Wetting apparatus and wetting method

Abstract

We propose a wet processing device that enables shorter transport distances, reduced installation space, and simplifies the transport process. [Solution] The system includes a first holding means 11 that holds the workpiece W in a first position P1 in a first chamber 10, a second holding means 21 that holds the workpiece W in a second position P2 in a second chamber 20, a transport means 30 that transports the workpiece W between the first position P1 and the second position P2, a connecting section T that connects the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20, and an opening / closing means 40 that opens and closes the connecting section T. The first position P1 is located above the second position P2, the connecting section T is located between the first position P1 and the second position P2, the transport means 30 has the function of raising and lowering the second holding means 21 relative to the first position P1, and the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 can transfer the workpiece W to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wet processing apparatus and a wet processing method for performing wet processing on a thin plate-like workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate.

Background Art

[0002] In the production of substrates used in semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display panels, etc., wet processing apparatuses that process substrates with a processing liquid are widely used. A wet processing apparatus uses a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, a magnetic substrate, etc. as workpieces, and performs processes such as cleaning, stripping, development, and etching. In recent years, the single wafer type that processes substrates one by one has become the mainstream.

[0003] By the way, in a single wafer type wet processing apparatus, yield and throughput are one of the important issues. For example, in the wet processing step, after the polishing process of the substrate surface, a cleaning process is performed to remove polishing particles, adhesives, etc. in the slurry. In the cleaning process, since the remaining of polishing particles, etc. greatly affects reliability and yield, the cleaning accuracy is improved by combining a plurality of steps.

[0004] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a single wafer type wet cleaning apparatus provided with a plurality of processing units. In this cleaning apparatus, three cleaning processing units are arranged horizontally along the transport path. First, brush cleaning is performed in the processing unit on one end side, then stronger brush cleaning is performed in the central processing unit, and finally, rinsing and drying processes are performed in the processing unit on the other end side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the cleaning apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the processing units that perform the cleaning are arranged horizontally along the transport path. As a result, the wafer transport route requires the wafer to be moved from the processing unit to the transport path, then moved along the transport path, and then moved from the transport path to the next processing unit, which increases the transport distance. When the transport path is long, the wafer surface tends to dry out easily, making it easier for particles and watermarks (water stains) to remain, which causes a decrease in yield.

[0007] Furthermore, since the cleaning process accounts for 30% to 40% of the semiconductor manufacturing process, improving throughput is an extremely important issue. However, the cleaning apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has multiple processing units and transport paths arranged horizontally, resulting in a large installation area, which hinders throughput.

[0008] Furthermore, in the cleaning apparatus described in Patent Document 1, since a transport robot is used to transport the wafers, the transport process becomes complicated, which further exacerbates the retention of particles and other contaminants and reduces throughput.

[0009] The above issues are important challenges to be addressed not only in the washing process, but also in all sheet-fed wet processing processes, including stripping, developing, and etching.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention aims to propose a wet processing apparatus that enables shortening of the transport distance and saving of installation space in the wet processing of thin plate-shaped workpieces, and further simplifies the transport process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The wet processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, and wet processing of the workpiece in a first position in the first chamber and a second position in the second chamber. The first chamber includes a first holding means for holding the workpiece in the first position, The second chamber includes a second holding means for holding the workpiece in the second position, A conveying means for transporting the workpiece between the first position and the second position, A connecting portion that connects the first chamber and the second chamber, It includes an opening and closing means for opening and closing the aforementioned communication portion, The first position is located above the second position. The communication portion is located between the first position and the second position. The transport means includes a function to raise and lower the second holding means relative to the first position, The first holding means and the second holding means are capable of receiving the workpiece from each other. It is characterized by the following:

[0012] According to this invention, the first position is located above the second position, with a connecting section between them. This allows the transport path to be a straight route in the vertical direction, shortening the transport distance. Furthermore, the first and second chambers can be arranged vertically, reducing the installation area. The connecting section can be opened and closed by an opening / closing mechanism, preventing accidental inflow of liquids or gases between the first and second chambers. In transporting the workpiece, the transport mechanism can raise and lower the second holding mechanism relative to the first position, allowing the second holding mechanism to be positioned near the first position. Since the first and second holding mechanisms are positioned close to each other, they can transfer the workpiece to each other, eliminating the need for an intermediary such as a transport robot, and simplifying the transfer process.

[0013] Furthermore, the wet treatment apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a ventilation means for supplying air from a supply port. The first chamber is provided with a ventilation opening above the first position. Preferably, the supply port of the ventilation means is able to move up and down relative to the communication portion, at least between the ventilation opening and the communication portion.

[0014] According to this invention, since the ventilation means has a supply port that can be raised and lowered, during wet processing in the second chamber, the supply port can be lowered to near the communication section, thereby improving ventilation in the second chamber. Since the passage of the supply port is formed vertically between the ventilation opening and the communication section, the installation area does not increase.

[0015] Furthermore, the wet treatment method of the present invention is a wet treatment method that uses the wet treatment apparatus of the present invention. Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the workpiece in the first position, Step 2 involves the wet processing device, with the opening / closing means closed, wetting the object to be processed, which is positioned in the first position. Step 3, with the opening / closing means in the open position, the transport means raises the second holding means relative to the first position and positions it opposite the first holding means. Step 4 involves the transfer of the object to be processed by the first holding means and the second holding means, which are arranged opposite each other. With the opening / closing means open, the conveying means lowers the second holding means, which is holding the object to be processed, relative to the first position, and positions the object to be processed in the second position, step 5. Step 6, with the opening / closing means closed, the wet processing device wet processes the object to be processed in the second position, It is characterized by being equipped with [the following features].

[0016] Furthermore, the wet treatment method of the present invention is a wet treatment method that uses the wet treatment apparatus of the present invention. Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the workpiece in the first position, Step 2 involves the wet processing device, with the opening / closing means closed, wetting the object to be processed, which is positioned in the first position. Step 3: with the opening / closing means open, the conveying means raises the second holding means relative to the first position and positions it opposite the first holding means; Step 4: the first holding means and the second holding means arranged opposite each other transfer the workpiece; Step 5: with the opening / closing means open, the conveying means lowers the second holding means holding the workpiece relative to the first position and positions the workpiece at the second position; Step 7: with the opening / closing means open, the supply port of the ventilation means descends relative to the communication portion and is positioned near the communication portion; Step 8: with the opening / closing means open and the supply port of the ventilation means positioned near the communication portion, the wet processing apparatus wet-processes the workpiece at the second position; It is characterized by comprising the above.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the wet processing apparatus and the wet processing method of the present invention, particles and watermarks (scale) are unlikely to remain on the surface of the workpiece, the installation area can be space-saving, and furthermore, the conveying process of the workpiece can be simplified.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of the wet processing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view in the x-y plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a schematic cross-sectional view in the y-z plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 4]Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram of the bottom surface for illustrating the first holding means of the above embodiment, where Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is released from being held. [Figure 5] Figure 5(a) is a schematic diagram of the CC cross section for illustrating the first holding means of the above embodiment, where Figure 5(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 5(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is released from being held. [Figure 6] Figure 6(a) is a schematic diagram of the bottom surface for illustrating the first holding means of the above embodiment, where Figure 6(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 6(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the holding of the small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is released. [Figure 7] Figure 7(a) is a schematic diagram of the DD cross section for illustrating the first holding means of the above embodiment, where Figure 7(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 7(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the holding of the small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is released. [Figure 8] This is a schematic plan view of the second holding means of the above embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram of the EE cross-section for illustrating the second retaining means of the above embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram of the BB cross section to illustrate the upper opening of the second chamber in the above embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram of the AA cross-section to illustrate an example of the opening and closing mechanism of the above embodiment, and shows the opening and closing mechanism in a closed state. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an enlarged cross-section of the inner end of the pair of lids of the above embodiment. [Figure 13] This diagram illustrates a wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment, using a flowchart. [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment before the semiconductor wafer W is loaded. [Figure 15] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which a semiconductor wafer W has been loaded into the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram in the yz plane illustrating the state in which the first holding means holds the semiconductor wafer W in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a schematic diagram in the xy plane illustrating the state in which the first holding means holds the semiconductor wafer W in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 18] This figure illustrates the cleaning process in the first chamber of the wet processing apparatus according to the above embodiment. [Figure 19] This diagram illustrates the state in which the communication portion T is open in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 20] This diagram illustrates the process of transferring a semiconductor wafer between the first holding means and the second holding means in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 21] This figure illustrates the state in which the semiconductor wafer has been passed to the second holding means in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 22] This figure illustrates the state in which the transport means transports a semiconductor wafer and positions it in the second position in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 23] This figure illustrates the state in which a semiconductor wafer at the second position is wet-processed in the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment. [Figure 24] This is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the xy-plane for illustrating the wet processing apparatus S2 of the second embodiment. [Figure 25] This diagram illustrates a wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus of the above embodiment, using a flowchart. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] The following describes embodiments of a wet processing apparatus and a wet processing method to which the present invention is applied, using a single-wafer type wet processing apparatus for cleaning a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer W as an example.

[0020] (First embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the general configuration of a wet processing apparatus S1 according to the first embodiment. The wet processing apparatus S1 comprises a first chamber 10 and a second chamber 20. In the first chamber 10, a process of physically removing deposits from the surface of the semiconductor wafer W using a brush is performed, and in the second chamber 20, a process of removing deposits from the semiconductor wafer W using a removal processing liquid, replacing the removal processing liquid with a replacement processing liquid (pure water), and drying the semiconductor wafer W are performed. The wet processing apparatus S1 is installed and used in a cleanroom equipped with a fan filter unit (not shown) that supplies clean air.

[0021] The first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 are arranged vertically, with the first chamber 10 located above the second chamber 20. A ventilation means 50 is positioned above the first chamber 10. The wet processing device S1 is controlled by a control means 60, which is composed of a computer or the like. The control means 60 has the function of controlling the operation of the wet processing device S1 according to a program. In Figure 1, the x-axis is parallel to the sliding direction of the first holding means 11 (described later), the z-axis is parallel to the sliding direction of the cleaning means 14 (described later), the y-axis is parallel to the transport path R (described later), and the x, y, and z axes are perpendicular to each other.

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cross-section in the xy plane for illustrating the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cross-section in the yz plane. In the figures, the position of the semiconductor wafer W is indicated by a dashed line. In the first chamber 10, a cleaning process is performed on the semiconductor wafer W located at the first position P1, and in the second chamber 20, a cleaning process is performed on the semiconductor wafer W located at the second position P2. The internal space of the first chamber 10 and the internal space of the second chamber 20 are able to communicate with each other via a communication section T. Also in the figures, the transport path R for the semiconductor wafer W is indicated by a dashed arrow. The transport path R is formed vertically in the central space via the communication section T, and the semiconductor wafer W is transported through the transport path R by the transport means 30. The communication section T can be opened and closed by an opening / closing means 40.

[0023] (First Chamber) The first chamber 10 is provided with a first holding means 11. The first holding means 11 has the function of holding the semiconductor wafer W in a first position. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the bottom view for illustrating the first holding means 11, where Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is released. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the CC cross section of Figure 4 for illustrating the first holding means 11, where Figure 5(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 5(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is released. The first holding means 11 is an edge clamp that holds the semiconductor wafer W by clamping it from the side, and a pair of first holding means units 11R and 11L are arranged opposite each other with the first position P1 in between. The first holding means units 11R and 11L move horizontally in directions toward and away from each other, and the semiconductor wafer W can be detachably held.

[0024] Each first holding unit 11R, 11L includes a plurality of clamping portions 11a that move toward and away from the side surface of the semiconductor wafer W, and an arm portion 11b that moves the clamping portions 11a horizontally. Each arm portion 11b has a substantially semi-ring shape at its tip, and a plurality of clamping portions 11a are arranged on the lower surface of its tip at intervals from each other. Each clamping portion 11a includes a support shaft portion 11a1 and a contact portion 11a2 provided at the tip of the support shaft portion 11a1. The contact portion 11a2 is a disc-shaped roller and has the function of rotating horizontally around the support shaft portion 11a1 as its axis of rotation. The arm portion 11b is slidable in the horizontal direction (x-axis direction) by a moving mechanism (such as a hydraulic cylinder or motor) not shown.

[0025] Each first holding unit 11R, 11L is positioned such that the semi-ring-shaped tip of the arm portion 11b is located on the side of the first position P1, and the end portion protrudes outside the first chamber 10. As a result, multiple clamp portions 11a are arranged in a ring shape around the first position P1, and as the arm portion 11b moves, the clamp portions 11a move toward and away from the side surface of the semiconductor wafer W. When the contact portion 11a2 is in contact with the side surface of the semiconductor wafer W and rotates horizontally in the same direction, the rotational power is transmitted to the semiconductor wafer W, causing the semiconductor wafer W to rotate horizontally around its own center as the axis of rotation.

[0026] In this embodiment, to accommodate semiconductor wafers W of different diameters, the first holding means 11 has a clamp portion 11a and an arm portion 11b connected via a link portion 11c. The link portion 11c has the function of moving the clamp portion 11a toward and toward the first position P1 of different diameters. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the bottom view for illustrating the first holding means 11, where Figure 6(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 6(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is released. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the DD cross section of Figure 6 for illustrating the first holding means 11, where Figure 7(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is held, and Figure 7(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is released. In this embodiment, the clamp portion 11a is connected to the tip side of the link portion 11c, and the end side is connected to the arm portion 11b so as to be rotatable and slidable in the horizontal direction. When the object to be processed is a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W, the link portion 11c operates, and the contact portions 11a2 are arranged as small-diameter concentric circles. As a result, when the arm portion 11b is slid horizontally (in the x-axis direction), the contact portions 11a2 move toward and away from the semiconductor wafer W.

[0027] Furthermore, the first chamber 10 is equipped with a cleaning means 13 that performs cleaning on the semiconductor wafer W positioned at the first position P1. As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning means 13 has the function of cleaning the semiconductor wafer W by sandwiching it between brushes from both sides, and is equipped with an upper surface brush 13b and a lower surface brush 13c at the tip of a bifurcated arm 13a. The upper surface brush 13b and the lower surface brush 13c are movable in the horizontal direction (z-axis direction) and the vertical direction (y-axis direction). During the cleaning process, the bifurcated arm 13a moves horizontally (z-axis direction) while the upper surface brush 13b and the lower surface brush 13c are in contact with the rotating semiconductor wafer W, thereby cleaning the upper and lower surfaces of the semiconductor wafer W simultaneously. Note that the movement path of the cleaning means 13 is located between a pair of first holding means units 11R and 11L, so they do not interfere with each other (see Figures 4(a) and 4(b)). In addition, the cleaning means 13 is positioned so as not to interfere with the loading and unloading means 100, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the pair of first holding means 11R and 11L are arranged opposite each other in the x-axis direction with the first position P1 in between, and the washing means 13 and the loading / unloading means 100 loading / unloading port 14 are arranged opposite each other in the z-axis direction with the first position P1 in between.

[0028] A lower opening 12 is provided in the center of the bottom plate portion of the first chamber 10. The lower opening 12 is sized to allow the semiconductor wafer W and the second holding means 22 (described later) to pass through, and in this embodiment it is a perfect circle (see Figure 11). An inlet / outlet 14 is also provided in the side plate portion of the first chamber 10. The inlet / outlet 14 can be opened and closed by an inlet / outlet opening / closing means 14a. In this embodiment the inlet / outlet opening / closing means 14a is a lid that opens and closes the inlet / outlet 14 by sliding in the vertical direction.

[0029] A separate loading / unloading means 100 is located near the loading / unloading port 14. The loading / unloading means 100 has the function of loading and unloading semiconductor wafers W from the loading / unloading port 14 and transferring them to and from the first holding means 11. In this embodiment, the loading / unloading means 100 has the function of placing the semiconductor wafer W on its upper surface and sliding it in the x-axis and y-axis directions to position the semiconductor wafer W at the first position P1.

[0030] A ventilation opening 15 is provided in the top plate of the first chamber 10. The ventilation opening 15 is mainly for taking in air from a fan filter unit (not shown) into the first chamber 10, and the supplied air is discharged from an outlet (not shown). By opening the opening / closing means 40 of the communication section T, it is also possible to distribute the air taken in from the ventilation opening 15 to the second chamber 20.

[0031] (Second Chamber) The second chamber 20 is provided with a second holding means 21. The second holding means 21 has the function of holding the semiconductor wafer W in the second position. Figure 8 is a schematic plan view illustrating the second holding means 21. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-section of the EE in Figure 8 illustrating the second holding means 21. The second holding means 21 includes a mounting table 21a on which the semiconductor wafer W can be placed, and fixing parts 21b and 21c provided on the upper surface of the mounting table 21a.

[0032] The mounting table 21a has a roughly inverted truncated cone shape and is equipped with the function of rotating horizontally around the center of its circular upper surface as the axis of rotation. The lower side of the mounting table 21a is connected to the transport means 30, which will be described later.

[0033] The fixing parts 21b and 21c are multiple protrusions. Multiple fixing parts 21b and multiple fixing parts 21c are arranged on different concentric circles to accommodate semiconductor wafers W of different diameters. Multiple fixing parts 21b arranged on the outer concentric circles are responsible for large-diameter semiconductor wafers W, and multiple fixing parts 21c arranged on the inner concentric circles are responsible for small-diameter semiconductor wafers W. Each fixing part 21b and 21c comprises a lower part 21b1 and 21c1, and an upper part 21b2 and 21c2 that protrudes from the upper surface of the lower parts 21b1 and 21c1. In this embodiment, the lower parts 21b1 and 21c1 are cylindrical in shape, and the upper parts 21b2 and 21c2 are cylindrical in shape with a smaller diameter than the lower parts 21b1 and 21c1. The difference in diameter between the upper parts 21b2, 21c2 and the lower parts 21b1, 21c1 creates a step that forms an L-shaped cross-section at the upper ends of each fixing part 21b, 21c. Furthermore, the inner fixing part 21c is lower in height than the outer fixing part 21b, so that it does not come into contact with the semiconductor wafer W when holding a large-diameter semiconductor wafer W.

[0034] In the case of a large-diameter semiconductor wafer W, when the semiconductor wafer W is positioned in accordance with the arrangement of the outer fixing parts 21b, the edge of the semiconductor wafer W rests on the upper surface of the lower part 21b1 and the side surface abuts against the upper part 21b2, thereby fixing it in place. In the case of a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W, when the semiconductor wafer W is positioned in accordance with the arrangement of the inner fixing parts 21c, the edge of the semiconductor wafer W rests on the upper surface of the lower part 21c1 and the side surface abuts against the upper part 21c2, thereby fixing it in place. This allows the second holding means 21 to hold the semiconductor wafer W detachably from above.

[0035] Here, the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 are configured to be able to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to each other. The clamp portion 11a of the first holding means 11 and the fixing portions 21b and 21c of the second holding means 21 are positioned so as not to overlap in the y-axis direction, so that even if the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 are placed close together, the clamp portion 11a and the fixing portions 21b and 21c will not come into contact. Therefore, by holding the semiconductor wafer W with the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21, and then releasing the holding state of one of them, the transfer of the semiconductor wafer W is completed.

[0036] Furthermore, as described above, the first holding means 11 of the first chamber 10 and the second holding means 21 of the second chamber 20 have different configurations. In this embodiment, the first holding means 11 of the first chamber 10 is an edge clamp type that clamps the sides of the semiconductor wafer W from both sides, and is a configuration suitable for cleaning by double-sided brushing in the first chamber 10. On the other hand, the second holding means 21 of the second chamber 20 is a mounting type that places the semiconductor wafer W on protruding fixing parts 21b and 21c, and is a configuration suitable for cleaning by processing liquid replacement in the second chamber 20. In other words, since the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 are provided with holding means 11 and 21 respectively, the holding means 11 and 21 can be configured to be suitable for cleaning in each chamber 10 and 20.

[0037] The second chamber 20 has an upper opening 22 in the center of its top plate. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the BB cross section in Figure 2 to illustrate the upper opening 22. The upper opening 22 is large enough for the semiconductor wafer W and the second holding means 21 to pass through, and in this embodiment it is perfectly circular. The second chamber 20 may also be provided with a ventilation opening to take in air from the fan filter unit and an exhaust port to discharge the atmosphere inside the second chamber 20.

[0038] Furthermore, the second chamber 20 comprises a plurality of processing spaces 24,,,24 arranged in the vertical direction, and a space for a transport path R provided along the arrangement of the processing spaces 24,,,24. The space for the transport path R is located below the communication section T, and the second position P2 is set for each processing space 24,,,24 in the transport path R. In detail, the second chamber 20 has a plurality of partition plates 23,,,23 that divide the internal space, arranged in the vertical direction (y-axis direction). Each partition plate 23 is ring-shaped with an opening in the center and is provided at predetermined intervals on the side plate portion of the second chamber 20. As a result, the second chamber 20 has a space in the center that becomes the transport path R, and multiple stages of processing spaces 24,,,24 are formed outside the space for the transport path R. In this embodiment, three processing spaces 24a, 24b, 24c are formed by three partition plates 23a, 23b, 23c, which are the lower, middle, and upper stages. The cleaning process of the second chamber 20 consists of multiple processing steps, and different processing spaces 24a, 24b, and 24c are used as needed. For this reason, second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c are set for each processing space 24a, 24b, and 24c. Each partition plate 23 is inclined downward from the inside to the outside, and the processing liquid scattered in each processing space 24a, 24b, and 24c is collected by partition plates 23a, 23b, and 23c and can be discharged from an outlet (not shown).

[0039] (Transportation means) The transport means 30 has the function of transporting the semiconductor wafer W via the communication section T between the first position P1 and the second position P2 (P2a, P2b, P2c). In this embodiment, the transport means 30 transports the semiconductor wafer W held by the second holding means 21 by raising and lowering the second holding means 21 relative to the first position P1. In detail, the transport means 30 includes a lifting shaft 31 connected to the mounting table 21a, a support section 32 that supports the lifting shaft 31, and a moving mechanism (not shown) such as a hydraulic cylinder or gear motor that raises and lowers the lifting shaft 31 relative to the support section 32. As the lifting shaft 31 moves up and down relative to the support section 32, the second holding means 20 located at the tip of the lifting shaft 31 moves up and down.

[0040] (Communication section and opening / closing mechanism) The first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 are connected by a connecting section T, which can be opened and closed by an opening / closing mechanism 40. In this embodiment, the connecting section T is formed by overlapping the lower opening 12 of the first chamber 10 and the upper opening 22 of the second chamber 20.

[0041] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an AA cross-section (see Figure 2) illustrating an example of the opening / closing mechanism 40, showing the opening / closing mechanism 40 in a closed state. The opening / closing mechanism 40 is provided on the side of the first chamber 10 to cover the entire opening of the communication section T (i.e., the lower opening 12). In detail, the opening / closing mechanism 40 is a double-hinged door type that opens upward in the center, and comprises a pair of lids 41, 41 that cover the communication section T, and an arm portion 42 connected to each lid 41. Each lid 41 is roughly plate-shaped and closes by contacting the other lid 41 near the center of the communication section T. The arm portion 42 is a multi-joint arm in which multiple links are connected via joints, and is connected to the outer end 41b of each lid 41 via joints. The movement of the arm portion 42 causes each lid 41 to tilt so that the inner end 41a is on the upper side and the outer end 41b is on the lower side, and each lid 41 slides to be positioned outside the transport path R.

[0042] Note that the inner ends 41a, 41a of the pair of lids 41, 41 may overlap. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the cross-sections of the inner ends 41a, 41a of the lids 41, 41 in an enlarged view. The inner end 41a of one lid 41 has a roughly L-shaped cross-section and is configured to overlap the upper surface of the inner end 41a of the other lid 41. This increases the airtightness of the lids 41, 41.

[0043] (Conveyor path) Here, as shown in Figure 2, the first position P1 is located above the second position P2 (P2a, P2b, P2c), and the communication section T is located between the first position P and the second position P (P2a, P2b, P2c). As a result, the transport path R for the semiconductor wafer W between the first position P1 and the second position P2 is formed in the vertical direction (y-axis direction) via the communication section T.

[0044] The ventilation means 50 has the function of supplying air from the supply port 51, and in this embodiment it is a duct. The ventilation means 50 is arranged in the airflow path from the fan filter unit (not shown), and the supply port 51 is located above the ventilation opening 15 of the first chamber 10. In this embodiment the fan filter unit is located above the wet processing device S1, and the ventilation means 50 is arranged between the fan filter unit and the wet processing device S1. The ventilation means 50 only needs to have the function of straightening the air from the fan filter unit toward the wet processing device S1, and there may be a gap between it and the fan filter unit, or they may be connected.

[0045] (Operation instructions) The wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment operates as follows. Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment. The semiconductor wafer W is cleaned with a brush in the first chamber 10, and then undergoes multiple cleaning processes in the second chamber 20. Here, a large-diameter semiconductor wafer W is used as an example of the processing target. Furthermore, all operations of the wet processing apparatus S1, including the first holding means 11, cleaning means 13, loading / unloading outlet opening / closing means 14, second holding means 21, transport means 30, opening / closing means 40 of the communication section T, and ventilation means 50, are controlled by the control means 60 according to a program. This program can be modified as needed. The separate loading / unloading means 100 can also be controlled by the control means 60.

[0046] Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane illustrating the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and shows the initial state before the semiconductor wafer W is loaded. The control means 60 slides each first holding means unit 11R, 11L outward, leaving the clamp portion 11a open. The control means 60 also closes the opening / closing means 40, blocking the communication portion T.

[0047] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the yz plane illustrating the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and shows the state in which a semiconductor wafer W has been loaded. The control means 60 slides the loading / unloading port opening / closing means 14a to open the loading / unloading port 14, and loads the semiconductor wafer W through the loading / unloading port 14 using a separate loading / unloading means 100, positioning it at the first position P1. Next, the control means 60 slides the first holding means units 11R and 11L inward, bringing the contact portion 11a2 into contact with the semiconductor wafer W. As a result, the semiconductor wafer W is held by the loading / unloading means 100 and also held by the first holding means 11.

[0048] Figures 16 and 17 illustrate the state in which the first holding means 11 holds the semiconductor wafer W in the first position P1. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the yz plane illustrating the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the xy plane. The control means 60 moves the loading / unloading means 100 outwards from the loading / unloading port 14 to the first chamber 10. As a result, the first holding means 11 holds the semiconductor wafer W in the first position P1 <Step 1>. Then, the control means 60 slides the loading / unloading port opening / closing means 14a to close the loading / unloading port 14.

[0049] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the yz plane illustrating the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, showing the semiconductor wafer W being wet-processed at the first position P1 with the opening / closing means 40 closed. The control means 60 rotates the semiconductor wafer W horizontally by rotating each contact portion 11a2 of the first holding means 11 horizontally around the rotation axis 11a1. The control means 60 also moves the cleaning means 13 horizontally (in the z-axis direction) so that the upper brush 13b and the lower brush 13c sandwich the semiconductor wafer W from both sides. Then, while rotating the semiconductor wafer W horizontally with the first holding means 11, the control means 60 moves the upper brush 13b and the lower brush 13c horizontally (in the z-axis direction) on both sides of the semiconductor wafer W to clean both sides of the semiconductor wafer W <Step 2>. The cleaning process is carried out while supplying the treatment liquid using a treatment liquid supply means (not shown), but since the communication section T is blocked by the opening / closing means 40, the treatment liquid and atmosphere do not enter the second chamber 20. The first chamber 10 is provided with an outlet (not shown), and the treatment liquid and atmosphere are discharged from the outlet.

[0050] Figures 19 to 22 illustrate the transport of semiconductor wafers W. Figure 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane, illustrating the state in which the opening / closing mechanism 40 is open. When the cleaning process in the first chamber 10 is completed, the control mechanism 60 slides the cleaning mechanism 13 horizontally (in the z-axis direction) to position it outside the transport path R. Then, the control mechanism 60 controls each arm portion 42 of the opening / closing mechanism 40 to raise the central end portion 41a of each lid portion 41, 41 and slide each lid portion 41 outward, opening the communication portion T. As a result, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 are connected, and the transport path R is formed.

[0051] Figures 20 and 21 are schematic cross-sectional diagrams in the xy plane, showing the state in which the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 transfer the semiconductor wafer W. As shown in Figure 20, the control means 60 controls the lifting axis 31 of the transport means 30 while maintaining the open state of the opening / closing means 40, raising the second holding means 21 relative to the first position P1, thereby passing through the communication section T and positioning it opposite the first holding means 11 <Step 3>. The second holding means 21 is located near the first holding means 11, and the semiconductor wafer W is fitted into the fixing portion 21b. At this time, each fixing portion 21b of the second holding means 21 is located between each clamp portion 11b of the first holding means 11 and does not come into contact with each other. As a result, the semiconductor wafer W is held by both the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21.

[0052] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 21, the control means 60 moves the first holding means units 11R and 11L horizontally outward, releasing the semiconductor wafer W, thereby transferring the semiconductor wafer W between the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 <Step 4>. Since the transfer of the semiconductor wafer W is performed directly between the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21, the transfer process is simplified and the transport time is shortened.

[0053] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the xy plane, illustrating the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is positioned at the second position P2. The control means 60 controls the lifting axis 31 of the transport means 30 and lowers the second holding means 21 relative to the first position P1, thereby passing the communication section T and positioning the semiconductor wafer W at the second position P2 <Step 5>.

[0054] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section in the yz plane, illustrating the state in which a semiconductor wafer W located at the second position P2 is subjected to wet processing. In the cleaning process of the second chamber 20, processing spaces P2a, P2b, and P2c are selectively used for each processing step. Therefore, the second position P2 is set to P2a, P2b, and P2c for each processing space P2a, P2b, and P2c. The control means 60 stores a program that describes the order of the second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c, and the control means 60 controls the transport means 30 according to the program to sequentially position the semiconductor wafer W at each of the second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c. Note that Figure 23 shows the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is located at the lowest second position P2b. The control means 60 blocks the communication section T by closing the opening / closing means 40. Then, each time the semiconductor wafer W is positioned at the second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c, the control means 60 rotates the mounting table 21a of the second holding means 21 and performs processing according to each processing step <Step 6>.

[0055] In this embodiment, the control means 60 first transports the semiconductor wafer W to the middle second position P2b and supplies a removal processing liquid (acidic) to the semiconductor wafer W using a processing liquid supply means (not shown) to remove deposits from the semiconductor wafer W. Next, the control means 60 transports the semiconductor wafer W to the upper second position P2c and supplies a replacement processing liquid (pure water) to the semiconductor wafer W using a processing liquid supply means (not shown) to replace the removal processing liquid with the replacement processing liquid (pure water). Finally, while maintaining the position of the semiconductor wafer W at the upper second position P2c, the control means 60 stops supplying the replacement processing liquid (pure water) and dries the semiconductor wafer W. The supplied processing liquid, etc., is collected in each processing space 24,,,24 by the rotation of the mounting table 21a and discharged from the discharge port (not shown). Since the communication section T is blocked by the opening / closing means 40, the processing liquid does not enter the first chamber. The lower processing space 24a can be used as needed.

[0056] Once the cleaning process in the second chamber 20 is complete, the control means 60 opens the opening / closing means 40 to open the communication section T, forming a transport path R between the first chamber and the second chamber. The control means 60 then controls the lifting axis 31 of the transport means 30 to raise the second holding means 22 relative to the first position P1, allowing it to pass through the communication section T and position the semiconductor wafer W at the first position P1 (see Figure 21). Next, the control means 60 moves the pair of first holding means units 11R and 11L horizontally in a direction that contacts the semiconductor wafer W, gripping the sides of the semiconductor wafer W from both sides (see Figure 20). Once the semiconductor wafer W is held by the first holding means 11, the control means 60 controls the lifting axis 31 to lower the second holding means 21 and position it in the second chamber 20 (see Figure 19), after which it closes the opening / closing means 40.

[0057] When removing a semiconductor wafer W from the first chamber 10, the control means 60 opens the loading / unloading opening / closing means 14a and allows the separate loading / unloading means 100 to enter through the loading / unloading entrance 14 (see Figure 15). The control means 60 then positions the loading / unloading means 100 directly below the semiconductor wafer W and slides the first holding means units 11R and 11L outwards. As a result, the semiconductor wafer W is transferred from the first holding means 11 to the loading / unloading means 100. Next, the control means 60 slides the loading / unloading means 100 out of the first chamber 10 and closes the loading / unloading entrance 14 with the loading / unloading opening / closing means 14a. The loading / unloading means 100 can be of any type. For example, it may be a type equipped with an edge clamp that holds the semiconductor wafer W from the side, such as the first holding means 11; it may be a type that holds the semiconductor wafer W with multiple protruding fixing parts, such as the second holding means 21; or it may be a type that places the semiconductor wafer W on a flat mounting surface.

[0058] As described above, according to the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, the first position P1 and the second position P2 are located vertically, and the communication section T is located between them, so the transport path R can be a straight route in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to shorten the transport distance of the semiconductor wafer W between the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20. Since the communication section T can be opened and closed by the opening and closing means 40, the opening and closing means 40 can be closed during the cleaning process to prevent liquid or gas from flowing into the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 from flowing into each other. Furthermore, since the first position P1 and the second position P2 are located vertically, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 can be arranged vertically, and the transport path R can also be formed in the vertical direction, so the installation area can be reduced. In transporting the semiconductor wafer W, the transport means 30 raises and lowers the second holding means 21 relative to the first position P1, so that the second holding means 21 can be positioned near the first position P1, and the semiconductor wafer W can be directly transferred between the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21. This simplifies the handover process and reduces transport time.

[0059] (Second Embodiment) Figure 24 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane illustrating the wet processing apparatus S2 of this embodiment, illustrating the state in which a semiconductor wafer W at the second position P2 is wet-processed with the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 located near the communication portion T. In this embodiment, the wet processing apparatus S2 is capable of ventilating the second chamber 20 by the ventilation means 50. This embodiment mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment described above. Other aspects are substantially the same as the first embodiment and will be omitted from the explanation.

[0060] The ventilation means 50 is a roughly cylindrical duct that is expandable, and the supply port 51 can be raised and lowered by expanding and contracting in the vertical direction.

[0061] The wet processing device S2 has a first position P1, a second position P2 (P2a, P2b, P2c), a communication section T, and a ventilation opening 15 of the first chamber 10 arranged in the vertical direction (y-axis direction), and the passage of the supply port 51 is formed in the vertical direction from the ventilation opening 15 to the communication section T. As a result, the supply port 51 can move up and down at least between the ventilation opening 15 and the communication section T.

[0062] The wet processing apparatus S2 in this embodiment operates as follows. Steps 1 to 5 are the same as in the first embodiment described above. During the cleaning process in the first chamber 10, the control means 60 positions the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 above the ventilation opening 15 of the first chamber 10 and performs the cleaning process on the semiconductor wafer W at the first position P1 (see Figure 18). Once the cleaning process in the first chamber 10 is complete, the control means 60 moves the cleaning means 13 outside the transport path R. At this time, the position of the cleaning means 13 is also outside the passage of the supply port 51. Next, the control means 60 opens the opening / closing means 40 and controls the lifting shaft 31 of the transport means 30 to raise the second holding means 21, and the semiconductor wafer W is transferred between the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 (see Figure 21). When the first holding means 11 has released the semiconductor wafer W, the position of the first holding means 11 is outside the passage of the supply port 51. Then, the control means 60 controls the lifting shaft 31 to lower the second holding means 21 and position the semiconductor wafer W in the second position P2b (see Figure 22).

[0063] As shown in Figure 24, the control means 60 extends the ventilation means 50, which is an expandable duct, while maintaining the open / close means 40 in the open state, lowering the supply port 51 and positioning it near the communication section T <Step 7>. This makes it easier for air from the filter fan unit to be supplied to the second chamber 20. With the open / close means 40 in the open state and the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 positioned near the communication section T, the control means 60 performs cleaning processing on the semiconductor wafers W at each second position P2 <Step 8>. Once the cleaning processing in the second chamber 20 is complete, the control means 60 shortens the ventilation means 50 and raises the supply port 51 above the ventilation opening 15 to form a transport path R for the semiconductor wafers W, and raises the second holding means 21 to transport the semiconductor wafers W to the first holding means 11 (see Figure 21).

[0064] According to the wet processing device S2, since the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 is movable up and down at least between the ventilation opening 15 and the communication section T, ventilation of the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 is possible. Since the passage of the supply port 51 is formed vertically between the ventilation opening 15 and the communication section T, the installation area does not increase.

[0065] While embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in this embodiment, the first chamber 10 is substantially rectangular in shape, and the second chamber 20 is substantially cylindrical, but their shapes are arbitrary.

[0066] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes an example in which the second holding means is raised and lowered as a conveying means, the position of the second holding means may be fixed, and the second holding means may be moved relative to the first position by raising and lowering the first chamber and the second chamber which are integrated via a connecting part.

[0067] Furthermore, the first and second holding means are not limited to the above embodiment and may be configured according to the cleaning process in the first and second chambers. For example, if the cleaning means brushes only one side of the object to be processed, the first holding means may be configured to hold the object from the other side and rotate it.

[0068] Furthermore, the opening and closing means for opening and closing the communication section is not limited to the above embodiment; it could be a single lid that is slightly larger than the diameter of the communication section and slides, or any other means may be used. In addition, the opening and closing means for the communication section can be controlled according to the wet treatment of the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0069] Furthermore, the connecting section T only needs to connect the first chamber and the second chamber. For example, a gap may be provided between the lower opening of the first chamber and the upper opening of the second chamber, and the connecting section may be formed by connecting them with a cylindrical body.

[0070] Furthermore, the processing spaces 24a, 24b, and 24c in the second chamber are not limited to three; if distinction between processing spaces is unnecessary, there may be only one processing space, and the number of processing spaces may be reduced or increased as needed.

[0071] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which the ventilation opening 61 of the ventilation means 50 moves up and down, the position of the ventilation opening 51 may be fixed, and the first chamber and the second chamber, which are integrated via the communication section, may be moved up and down, thereby moving the ventilation opening 51 relative to the communication section T.

[0072] In the above embodiment, a cleaning process was described as an example of a wet process, but it is not limited to this and can be applied to various wet processes such as stripping, developing, and etching. In this case, the wet processing apparatus may be equipped with means corresponding to the various processes instead of cleaning means. Furthermore, the workpiece is not limited to semiconductor wafers, but may also be a glass substrate, a magnetic substrate, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 10 First Chamber 11 First holding means 20 Second Chamber 21 Second holding means 30 Conveying means 40 Opening and closing means 50 Ventilation means 60 Control means T conveyance path C Communication part 100 Conveying means

Claims

1. A wet processing apparatus comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, which wet processes the workpiece in a first position in the first chamber and in a second position in the second chamber, The first chamber includes a first holding means for holding the workpiece in the first position, The second chamber includes a second holding means for holding the workpiece in the second position, A conveying means for transporting the workpiece between the first position and the second position, A connecting portion that connects the first chamber and the second chamber, It includes an opening and closing means for opening and closing the aforementioned communication portion, The first position is located above the second position. The communication portion is located between the first position and the second position. The transport means includes a function to raise and lower the second holding means relative to the first position, The first holding means and the second holding means are capable of receiving the workpiece from each other. A wet processing apparatus characterized by the following:

2. The wet treatment apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a ventilation means for supplying air from a supply port, The first chamber is provided with a ventilation opening above the first position. The wet processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply port of the ventilation means is movable up and down relative to the communication portion, at least between the ventilation opening and the communication portion.

3. A wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus described in claim 1, Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the workpiece in the first position, Step 2 involves the wet processing device wet processing the object to be processed, which is positioned in the first position, with the opening / closing means closed. Step 3: With the opening / closing means open, the transport means raises the second holding means relative to the first position and positions it opposite the first holding means. Step 4 involves the transfer of the workpiece between the first and second holding means, which are positioned opposite each other. With the opening / closing means open, the conveying means lowers the second holding means, which is holding the object to be processed, relative to the first position, and positions the object to be processed in the second position, step 5. Step 6, with the opening / closing means closed, the wet processing device wet processes the object to be processed in the second position, A wet treatment method characterized by comprising the following.

4. A wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus described in claim 2, Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the workpiece in the first position, Step 2 involves the wet processing device wet processing the object to be processed, which is positioned in the first position, with the opening / closing means closed. Step 3: With the opening / closing means open, the transport means raises the second holding means relative to the first position and positions it opposite the first holding means. Step 4 involves the transfer of the workpiece between the first and second holding means, which are positioned opposite each other. With the opening / closing means open, the conveying means lowers the second holding means, which is holding the object to be processed, relative to the first position, and positions the object to be processed in the second position, step 5. With the opening / closing mechanism open, the supply port of the ventilation mechanism is lowered relative to the communication portion, and step 7 is located near the communication portion. Step 8, in which the wet processing device wet processes the object to be processed at the second position with the opening / closing means in the open state and the supply port of the ventilation means located near the communication portion, A wet treatment method characterized by comprising the following.

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