For example, the controller 240 of this embodiment can be configured by preparing an external storage device (e.g., a magnetic disk such as a magnetic tape, a flexible disk, or a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD or a DVD, or a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory or a memory card) 323 that stores the above-mentioned program, and using this external storage device 323 to install the program into a general-purpose computer. However, the means for supplying the program to the computer is not limited to supplying it via the external storage device 323 . For example, the program may be supplied without going through the external storage device 323 by using a communication means such as the Internet or a dedicated line. The storage device 239c and the external storage device 323 are configured as computer-readable recording media. Hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to simply as a recording medium. When the term recording medium is used in this specification, it may include only the storage device 239c alone, only the external storage device 323 alone, or both.

[0049] Furthermore, the program can cause the substrate processing apparatus 10 to execute a procedure in which, when transferring a container 4 from the transport robot 78 to a predetermined placement section 54A, the shelf 54 is rotated so that the placement section 54A moves at a first movement speed V1 so that the placement section 54A moves to a position where the container 4 can be received from the transport robot 78, and the elevator 74 raises the transport robot 78 at a second movement speed V2 that is faster than the first movement speed V1.

[0050] FIG. 5 is an illustrative example of a functional block diagram for controlling each transport mechanism by a drive control unit 237, which is one of the sub-controllers. As shown in FIG. 5, the drive control unit 237 is configured to control each transport mechanism including the container transfer device 70, the boat lifting device 100, the wafer transfer device 110, the carousel 50, and the like. The drive control unit 237 is also configured to acquire data from sensors (not shown) attached to each transport mechanism. In this embodiment, the drive control section 237 has the same configuration as the controller 240, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] When a container 4 transported from outside the apparatus is placed on the placement unit 20, a signal is transferred from the container presence / absence sensor to the drive control unit 237. The drive control unit 237 is configured to drive the container transfer device 70 to transport the container 4 to one of the placement sections 54A of the rotating shelf 50 depending on the type of wafer 2 stored in the container 4.

[0052] The drive control unit 237 is also configured to execute a transport sequence for transferring containers 4 between the rotating shelf 50 and the container transfer device 70. As a result, the rotating shelf 50 is configured to rotate the shelves 54 by the drive control unit 237, and is configured to transfer containers 4 to and from the container transfer device 70.

[0053] (Description of Operation of Substrate Processing Apparatus 10) Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when a container 4 is supplied to the loading / unloading section 14, the loading / unloading opening 16 is opened by the opening / closing section 18, and the container 4 on the loading section 20 is loaded into the interior of the substrate processing apparatus main body 12 through the loading / unloading opening 16 by the container transfer device 70.

[0054] The loaded container 4 is automatically transported and handed over by the container transfer device 70 to the placement section 54A of the designated shelf 54 of the rotary shelf 50, and is temporarily stored on the shelf 54, after which it is transported from the shelf 54 to one of the container opening and closing devices 62 and transferred to the placement table 62A of the wafer loading port 60. Alternatively, the loaded container 4 is automatically transported and handed over by the container transfer device 70 to the designated shelf 34 of the buffer shelf 30, and is temporarily stored on the shelf 34, after which it is transported from the shelf 34 to one of the container opening and closing devices 62 and transferred to the placement table 62A of the wafer loading port 60. Alternatively, the loaded container 4 is directly transported to the container opening and closing device 62 and transferred to the placement table 62A.

[0055] Here, the transport of containers in the substrate processing apparatus according to the comparative example will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The substrate processing apparatus according to the comparative example has the same device configuration as the substrate processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, but differs from the substrate processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment in the manner of transporting the container 4. Hereinafter, the controller 240 controls the transport robot 78 and the like.

[0056] (1) First, step 100 is a container movement request process. Here, the controller 240 issues a request to move the container 4. That is, the controller 240 instructs each component to move the container 4.

[0057] (2) Step 102 is a container pick preparation operation process. Here, the transfer robot 78 is moved to the height of the container 4 so that the robot arm of the transfer robot 78 can pick up the container 4 on the placement unit 20.

[0058] (3) Step 104 is a container pick operation process, in which the robot arm of the transport robot 78 picks up the container 4 placed on the placement unit 20.

[0059] (4) Step 106 is a container placement preparation process. The transfer robot 78 that picked up the container 4 is raised to the height of a predetermined shelf 54 of the carousel 50 (the position for receiving and transferring the container 4) to prepare for the transfer.

[0060] (5) Step 108 is the rotation operation of shelf 54. Here, after container 4 is raised to the height of shelf 54 in step 106, shelf 54 is rotated so that predetermined placement portion 54A, where container 4 is to be placed, is positioned opposite container 4.

[0061] (6) Step 110 is a container placement operation. The robot arm is extended to place the container 4 on the intended placement location 54A.

[0062] Next, the transport of the container 4 in the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0063] (1) First, step 200 is a container movement request process. Here, the controller 240 issues a request to move the container 4. That is, the controller 240 instructs each component to move the container 4.

[0064] (2) Step 202 is a container pick preparation operation process, in which the transfer robot 78 is moved to the height of the container 4 so that the robot arm of the transfer robot 78 can pick up the container 4 on the placement unit 20.

[0065] (3) In step 204, the container picking operation process and the container placement preparation operation process are performed in parallel with the rotation of the shelf 54. "Performing them in parallel" also includes the case where the operation of the container transfer device 70 and the operation of the carousel 50 are partially parallel. The container 4 placed on the placement unit 20 is picked up by the robot arm, and then raised to the height of a predetermined shelf 54 of the rotating shelf 50 (the position where the container 4 is transferred). At the same time, as shown in Figure 6A, the shelf 54 rotates so that the predetermined placement section 54A where the container 4 is to be placed is positioned opposite the container 4 picked up by the hand 86, i.e., the container 4 transfer position. This allows the transfer robot 78 to receive the container 4 without waiting at the container 4 receiving position.

[0066] (4) Step 206 is a container placement operation. As shown in Fig. 6B, the container 4 is placed on a predetermined placement section 54A at the transfer position. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6C, the robot arm is returned from the extended state to its original state.

[0067] In this embodiment, when transferring the container 4 from the transport robot 78 to a predetermined mounting section 54A, the controller 240 can control the second movement speed V2 of the elevator 74 that raises the transport robot 78 so that it is faster than the first movement speed V1 (the movement speed of the mounting section 54A when it moves around the rotation shaft 52) ​​at which the rotation shaft 52 revolves so that the mounting section 54A moves to a position where it can receive the container 4 from the transport robot 78.

[0068] The first moving speed V1 can be set to a speed at which the transport robot 78 can move to the position where the container 4 can be transferred while the transport robot 78 moves from the operation of picking up the container 4 from the loading / unloading section 14 to the height position of the predetermined loading section 54A.

[0069] If another container 4 is already placed on the shelf 54, the speed is set to a speed at which the container 4 placed on the placement section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 can be transported onto the shelf 54 while holding the container 4 on the shelf 54. This makes it possible to increase the transport throughput.

[0070] However, when rotating the shelf 54 on which the container 4 is placed on the placement portion 54A, there is a limit to the rotation speed of the shelf 54. That is, if the rotation speed of the shelf plate 54 is too fast, there is a possibility that the wafer 2 supported in the container may shift. In this case, the wafer 2 may collide with the wall (e.g., the lid) of the container 4, which may cause damage or peeling of the film formed on the wafer 2, and the peeling may generate particles inside the container 4. Furthermore, if the rotation speed of the shelf board 54 increases and the centrifugal force acting on the container 4 increases, there is a concern that the holding state of the container 4 may become unstable due to the centrifugal force. Therefore, it is preferable to set the first moving speed V1 as fast as possible so as to prevent the holding state of the container 4 from becoming unstable and to prevent any malfunction of the container 4 from occurring.

[0071] On the other hand, since the transfer robot 78 moves up and down in a linear manner, the second movement speed V2 of the elevator 74 can be set faster than the first movement speed V1. This allows the shelf 54 to rotate so that the mounting portion 54A moves at a first moving speed V1, while the container 4 is raised at a second moving speed V2 that is faster than the first moving speed V1, thereby making it possible to hold the container on the shelf 54 while increasing the transport throughput. In other words, by making the first moving speed V1 < the second moving speed V2, it becomes possible for the transport robot 78 to transport the container 4 picked up from the loading section 20 to the transfer position before the designated loading section 54A of the rotating shelf 54 reaches the transfer position for the container 4 with the transport robot 78, thereby increasing the transport throughput.

[0072] The rotation of the shelf 54 can be performed prior to the operation of the transport robot 78. By rotating the shelf 54 in advance by utilizing the time when the transport robot 78 goes to retrieve the container 4 placed on the placement section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14, it is possible to contribute to improving throughput.

[0073] (Wafer 2 processing) Here, the container 4 transferred from the loading section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 to the loading section 54A of the shelf 54 of the rotating shelf 50, and the container 4 placed on the buffer shelf 30 from the loading section 20 can be transported to the loading table 62A of the container opening / closing device 62 by the transport robot 78 of the container transfer device 70.

[0074] In the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the container 4 placed on the loading section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 is transported to the loading table 62A of the container opening / closing device 62 by the container transfer device 70, or from the rotating shelf 50 to the loading table 62A by the container transfer device 70, or from the buffer shelf 30 to the loading table 62A by the container transfer device 70.

[0075] The vessel 4 placed on the mounting table 62A of the vessel opening / closing device 62 has a wafer loading / unloading opening opened by a cap attaching / detaching mechanism. Then, the wafers 2 in the container are transferred to the boat 104 by the tweezers 122 of the wafer transfer device 110. The boat 104 holding the wafers 2 is transported into the processing chamber 92, where they can be processed with a predetermined gas. The processing of the wafer 2 in the processing chamber 92 is performed, for example, by supplying a processing gas from a gas inlet pipe 94 to the processing chamber 92 to process a film formed on the wafer 2, while exhausting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 92 from the processing chamber 92 via an exhaust pipe 96. In this manner, processing such as film formation is performed on the wafer 2.

[0076] (Supplementary explanation of the mode) When the controller 240 determines that the container 4 should not be transferred to the shelf 54 to which it is intended, the controller 240 can perform control so that the container 4 is not transferred.

[0077] Furthermore, as an example, if the distance from the tip of the second arm 84 of the transport robot 78 to the mounting section 54A is not within a predetermined distance, for example, if it is longer or shorter than the predetermined distance, the controller 240 can control the transport robot 78 not to move the container 4 to the mounting section 54A, or can control the transport robot 78 to sound an alarm using an alarm device (not shown).

[0078] Furthermore, as an example, the controller 240 can control the robot arm to extend toward the placement section 54A while holding the container 4 when the robot arm moves to a position opposite the placement section 54A.

[0079] The first moving speed V1 can be set to a speed at which the loading section 54A, which is located far from the elevator 74 (lifting axis) in the horizontal direction, can move to a position where it can receive and hand over the container 4, from the time the transport robot 78 picks up the container 4 from the loading section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 until the time the transport robot 78 moves to a predetermined height position of the loading section 54A. As a result, even if the placement unit 54A to which the container 4 is to be transferred is located far from the elevator 74, the transport robot 78 can reliably transfer the container 4 without waiting at a position where the container 4 can be transferred.

[0080] In addition, the first moving speed V1 can be set to a speed at which the loading section 54A, which is located farthest from the elevator 74 (lifting axis) in the horizontal direction, can move to a position where it can receive and hand over the container 4, from the time the transport robot 78 picks up the container 4 from the loading section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 until the time the transport robot 78 moves to a predetermined height position of the loading section 54A. As a result, even if the placement unit 54A to which the container is to be transferred is located at the farthest position from the elevator 74, the transport robot 78 can reliably transfer the container 4 without waiting at a position where the container 4 can be transferred.

[0081] The first movement speed V1 can be set so that the speed when the shelf board 54 is not supporting the container 4 is greater than the speed when the shelf board 54 is supporting the container 4. The speed of the shelf 54 needs to be set while taking into consideration the instability of the container 4's holding state when a container 4 is present, but when a container 4 is not present, there is no need to take into consideration the instability of the container 4's holding state, so the speed can be increased, and as a result, the overall transport throughput can be increased.

[0082] The first moving speed V1 can be set so that the speed when no wafer 2 is loaded on the container 4 supported by the shelf plate 54 is greater than the speed when the wafer 2 is loaded on the container 4. When there are wafers 2 in the container 4, the speed of the shelf 54 needs to be set taking into consideration the misalignment of the wafers 2. However, when there are no wafers 2 in the container 4, there is no need to be concerned about the misalignment of the wafers 2, so the speed can be increased, which results in an increase in the overall transport throughput. If the first moving speed V1 is too fast, there is a possibility that the wafer 2 supported in the container 4 may shift. In this case, the wafer 2 may collide with the wall of the container 4, which may cause damage or peeling of the film formed on the wafer, or particles may be generated inside the container 4 due to the peeling.

[0083] The first moving speed V1 can be set to a speed at which at least one of the wafers 2 in the containers 4 supported by the shelves 54 does not collide with the wall of the containers 4. When there are wafers 2 in the container 4, the speed of the shelf 54 needs to be set taking into consideration the misalignment of the wafers 2. However, when there are no wafers 2 in the container 4, there is no need to be concerned about the misalignment of the wafers 2, so the speed can be increased, which results in an increase in the overall transport throughput.

[0084] The first moving speed V1 can be set to a speed at which the container 4 can be maintained in a state where it is held on the shelf plate 54. The container 4 is supported by engaging a pin 54B provided on the shelf plate 54 with a recess in the container 4. However, if the first moving speed V1 is too fast, there is a concern that the holding state of the container 4 may become unstable due to centrifugal force. Therefore, the speed is set to a value that allows the container 4 to be kept stably held on the shelf board 54.

[0085] The second movement speed V2 can be set to a speed at which the transport robot 78 can move from the height position of the loading section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 to a height position at which the container 4 can be transferred to the loading section 54A before the loading section 54A to which the container 4 is to be transferred moves to a position at which it can be received. This allows the container 4 to be transferred without the placement section 54A being on standby.

[0086] The second moving speed V2 can be set to a speed at which the transport robot 78 can move from the height position of the loading section 20 of the loading / unloading section 14 to the height position of the loading section 54A before the loading section 54A, which is the farthest from the elevator 74 (lifting axis) in the horizontal direction, moves to a position where it can receive and hand over. As a result, even if the destination placement unit 54A is located at the farthest position from the elevator 74, the placement unit 54A does not have to wait, and the container 4 can be reliably transferred.

[0087] A plurality of shelves 54 serving as second container support portions are provided in the direction of gravity, and the second movement speed V2 can be set in accordance with the height position of the shelf 54 arranged at the highest position. As a result, even if the placement portion 54A of the shelf board 54 at the transfer destination is at the highest position, the placement portion 54A of the shelf board 54 does not have to wait, and the container 4 can be reliably transferred. In addition, since the second movement speed V2 can be set according to the height of the transfer destination, the speed can be flexibly changed according to the transport situation, and the overall throughput can be improved.

[0088] The second moving speed V2 can be set to be faster when the placement portion 54A is not supporting the container 4 than when the placement portion 54A is holding the container 4. The second movement speed V2 (lifting and lowering speed) of the transport robot 78 needs to be set at a speed that takes into consideration large shaking of the container 4 and instability in the holding state of the container 4 when a container 4 is present, but when a container 4 is not present, there is no need to take into consideration shaking of the container 4 or instability in the holding state of the container 4, so the speed can be increased, resulting in an increase in overall throughput.

[0089] The second moving speed V2 can be set so that the speed when no wafer 2 is loaded on the container 4 supported by the shelf plate 54 is greater than the speed when the wafer 2 is loaded on the container 4. When there is a wafer 2 in the container 4, the second moving speed V2 needs to be set at a speed that takes into consideration the misalignment of the wafer 2. However, when there is no wafer 2 in the container 4, there is no need to be concerned about the misalignment of the wafer 2, so the speed can be increased, and as a result, the overall throughput can be increased.

[0090] The substrate processing apparatus 10 can be configured so that the transfer robot 78 is raised at least partially in parallel with the rotation of the shelf 54 having the placement portion 54A as the second container support portion.

[0091] When transferring the container 4 from the transfer robot 78 to a predetermined placement part 54A, the transfer robot 78 confirms that the placement part 54A to which the container 4 is to be transferred is at a desired position, and then enables the robot arm to be extended. That is, if the desired placement portion 54A is not at the desired position (in other words, the position for transferring the container 4), the transfer robot 78 does not extend the robot arm. This prevents the container 4 from being transferred to the wrong position. In addition, a CR axis motor 52B of the support rotation mechanism 52A that rotates the rotation axis 52 of the rotating shelf 50 is connected to a CR axis encoder 52C as a sensor that detects the rotation direction, rotation position, and rotation speed of the CR axis motor 52B. As a result, the controller 240 determines whether the desired placement portion 54A is in the desired position based on the rotational position data from the CR axis encoder 52C, and if it determines that the desired placement portion 54A is in the desired position, it enables the robot arm to be extended.

[0092] The desired position can be grasped by the controller 240 by storing the rotational position of the rotary shaft 52 as rotational position information from the CR shaft encoder 52C in a storage device. The controller 240 can reliably grasp the rotation state of the carousel 50 by checking the rotation position of the rotary shaft 52 based on the rotation position information from the CR shaft encoder 52C.

[0093] The controller 240 can function as a determination unit that can make various determinations regarding the operation of each unit of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The controller 240 can determine whether the container 4 can be transferred to the placement section 54A. For example, the transport robot 78 can be equipped with a laser distance sensor that can detect whether or not a container 4 is present on the placement section 54A at the container 4 transfer position, thereby detecting the presence or absence of a container 4, or by grasping the position of the placement section 54A where a container 4 is not placed based on rotational position information from the CR axis encoder 52C, the presence or absence of a container 4 can be detected. After the determination by the controller 240, the robot arm is extended, thereby making it possible to reliably transfer the container 4 to the placement part 54A.

[0094] In addition, a distance can be provided between the tip (other end) of the second arm 84 of the transport robot 78 and the outer peripheral end of the convex portion of the shelf board 54, and this distance can be measured by the laser distance sensor.

[0095] In addition, the laser distance sensor can measure the distance between the position of the tip of the second arm 84 and the base portion of the center part of the shelf board 54 when the robot arm is extended toward the mounting portion 54A, and can also measure the distance between the position of the tip of the second arm 84 and the position of the tip of the convex portion on the outer periphery of the shelf board 54.

[0096] As an example, the distance measurement can be performed after the robot arm is placed at a position facing the placement part 54A, which is the transfer target of the container 4, and before the container 4 is transferred. By measuring the distance before the container 4 is moved, it is possible to prevent the second arm 84 from colliding with the tip of the protruding portion on the outer periphery of the shelf board 54.

[0097] Furthermore, as an example, the distance measurement can be performed before the robot arm faces the shelf 54 . By measuring the distance before the robot arm faces the shelf board 54, it is possible to prevent collision between the second arm 84 and the tip of the protruding portion on the outer periphery of the shelf board 54.

[0098] The controller 240, which functions as a determination unit, can determine whether or not the transfer is possible based on whether or not the container 4 is held on the placement unit 54A to which the transfer is planned. By determining whether the container 4 is held on the destination placement unit 54A, the container 4 can be reliably transferred to the placement unit 54A. For example, if the container 4 is already in the position where the robot arm of the transport robot 78 extends, it can be determined that transfer is not possible.

[0099] The controller 240, which functions as a determination unit, can determine whether transfer is possible or not based on information about the distance between the receiver 54A and the transport robot 78. Information about the distance between the receiver 54A and the transport robot 78 can be obtained, for example, by providing the robot arm with a laser distance sensor capable of measuring the distance to the receiver 54A. Here, if it is determined that there is no mounting portion 54A at a position at a predetermined (determined) distance, it is determined that transfer is not possible and the container 4 is not transferred, but if it is determined that there is a mounting portion 54A at a position at a predetermined (determined) distance, the container 4 is transferred. This allows the container 4 to be transferred to the correct position on the placement section 54A.

[0100] The controller 240, which functions as a determination unit, can determine whether transfer is possible or not based on whether the placement unit 54A is present at a desired position (the position where the container 4 is transferred). The controller 240 determines whether the placement unit 54A is at a desired position based on the rotational position information from the CR axis encoder 52C, thereby making it possible to reliably transfer the container 4 to the placement unit 54A. For example, if the placement unit 54A is located at a position where the robot arm of the transport robot 78 is extended, it is determined that it is not at the desired position, and the robot arm is not extended.

[0101] After the wafer 2 has undergone a predetermined processing step in the processing chamber 92, wiring, packaging, etc. are performed to manufacture a semiconductor device.

[0102] If the controller 240 determines that the container 4 should not be transferred to the shelf 54 to which it is intended to be transferred (if there is an abnormality in the device), the controller 240 can control the transport robot 78 so that the container 4 is not transferred.

[0103] When the placement unit 54A moves to a position facing the robot arm, the controller 240 can control the robot arm of the transport robot 78 to extend toward the placement unit 54A with the hand 86 holding the container 4.

[0104] The container transfer device 70 can be controlled by the controller 240 so that the robot arm is positioned opposite the container support portion while the placement portion 54A is moving.

[0105] The controller 240 can predict the condition (deterioration, etc.) of the parts using machine learning and control each speed according to the predicted deterioration state of the parts. Furthermore, the controller 240 is not limited to machine learning and can also detect the state of a part based on the length of time the part is in use, abnormal sounds, and the like.

[0106] Next, the rotation speed VR of the carousel 50 when there is or is not a container 4 on the shelf 54 and when there is or is not a wafer 2 in the container 4 will be described with reference to Table 1. [Table 1] Speed ​​comparison: VR1 <VR2<VR3 VR1 is the speed at which the wafer and the container can be stably held. VR2 is the speed at which the container can be held stably. Since there are no wafers in the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the wafers. Since it is only necessary to consider stable holding of the container, the speed can be set higher than VR1. VR3 is a speed faster than VR11 and VR12. Because the shelf does not hold the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the container or wafer. Therefore, it can be set to a speed faster than VR1 and VR2. To increase the transfer efficiency, it may be set to the maximum speed within the range of equipment operation. In this way, the rotation speed can be set appropriately depending on the situation, allowing for flexible operation of the apparatus, thereby improving the throughput of the entire apparatus.

[0107] Next, the moving speed VZ of the transport robot 78 when it is holding or not holding a container 4, and when there is or is not a wafer 2 in the container 4 will be explained using Table 2. Table 2 explains the speed when moving the container 4 from the loading / unloading section 14 to the carousel shelf 50 or the buffer shelf 30. [Table 2] Speed ​​comparison: VZ11 <VZ12<VZ13 VZ11 is the speed at which the wafer and container can be stably held. VZ12 is the speed at which the container can be held stably. Since there are no wafers in the container, there is no need to consider the unstable wafer holding state. Since only the container needs to be held stably, a higher speed than VZ11 can be set. VZ13 has a higher speed than VZ11 and VZ12. Because the transfer robot does not hold the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the container or wafer. Therefore, a higher speed than VZ11 and VZ12 can be used. To increase the transfer efficiency, the maximum speed within the range of equipment operation may be used. In this way, the speed of the transport robot can be set appropriately depending on each situation, allowing for flexible operation of the device, thereby improving the throughput of the entire device.

[0108] Next, the moving speed VZ of the transfer robot when transferring the container 4 from the carousel 50 or the buffer shelf 30 to the container opening / closing device 62 will be described with reference to Table 3. [Table 3] Speed ​​comparison: VZ21 <VZ22<VZ23 VZ21 is the speed at which the wafer and container can be stably held. VZ22 is the speed at which the container can be stably held. Since there are no wafers in the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the wafers. Therefore, since it is possible to consider only the stable holding of the container, a speed higher than VZ21 can be set. VZ23 is a faster speed than VZ21 and VZ22. Because the transfer robot does not hold the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the container or wafer. Therefore, a faster speed than VZ21 and VZ22 can be used. To increase the transfer efficiency, the maximum speed within the range of equipment operation may be used. In this way, the speed of the transport robot can be set appropriately depending on each situation, allowing for flexible operation of the device, thereby improving the throughput of the entire device.

[0109] Next, the moving speed VZ of the transport robot when moving the container 4 from the container opening / closing device 62 to the carousel 50 or the buffer shelf 30 will be described with reference to Table 4. [Table 4] Speed ​​comparison: VZ31 <VZ32<VZ33 VZ31 is the speed at which the wafer and container can be stably held. VZ32 is the speed at which the container can be held stably. Since there are no wafers in the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the wafers. Since only the container needs to be held stably, a higher speed than VZ31 can be set. VZ33 is a faster speed than VZ31 and VZ32. Because the transfer robot does not hold the container, there is no need to consider the unstable holding state of the container or wafer. Therefore, a faster speed than VZ31 and VZ32 can be used. To increase the transfer efficiency, the maximum speed within the range of equipment operation may be used. In this way, the speed of the transport robot can be set appropriately depending on each situation, allowing for flexible operation of the device, thereby improving the throughput of the entire device.

[0110] [Other aspects] The above describes one aspect of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0111] For example, in the above-described embodiment, a silicon-containing film such as a SiN film can be formed in the processing chamber 92, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the present disclosure can also be suitably applied to the formation of a film containing a metal element such as titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), niobium (Nb), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), or tungsten (W), i.e., a metal-based film, on the wafer 2.

[0112] In other words, the present disclosure can be suitably applied when forming a film containing a predetermined element such as a semiconductor element or a metal element, but can also be suitably applied when performing processes such as oxidation, diffusion, annealing, and etching on a film formed on a wafer 2.

[0113] Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses that process semiconductor wafers such as the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment, but can also be applied to LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) manufacturing apparatuses that process glass substrates, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 2. Wafer (substrate) 4 containers 10. Substrate processing equipment

Claims

1. a first container support portion capable of supporting a container capable of storing a substrate; a second container support portion disposed above the first container support portion and having a plurality of mounting portions on which the containers can be placed, the second container support portion being circumferentially provided; a rotation axis that revolves the second container support portion; a transfer robot capable of transferring the container between the first container support unit or the second container support unit; a lifting unit that allows the transport robot to move up and down along a lifting shaft; a control unit that controls the rotation shaft and the transport robot so that, when transferring the container from the transport robot to the predetermined placement unit, a second movement speed of the lifting unit that lifts and lowers the transport robot is faster than a first movement speed at which the placement unit moves to a position where the placement unit can receive and deliver the container from the transport robot; A substrate processing apparatus having:

2. the transport robot includes a robot arm that can be extended toward the first container support portion or the second container support portion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. the first moving speed is a speed at which the placement unit can move to the position where the container can be transferred during a period from when the transport robot picks up the container from the first container support unit until when the transport robot moves to a predetermined height position of the placement unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. the first moving speed is a speed at which the placement unit farthest from the lifting shaft in the horizontal direction can move to the position where the container can be transferred, during the period from when the transport robot picks up the container from the first container support unit to when the transport robot moves to a predetermined height position of the placement unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

5. the first moving speed is set so that the speed when the placement unit is not supporting the container is greater than the speed when the placement unit is supporting the container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 .

6. the first moving speed is set to be faster when the substrate is not loaded on the container supported by the placement unit than when the substrate is loaded on the container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 .

7. the first moving speed is set to a speed at which the container can be maintained in a state held in the placement section. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

8. the second moving speed is a speed at which the transport robot can move from a height position of the first container support part to a height position at which the container can be transferred to the placement part before the placement part to which the container is to be transferred moves to the position at which the container can be received. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. the second movement speed is a speed at which the transport robot can move from the height position of the first container support part to the height position of the placement part, the placement part being the farthest from the lifting shaft in the horizontal direction, before the placement part moves to the position where the container can be transferred. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

10. The second container support portion is provided in plurality in the gravity direction, the second moving speed is set in accordance with the height position of the second container support part arranged at the highest position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

11. the second moving speed is set so that the speed when the placement unit is not supporting the container is greater than the speed when the placement unit is supporting the container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 .

12. the first moving speed is set to be faster when the substrate is not loaded on the container supported by the placement unit than when the substrate is loaded on the container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 .

13. the transport robot includes a robot arm capable of holding the container; When transferring the container from the transport robot to the predetermined placement unit, After confirming that the placement unit to which the workpiece is to be transferred is at a desired position, the arm is made extendable. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

14. The desired position is confirmed by the rotational position of the rotation shaft. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 .

15. a determination unit that determines whether the container can be transferred to the placement unit; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

16. the determining unit determines whether the container can be transferred or not based on whether the container is supported on the placement unit to which the container is to be transferred. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15 .

17. a first container support portion capable of supporting a container capable of storing a substrate; a second container support portion disposed above the first container support portion and having a plurality of mounting portions on which the containers can be placed, the second container support portion being circumferentially provided; a rotation axis that revolves the second container support portion; a transfer robot capable of transferring the container between the first container support unit or the second container support unit; a lifting unit that allows the transport robot to move up and down along a lifting shaft; A container transport method using a substrate processing apparatus having the following features: a step of controlling the rotation shaft and the transport robot so that, when transferring the container from the transport robot to the predetermined placement unit, a second movement speed of the lifting unit that lifts and lowers the transport robot is faster than a first movement speed at which the placement unit moves to a position where the placement unit can receive and deliver the container from the transport robot. Container transport method.

18. Furthermore, processing the substrate in a processing chamber; A substrate processing method comprising the container transport method according to claim 17.

19. Furthermore, processing the substrate in a processing chamber; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the container transport method according to claim 17.

20. a first container support portion capable of supporting a container capable of storing a substrate; a second container support portion disposed above the first container support portion and having a plurality of mounting portions on which the containers can be placed, the second container support portion being circumferentially provided; a rotation axis that revolves the second container support portion; a transfer robot capable of transferring the container between the first container support unit or the second container support unit; a lifting unit that allows the transport robot to move up and down along a lifting shaft; For a substrate processing apparatus having A program that causes a substrate processing apparatus to execute, by a computer, a procedure for controlling the rotation axis and the transport robot so that, when transferring the container from the transport robot to a predetermined placement section, the second movement speed of the lifting section that raises and lowers the transport robot is faster than the first movement speed at which the placement section moves to a position where the container can be received from the transport robot.

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