Substrate transport method, substrate processing apparatus, article manufacturing method, and program

Abstract

This provides a technology that is advantageous for properly transporting substrates in a substrate processing device. [Solution] A substrate transport method in a substrate processing apparatus having a first mechanism for holding the substrate in a first method in a processing unit for processing the substrate, and a second mechanism for transporting the substrate to the first mechanism while holding the substrate in a second method different from the first method, includes a first acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the shape of the substrate when the first method is used, a second acquisition step of acquiring second information indicating the shape of the substrate when the second method is used, and a transport step of transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism based on the first information and the second information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate transfer method, a substrate processing apparatus, an article manufacturing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the high integration of semiconductor devices, the multilayerization of circuit patterns has been progressing. In a multilayered substrate, various shapes of warpage may occur due to the accumulation of film strain and the like generated during film formation. Therefore, in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, it is required to appropriately transfer a substrate having various shapes. In Patent Document 1, a technique for changing transfer conditions such as the driving speed of a transfer system robot according to the warpage and distortion of a substrate has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A substrate processing apparatus may be provided with a plurality of types of holding mechanisms that hold a substrate in mutually different holding methods. Since the tendency of substrate deformation differs depending on the holding method, there are cases where a substrate cannot be held by a plurality of types of holding mechanisms depending on the substrate. In this case, substrate transfer errors, dropping of the substrate, etc. may occur, and it may become difficult to appropriately transfer the substrate in the substrate processing apparatus. [[ID=�7]]

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique advantageous for appropriately transferring a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a substrate transport method as one aspect of the present invention is a substrate transport method in a substrate processing apparatus having a first mechanism for holding the substrate in a first manner in a processing unit for processing the substrate, and a second mechanism for transporting the substrate to the first mechanism while holding the substrate in a second manner different from the first manner, characterized in that it includes a first acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the shape of the substrate when the first manner is used, a second acquisition step of acquiring second information indicating the shape of the substrate when the second manner is used, and a transport step of transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism based on the first information and the second information.

[0007] Further objects or other aspects of the present invention will be revealed by preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technology that is advantageous for properly transporting substrates in a substrate processing apparatus. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Block diagram showing an overview of the substrate processing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the substrate processing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Diagram showing an example configuration of the substrate loading section (holding mechanism). [Figure 4] Diagram showing an example configuration of the first transport mechanism (hand). [Figure 5] Diagram showing an example of the configuration of the substrate stage. [Figure 6] Flowchart showing the substrate transport method in the substrate processing apparatus of the first embodiment [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of transport information. [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of correlation information. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of correlation information for each type of substrate. [Figure 10] Block diagram showing an overview of the substrate processing apparatus of the third embodiment. [Figure 11] Schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the substrate processing apparatus of the third embodiment. [Figure 12] Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an exposure apparatus. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] In this specification and the accompanying drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system with the substrate surface as the XY plane. The directions parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes in the XYZ coordinate system are defined as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, respectively, and the rotations around the X, Y, and Z axes are defined as θX, θY, and θZ, respectively. Control and driving (movement) related to the X, Y, and Z axes refer to control or driving (movement) related to the direction parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. Furthermore, control or driving related to the θX, θY, and θZ axes refer to control or driving related to rotation around the axis parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively.

[0012] The substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention may include a lithography apparatus as a processing unit for processing a substrate, which performs the process of forming a pattern on the substrate. Examples of lithography apparatuses include an exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate to transfer the pattern of a master plate (mask) onto the substrate, and an imprint apparatus that uses a master plate (mold) to form a pattern on an imprint material on the substrate.

[0013] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of a substrate processing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment may include a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a measurement unit 103, a transfer unit 104, and a processing unit 105.

[0014] The control unit 101 is constituted by a computer (information processing apparatus) including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory, and comprehensively controls each unit of the substrate processing apparatus 100. The control unit 101 according to this embodiment controls the measurement of the shape of the substrate by the measurement unit 103, the transfer of the substrate by the transfer unit 104, and the processing of the substrate by the processing unit 105. Further, the storage unit 102 stores various information such as the shape information of the substrate obtained by the measurement unit 103 and the conditions regarding the shape of the substrate that can be transferred to each holding mechanism.

[0015] The measurement unit 103 measures the shape of the substrate. The measurement unit 103 may measure the amount of deformation (amount of warping, amount of distortion) of the substrate. The measurement unit 103 according to this embodiment may include a first measurement unit 103A that measures the shape of the substrate held in a first holding method (first method), and a second measurement unit 103B that measures the shape of the substrate held in a second holding method (second method) different from the first holding method.

[0016] The transfer unit 104 transfers the substrate to the processing unit 105. Further, the processing unit 105 performs a predetermined process on the substrate transferred by the transfer unit 104. In the processing unit 105 according to this embodiment, as the predetermined process, a process of forming a pattern on the substrate (hereinafter, may be referred to as a pattern forming process) is performed.

[0017] In the substrate processing apparatus 100, the shape of the substrate held by the first holding method is measured by the first measurement unit 103A. The first shape information 106 (first information) indicating the shape of the substrate measured by the first measurement unit 103A is stored in the storage unit 102. In addition, the shape of the substrate held by the second holding method is measured by the second measurement unit 103B. The second shape information 107 (second information) indicating the shape of the substrate measured by the second measurement unit 103B is stored in the storage unit 102. The storage unit 102 stores conditions (condition information 108) related to the shape of the substrate that can be transported by each of the multiple holding mechanisms provided in the substrate processing apparatus 100.

[0018] In the substrate processing apparatus 100, the transport of the substrate by the transport unit 104 is controlled based on the first shape information 106 obtained by the first measurement unit 103A and the second shape information 107 obtained by the second measurement unit 103B. In this embodiment, although the details will be described later, the substrate processing apparatus 100 is provided with a first mechanism in the processing unit 105 that holds the substrate in a first holding method, and a second mechanism that transports the substrate to the first mechanism while holding the substrate in a second holding method different from the first holding method. Based on the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107, the control unit 101 transports the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism, provided that the first and second mechanisms are capable of holding the substrate. When the substrate is transported to the processing unit 105 (first mechanism) by the transport unit 104, a predetermined process is performed on the substrate in the processing unit 105.

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment. In Figure 2, the control unit 101, measurement unit 103 (103A, 103B), transport unit 104, and processing unit 105 are shown, while the storage unit 102 is not shown. Also in Figure 2, the transport path of the substrate S is indicated by block arrows.

[0020] The substrate processing apparatus 100 may include a substrate loading section 201, a first transport mechanism 202 (first transport robot), a pre-alignment section 203, a second transport mechanism 204 (second transport robot), and a substrate stage 205. The substrate processing apparatus 100 may also include a third transport mechanism 206 (third transport robot), a storage section 207, a substrate unloading section 208, and a recovery section 209. In the example shown in Figure 2, the substrate stage 205 corresponds to a first mechanism in the processing section 105 that holds the substrate S in a first holding method. The second transport mechanism 204 corresponds to a second mechanism that transports the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 (first mechanism) while holding the substrate S in a second holding method different from the first holding method.

[0021] The designations "A" and "B" assigned to each unit 201-208 represent the holding method for holding the substrate S. Units 201, 203, 205, 207, and 208, each designated with designation "A", hold the substrate S using the first holding method. Units 202, 204, and 206, each designated with designation "B", hold the substrate S using a second holding method different from the first holding method. The first holding method is a method for holding a first portion of the substrate S, and the second holding method is a method for holding a second portion of the substrate S that is different from the first portion. In this embodiment, the first holding method is a method for holding the central part of the substrate S as the first portion of the substrate S, and the second holding method is a method for holding the outer periphery (periphery) of the substrate S as the second portion of the substrate S. Note that the first holding method may be a method for holding the entire area of ​​the substrate S, and the second holding method may be a method for holding a part of the substrate S.

[0022] The substrate loading unit 201 temporarily stores substrates S loaded from the outside. As shown in Figure 3, the substrate loading unit 201 is equipped with a holding mechanism 201a that holds the central part of the substrate S in a first holding method, and a first measurement unit 103A, which are different mechanisms from the substrate stage 205 (first mechanism). The first measurement unit 103A measures the shape of the substrate S held in the first holding method by the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201. As a result, the control unit 101 can acquire first shape information 106 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "first shape information 106") which indicates the shape of the substrate S when the first holding method is used. Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the substrate loading unit 201 (holding mechanism 201a), and shows the first measurement unit 103A measuring the shape of the substrate S held by the holding mechanism 201a. Figure 3(a) shows a view from the side, and Figure 3(b) shows a view from above.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the first transport mechanism 202 differs from the second transport mechanism 204 (second mechanism) in that it transports the substrate S from the substrate loading section 201 to the pre-alignment section 203 while holding the outer periphery of the substrate S with the hand 202a using a second holding method. A second measurement unit 103B is also provided (positioned) near the first transport mechanism 202. The second measurement unit 103B measures the shape of the substrate S held by the first transport mechanism 202 (hand 202a) using the second holding method. As a result, the control unit 101 can acquire second shape information 107 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "second shape information 107") which indicates the shape of the substrate S when the second holding method is used. Here, the first transport mechanism 202 can also be configured to transport the substrate S from the substrate loading section 201 to the recovery section 209, or to transport the substrate S from the storage section 207 to the substrate unloading section 208. Figure 4 shows an example configuration of the first transport mechanism 202 (hand 202a), illustrating how the shape of the substrate S held by the hand 202a is being measured by the second measurement unit 103B. Figure 4(a) shows a view from the side, and Figure 4(b) shows a view from above.

[0024] The pre-alignment unit 203 performs pre-alignment on the substrate S that has been transported by the first transport mechanism 202. Pre-alignment is a process that adjusts at least one of the position and rotation angle of the substrate S by, for example, detecting the outer circumference of the substrate S while rotating the substrate S. The pre-alignment unit 203 is provided with a holding mechanism that holds the central part of the substrate S in a first holding method.

[0025] The second transport mechanism 204 transports the substrate S from the pre-alignment section 203 to the substrate stage 205 while holding the outer periphery of the substrate S with a hand in the second holding method. The hand that holds the substrate S in the second transport mechanism 204 may have the same configuration as the hand 202a that holds the substrate S in the first transport mechanism 202. As described above, the second transport mechanism 204 (hand) corresponds to the second mechanism.

[0026] The substrate stage 205 holds the substrate S in the processing unit 105 using the first holding method. As mentioned above, the substrate stage 205 corresponds to the first mechanism. The substrate stage 205 has pins 205b that can protrude from the holding surface 205a that holds the substrate S, as shown in Figure 5(a), and the substrate S is transported onto the pins 205b of the substrate stage 205 by the second transport mechanism 204. The pins 205b of the substrate stage 205 can function as a holding mechanism that holds the central part of the substrate S in the first holding method. Once the substrate S is transported onto the pins 205b, the substrate stage 205 reduces the amount of protrusion of the pins 205b from the holding surface 205a, as shown in Figure 5(b). As a result, the substrate S is placed on the holding surface 205a of the substrate stage 205, and the entire area of ​​the substrate S is held by the holding surface 205a.

[0027] The third transport mechanism 206 transports the substrate S from the substrate stage 205 to the storage section 207 while holding the outer periphery of the substrate S with a hand in the second holding method. The hand that holds the substrate S in the third transport mechanism 206 may have the same configuration as the hand 202a that holds the substrate S in the first transport mechanism 202.

[0028] The storage unit 207 temporarily stores the substrate S transported from the substrate stage 205 by the third transport mechanism 206 by holding the substrate S in a first holding manner. The substrate S stored in the storage unit 207 is transported to the substrate unloading unit 208 by the first transport mechanism 202. The substrate unloading unit 208 temporarily stores the substrate S that are to be unloaded to the outside. The substrate unloading unit 208 is equipped with a holding mechanism that holds the substrate S transported from the storage unit 207 by the first transport mechanism 202 in a first holding manner.

[0029] In the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, first shape information 106 is obtained using a mechanism different from the substrate stage 205 (holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading section 201). Also, second shape information 107 is obtained using a mechanism different from the second transport mechanism 204 (first transport mechanism 202). Therefore, the control unit 101 can determine whether the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204 can hold the substrate S based on the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107 before the substrate S is transported to the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204. As a result, the control unit 101 can transport the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204, provided that the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204 can hold the substrate S. In other words, when transporting the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204, the occurrence of substrate transport errors or dropping of the substrate S is reduced, and the substrate S can be transported appropriately.

[0030] If the control unit 101 determines that the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204 cannot hold the substrate S, the substrate S is not transported to the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204, but is instead transported to the recovery unit 209 by the first transport mechanism 202. The recovery unit 209 may be understood as a temporary storage unit for the substrate S. The substrate S transported to the recovery unit 209 is then removed (recovered) from the substrate processing apparatus 100 by an external transport mechanism.

[0031] Next, the substrate transport method in the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart of the substrate transport method in the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The flowchart in Figure 6 can be executed by the control unit 101.

[0032] In this embodiment, the destination and transport speed of the substrate S within the substrate processing apparatus 100 are determined according to the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107. Figure 7 shows an example of information (hereinafter sometimes referred to as transport information) for determining the destination and transport speed of the substrate S according to the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107. In the transport information shown in Figure 7, the horizontal axis represents the shape of the substrate S in the first shape information 106, and the vertical axis represents the shape of the substrate S in the second shape information 107. The state in which the shape of the substrate S in the first shape information 106 and the shape of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 coincide is indicated by a dashed line 400. Here, an example of measuring the amount of deformation (e.g., warpage) of the substrate S as the shape of the substrate S is described. The amount of deformation of the substrate S may be understood as the amount of deformation (warpage) from the ideal state in which the substrate S is flat.

[0033] In step S301, the control unit 101 causes the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201 to hold the substrate S that has been loaded onto the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201 by an external transport mechanism. As described above, the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201 holds the substrate S (for example, the central part) in the first holding method. Next, in step S302, the control unit 101 measures the shape of the substrate S held in the first holding method by the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201 with the first measurement unit 103A. As a result, the first shape information 106 is acquired. The first shape information 106 is stored in the storage unit 102.

[0034] In step S303, the control unit 101 determines, based on the transport information shown in Figure 7, whether the shape (amount of deformation) of the substrate S in the first shape information 106 is within range R1. Range R1 represents the range of shapes (amount of deformation) of the substrate S that the substrate stage 205 as the first mechanism can hold, that is, the range of shapes (amount of deformation) of the substrate S that can be transported to the substrate stage 205, and can be set in advance by experimentation, etc. Range R1 may also be understood as a range that defines the constraint conditions when the substrate stage 205 holds the substrate S. In other words, the control unit 101 can determine that the constraint conditions are met if the shape (amount of deformation) of the substrate S in the first shape information 106 is within range R1, and that the constraint conditions are not met if it is not within range R1. Examples of constraint conditions include the distance (clearance) between the substrate stage 205 and the structure above it (e.g., projection optical system), the amount of deformation (warpage) of the substrate S that can be corrected by the substrate stage 205, and the amount of deformation of the substrate S that can be held (attracted) by the substrate stage 205.

[0035] If the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the first shape information 106 is within range R1, the control unit 101 determines that the substrate stage 205 can hold the substrate S. In this case, the process proceeds to step S304. On the other hand, if the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the first shape information 106 is not within range R1 (i.e., region 401 in Figure 7), the control unit 101 determines that the substrate stage 205 cannot hold the substrate S. In this case, the process proceeds to step S314, where the control unit 101 removes the substrate S, which is placed on the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201, from the substrate processing apparatus 100 using an external transport mechanism.

[0036] In step S304, the control unit 101 causes the substrate S in the substrate loading unit 201 to be held by the hand 202a of the first transport mechanism 202. As described above, the hand 202a of the first transport mechanism 202 holds the substrate S (for example, the outer periphery) using the second holding method. Next, in step S305, the control unit 101 measures the shape of the substrate S held by the hand 202a of the first transport mechanism 202 using the second measuring unit 103B. As a result, the second shape information 107 is acquired. The second shape information 107 is stored in the storage unit 102.

[0037] In step S306, the control unit 101 determines, based on the transport information shown in Figure 7, whether the shape (amount of deformation) of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within range R2. Range R2 represents the range of shapes (amount of deformation) of the substrate S that the second transport mechanism 204, as the second mechanism, can hold, that is, the range of shapes (amount of deformation) of the substrate S that can be transported by the second transport mechanism 204, and can be set in advance by experimentation, etc. Range R2 may also be understood as the range that defines the constraint conditions when the second transport mechanism 204 holds the substrate S. In other words, the control unit 101 can determine that the constraint conditions are met if the shape (amount of deformation) of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within range R2, and that the constraint conditions are not met if it is not within range R2.

[0038] If the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within range R2, the control unit 101 determines that the second transport mechanism 204 can hold the substrate S. In this case, the process proceeds to step S307. On the other hand, if the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is not within range R2 (i.e., region 402 in Figure 7), the control unit 101 determines that the second transport mechanism 204 cannot hold the substrate S. In this case, the process proceeds to step S313, where the control unit 101 transports the substrate S to the recovery unit 209 using the first transport mechanism 202. In step S314, the substrate transported to the recovery unit 209 is unloaded from the substrate processing device 100 (recovery unit 209) by an external transport mechanism.

[0039] In step S307, the control unit 101 determines, based on the transport information shown in Figure 7, whether the shape (amount of deformation) of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within range R3. Range R3 is the range of shapes (amount of deformation) of the substrate S that the second transport mechanism 204 can transport at the normal transport speed (first transport speed), and can be set in advance by experimentation, etc. In other words, if the shape (amount of deformation) of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is not within range R3, transporting the substrate S at the normal transport speed by the second transport mechanism 204 may result in a transport error (for example, dropping the substrate S).

[0040] If the deformation amount of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within range R3 (i.e., region 403 in Figure 7), the process proceeds to step S308, where the control unit 101 sets the transport speed of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 to the normal first transport speed. On the other hand, if the deformation amount of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is not within range R3 (i.e., region 404 in Figure 7), the process proceeds to step S309, where the control unit 101 sets the transport speed of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 to a second transport speed that is lower than the normal first transport speed.

[0041] In this embodiment, the transport speed of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 is changed depending on whether the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within the range R3. However, the holding force of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 may also be changed. The holding force of the substrate S refers to the vacuum suction force or electrostatic suction force generated by the second transport mechanism 204 to hold the substrate S. For example, if the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within the range R3, the control unit 101 sets the holding force of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 to the normal first holding force. On the other hand, if the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is not within the range R3, the control unit 101 sets the holding force of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 to a second holding force that is higher than the normal first holding force. Furthermore, depending on whether the amount of deformation of the substrate S in the second shape information 107 is within the range R3, the holding position of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 may be changed in two stages, on the inside and on the outside, or the transport position of the substrate S by the second transport mechanism 204 may be changed.

[0042] In step S310, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204. Specifically, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S to the pre-alignment unit 203 using the first transport mechanism 202, and performs pre-alignment of the substrate S in the pre-alignment unit 203. Once the pre-alignment of the substrate S is complete, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S from the pre-alignment unit 203 to the substrate stage 205 using the second transport mechanism 204 at the transport speed set in step S308 or S309. The control unit 101 then holds the substrate S on the substrate stage 205.

[0043] In step S311, the control unit 101 performs a predetermined process (for example, a pattern formation process) on the substrate S held by the substrate stage 205 in the processing unit 105. Next, in step S312, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S from the substrate stage 205 to the substrate unloading unit 208. Specifically, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S from the substrate stage 205 to the storage unit 207 using the third transport mechanism 206, and then transports the substrate S from the storage unit 207 to the substrate unloading unit 208 using the first transport mechanism 202. In step S314, the substrate S transported to the substrate unloading unit 208 is unloaded from the substrate processing apparatus 100 (substrate unloading unit 208) by an external transport mechanism.

[0044] In this embodiment, it may be understood that, from among a plurality of candidate routes for transporting the substrate S, one candidate route is selected based on the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107, and the substrate S is transported using the selected candidate route as the transport route for the substrate S. The plurality of candidate routes may include, for example, candidate routes that transport the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204, and candidate routes that transport the substrate S to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 100 without transporting it to the second transport mechanism 204 and the substrate stage 205. Examples of the latter candidate routes include candidate routes that transport the substrate S to the outside from the substrate loading section 201, candidate routes that transport the substrate S to the outside from the recovery section 209, and candidate routes that transport the substrate S to the outside from the substrate unloading section 208.

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment, based on the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107, it is determined whether the substrate stage 205 (first mechanism) and the second transport mechanism 204 (second mechanism) are capable of holding the substrate S. Then, provided that the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204 are capable of holding the substrate S, the substrate S is transported to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204. This reduces the occurrence of substrate transport errors and substrate S dropping when transporting the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204, and enables proper transport of the substrate S.

[0046] <Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, an example was described in which second shape information 107 is obtained by measuring the shape of the substrate S held by the first transport mechanism 202 in the second holding method with the second measurement unit 103B. In this embodiment, an example of estimating the second shape information 107 from the first shape information 106 will be described. This embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and can be followed except for matters mentioned below.

[0047] For example, the control unit 101 acquires first shape information 106 by measuring the shape of the substrate S held by the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201 in the first holding method using the first measurement unit 103A. Then, the control unit 101 estimates second shape information 107 from the first shape information 106 based on information (hereinafter sometimes referred to as correlation information) that shows the correlation between the shape of the substrate S when using the first holding method and the shape of the substrate S when using the second holding method. In the following, the shape of the substrate S when using the first holding method may be referred to as "substrate shape of the first holding method," and the shape of the substrate S when using the second holding method may be referred to as "substrate shape of the second holding method."

[0048] Figure 8 shows an example of correlation information. In the correlation information shown in Figure 8, the horizontal axis represents the substrate shape for the first holding method, and the vertical axis represents the substrate shape for the second holding method. The state in which the substrate shape for the first holding method and the substrate shape for the second holding method coincide is indicated by a dashed line 500. Figure 8 also shows multiple measurement values ​​501 obtained by measuring the shape of multiple substrates transported in the past using the first measurement unit 103A and the second measurement unit 103B. The control unit 101 can obtain correlation information by calculating an approximation line 502 for these multiple measurement values ​​501, and then determining the function of the approximation line 502. Here, the approximation line 502 is not limited to a straight line obtained by a first-order approximation, but may also be a curve obtained by a second-order or higher-order approximation. The correlation information can be stored in the storage unit 102. Furthermore, if the amount of warping of the substrate S is used as the shape of the substrate S, correlation information may be obtained separately (independently) for the amount of warping in the upward direction and the amount of warping in the downward direction.

[0049] As a result, the control unit 101 can estimate the second shape information 107 from the first shape information 106 based on the correlation information. In other words, if the control unit 101 can acquire the first shape information 106 in the substrate loading unit 201, it can estimate (acquire) the second shape information 107 before the substrate S is held by the hand 202a of the first transport mechanism 202. Therefore, it is possible to quickly determine whether or not the substrate S can be held by the second transport mechanism 204 (second mechanism), which is advantageous in terms of productivity and improves the robustness of the determination.

[0050] Here, if the type of substrate differs, the correlation information may also differ accordingly. The state of the substrate includes, for example, the material of the substrate, the pre-treatment performed on the substrate, or the recipe of the processing that has been performed on the substrate so far. Therefore, the control unit 101 should obtain correlation information for each type of substrate. Figure 9 shows an example of correlation information for each type of substrate S. Figure 9 shows multiple measurement values ​​601a obtained by measuring the shape of the substrates of multiple first-type substrates that have been transported in the past using the first measurement unit 103A and the second measurement unit 103B. The control unit 101 can obtain an approximation line 602a for these multiple measurement values ​​601a, and the function of the approximation line 602a can be obtained as correlation information for the first-type substrate. Also, Figure 9 shows multiple measurement values ​​601b obtained by measuring the shape of the substrates of multiple second-type substrates that have been transported in the past using the first measurement unit 103A and the second measurement unit 103B. The second type of substrate may differ from the first type of substrate in at least one of the following: material, pretreatment, and recipe. The control unit 101 can determine an approximation line 602b for these multiple measured values ​​601b, and the function of the approximation line 602b can be obtained as correlation information for the second type of substrate.

[0051] <Third Embodiment> A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which a coater developer unit 110 is further provided in the substrate processing apparatus 100. This embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and can be followed in all respects except for those mentioned below. Furthermore, the second embodiment may also be applied in this embodiment.

[0052] Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating the overview of the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment may include a coater / developer unit 110 that performs pre-processing and / or post-processing on a substrate S. The coater / developer unit 110 is a device that performs pre-processing, such as coating a photosensitive agent (resist) onto the substrate S, and post-processing, such as developing the substrate S after pattern formation processing (exposure processing) has been performed in the processing unit 105. The coater / developer unit 110 has an information output unit 111, which outputs various information obtained within the coater / developer unit 110. The control unit 101 is connected to an information acquisition unit 109, which acquires the information output from the information output unit 111 of the coater / developer unit 110. The information acquisition unit 109 may be provided as a component of the control unit 101.

[0053] In this embodiment, a coater-developer unit 110 is given as an example of a second processing unit that performs processing different from the processing unit 105 in the substrate processing apparatus 100. However, the second processing unit may be a device other than the coater-developer unit 110. Also, in this embodiment, an example is described in which the second processing unit (coater-developer unit 110) is provided in the substrate processing apparatus 100. However, the second processing unit may be configured as an external device to the substrate processing apparatus 100.

[0054] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is provided with a coater / developer unit 110 connected inline to the transport unit 104 and the processing unit 105. The coater / developer unit 110 may include a pre / post processing unit 211, a fourth transport mechanism 212 (fourth transport robot), and a fifth transport mechanism 213 (fifth transport robot).

[0055] The pre / post-processing unit 211 performs pre-processing on the substrate S that has been brought in from the outside. Pre-processing may include applying a photosensitive material (resist) to the substrate S. In this embodiment, the pre / post-processing unit 211 also performs post-processing on the substrate S that has been transported from the fifth transport mechanism 213. Post-processing may include developing the substrate S that has undergone pattern formation processing (exposure processing) in the processing unit 105. The post-processed substrate S is then transported out of the substrate processing apparatus 100 by an external transport mechanism.

[0056] The fourth transport mechanism 212 differs from the second transport mechanism 204 (second mechanism) in that it transports the substrate S from the front / back processing unit 211 to the substrate loading unit 201 while holding the outer periphery of the substrate S with a hand using a second holding method. The hand that holds the substrate S in the fourth transport mechanism 204 may have the same configuration as the hand 202a that holds the substrate S in the first transport mechanism 202 described above. In addition, a second measurement unit 103B is provided (arranged) near the fourth transport mechanism 202. The second measurement unit 103B measures the shape of the substrate S held by the fourth transport mechanism 212 using the second holding method and acquires second shape information 107 indicating the shape of the substrate S when the second holding method is used. The second shape information 107 is transmitted to the information acquisition unit 109 by the information output unit 111.

[0057] In the substrate loading section 201, as described above, with the central part of the substrate S held by the holding mechanism 201a in the first holding method, the shape of the substrate S is measured by the first measurement section 103A, and first shape information 106 indicating the shape of the substrate S when the first holding method is used is acquired. Based on this, the control unit 101 can determine whether or not the substrate S can be held by the second transport mechanism 204 and the substrate stage 205, based on the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107. That is, it can determine whether or not the substrate S can be transported to the second transport mechanism 204 and the substrate stage 205. This determination can be made based on the transport information shown in Figure 7, as described in the first embodiment.

[0058] If the control unit 101 determines that the substrate S can be held by the second transport mechanism 204 and the substrate stage 205, it transports the substrate S to the pre-alignment unit 203 using the first transport mechanism 202. Then, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204. After the substrate S has undergone predetermined processing (e.g., pattern formation) in the processing unit 105, it is transported to the substrate unloading unit 208 via the third transport mechanism 206, the storage unit 207, and the second transport mechanism 202. Furthermore, in the coater-developer unit 110, the control unit 101 transports the substrate S from the substrate unloading unit 208 to the pre- / post-processing unit 211 using the fifth transport mechanism 213. After post-processing in the pre- / post-processing unit 211, the substrate S is unloaded from the substrate processing apparatus 100 by an external transport mechanism.

[0059] On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the substrate S cannot be held by the second transport mechanism 204 and the substrate stage 205, the first transport mechanism 202 transports the substrate S to the recovery unit 209 without transporting it to the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204. The substrate S transported to the recovery unit 209 is then removed (recovered) from the substrate processing apparatus 100 by an external transport mechanism.

[0060] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which first shape information 106 is obtained by measuring the shape of the substrate S, which is held in the first holding method by the holding mechanism 201a of the substrate loading unit 201, with the first measurement unit 103A. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the first shape information 106 may also be estimated from the second shape information 107 obtained using the fourth transport mechanism 212 of the coater developer unit 110. For example, the control unit 101 can estimate the second shape information 107 from the first shape information 106 based on the correlation information shown in Figures 8 to 9.

[0061] As described above, in this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 100 is further provided with a coater-developer unit 110, and the second shape information 107 is acquired in the coater-developer unit 110. In this embodiment as well, based on the first shape information 106 and the second shape information 107, the substrate S is transported to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204, provided that the substrate stage 205 and the second transport mechanism 204 are capable of holding the substrate S. This reduces the occurrence of substrate transport errors and substrate S dropping when transporting the substrate S to the substrate stage 205 via the second transport mechanism 204, and enables proper transport of the substrate S.

[0062] <Embodiment of the processing unit> An embodiment of the processing unit 105 included in the substrate processing apparatus 100 will be described. The processing unit 105 may include, for example, a lithography apparatus that performs the process of forming a pattern on a substrate S. In the following, as an example of a lithography apparatus, an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate and transfers the pattern of a master plate (mask) onto the substrate will be described. In the following, the exposure apparatus as the processing unit 105 may be referred to as "exposure apparatus 105".

[0063] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the exposure apparatus 105. The exposure apparatus 105 transfers the pattern of the master plate R onto the substrate S by, for example, a step-and-repeat method or a step-and-scan method. As shown in Figure 12, the exposure apparatus 105 may include an illumination optical system 105a, a master plate stage 105b, a projection optical system 105c, a substrate stage 205, and a control unit CNT. The substrate S is transported onto the substrate stage 205 by a second transport mechanism 204. The control unit CNT of the exposure apparatus 105 and the control unit 101 of the substrate processing apparatus 100 may be configured as an integrated unit or separately.

[0064] <Embodiment of Article Manufacturing Method> The article manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as microdevices, semiconductor devices, and elements having microstructures. The article manufacturing method of this embodiment includes a processing step of processing a substrate using the above-described substrate processing apparatus, and a manufacturing step of manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step. If the substrate processing apparatus includes a lithography apparatus, the processing step includes a step of forming a pattern on the substrate. For example, if the lithography apparatus is configured as an exposure apparatus, the processing step may include a step of forming a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent coated on the substrate by exposing the substrate using the exposure apparatus, and a step of developing the substrate on which the latent image pattern has been formed. Furthermore, the article manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The article manufacturing method of this embodiment is advantageous compared to conventional methods in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article.

[0065] <Other examples> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0066] <Summary of Embodiments> The disclosures herein include at least the following substrate transport methods, substrate processing devices, article manufacturing methods, and programs. (Item 1) A substrate transport method in a substrate processing apparatus having a first mechanism for holding the substrate in a first manner in a processing unit for processing the substrate, and a second mechanism for transporting the substrate to the first mechanism while holding the substrate in a second manner different from the first manner, A first acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the shape of the substrate when the first method is used, A second acquisition step for acquiring second information indicating the shape of the substrate when the second method is used, A transport step of transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism based on the first and second information, A substrate transport method characterized by including the following: (Item 2) The substrate transport method according to item 1, characterized in that, in the transport step, the substrate is transported to the first mechanism via the second mechanism, provided that the first mechanism and the second mechanism are capable of holding the substrate based on the first information and the second information. (Item 3) The substrate transport method according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the transport step, if the substrate is not capable of being held by the first mechanism and the second mechanism based on the first information and the second information, the substrate is not transported to the first mechanism and the second mechanism and is instead removed from the substrate processing apparatus. (Item 4) In the first acquisition step, the first information is acquired by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the first manner by a mechanism different from the first mechanism, The substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 3, characterized in that the second information is acquired in the second acquisition step by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the second manner by a mechanism different from the second mechanism. (Item 5) In the first acquisition step, the first information is acquired by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the first manner by a mechanism different from the first mechanism, A substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 3, characterized in that, in the second acquisition step, the second information is estimated from the first information based on information showing the correlation between the shape of the substrate when the first method is used and the shape of the substrate when the second method is used. (Item 6) In the second acquisition step, the second information is acquired by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the second manner by a mechanism different from the second mechanism, The substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein in the first acquisition step, the first information is estimated from the second information based on information showing the correlation between the shape of the substrate when the first method is used and the shape of the substrate when the second method is used. (Item 7) A substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 6, characterized in that the first method is a method for holding a first portion of the substrate, and the second method is a method for holding a second portion of the substrate that is different from the first portion. (Item 8) The substrate transport method according to item 7, characterized in that the first portion is the central part of the substrate and the second portion is the outer periphery of the substrate. (Item 9) A substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 6, characterized in that the first method is a method of holding the entire area of ​​the substrate, and the second method is a method of holding a part of the substrate. (Item 10) The substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 9, characterized in that, in the transport step, it is determined whether the first mechanism and the second mechanism can hold the substrate based on the constraints on each of the first mechanism and the second mechanism when holding the substrate. (Item 11) The substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 10, characterized in that, in the transport step, the transport speed when transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism is controlled based on the first information and the second information. (Item 12) In the transport process, the substrate is transported using one candidate path selected from among a plurality of candidate paths for transporting the substrate based on the first and second information as the transport path for the substrate. The substrate transport method according to any one of items 1 to 11, characterized in that the plurality of candidate routes include candidate routes for transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism, and candidate routes for transporting the substrate out of the substrate processing apparatus without transporting it to the first mechanism and the second mechanism. (Item 13) A program to cause the control unit of a substrate processing apparatus to execute the substrate transport method described in any one of items 1 to 12. (Item 14) A substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates, A first mechanism that holds the substrate in the first method, A second mechanism for holding the substrate in a second manner different from the first manner, The system includes a control unit for controlling the transport of the substrate, A substrate processing apparatus characterized in that the control unit transports the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism based on first information indicating the shape of the substrate when the first method is used and second information indicating the shape of the substrate when the second method is used. (Item 15) The substrate processing apparatus according to item 14, characterized in that the substrate processing apparatus includes an apparatus for performing a process of forming a pattern on the substrate. (Item 16) A processing step of processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus described in item 14 or 15, A manufacturing process for producing an article from the substrate processed in the above processing step, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

[0067] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 100: Substrate processing unit, 101: Control unit, 102: Memory unit, 103: Measurement unit, 104: Transport unit, 105: Processing unit, 204: Second transport mechanism (second mechanism), 205: Substrate stage (first mechanism)

Claims

1. A substrate transport method in a substrate processing apparatus having a first mechanism for holding the substrate in a first manner in a processing unit for processing the substrate, and a second mechanism for transporting the substrate to the first mechanism while holding the substrate in a second manner different from the first manner, A first acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the shape of the substrate when the first method is used, A second acquisition step of acquiring second information indicating the shape of the substrate when the second method is used, A transport step of transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism based on the first information and the second information, A substrate transport method characterized by including the following:

2. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the transport step, the substrate is transported to the first mechanism via the second mechanism, provided that the first mechanism and the second mechanism are capable of holding the substrate based on the first information and the second information.

3. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the transport step, if the first mechanism and the second mechanism are unable to hold the substrate based on the first information and the second information, the substrate is not transported to the first mechanism and the second mechanism and is instead removed from the substrate processing apparatus.

4. In the first acquisition step, the first information is acquired by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the first manner by a mechanism different from the first mechanism, The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second information is acquired in the second acquisition step by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the second manner by a mechanism different from the second mechanism.

5. In the first acquisition step, the first information is acquired by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the first manner by a mechanism different from the first mechanism, The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the second acquisition step, the second information is estimated from the first information based on information showing the correlation between the shape of the substrate when the first method is used and the shape of the substrate when the second method is used.

6. In the second acquisition step, the second information is acquired by measuring the shape of the substrate held in the second manner by a mechanism different from the second mechanism, The substrate transport method according to claim 1, wherein in the first acquisition step, the first information is estimated from the second information based on information showing the correlation between the shape of the substrate when the first method is used and the shape of the substrate when the second method is used.

7. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first method is a method for holding a first portion of the substrate, and the second method is a method for holding a second portion of the substrate that is different from the first portion.

8. The substrate transport method according to claim 7, characterized in that the first portion is the central part of the substrate and the second portion is the outer periphery of the substrate.

9. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first method is a method of holding the entire area of ​​the substrate, and the second method is a method of holding a part of the substrate.

10. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the transport step, it is determined whether the first mechanism and the second mechanism can hold the substrate based on the constraints on each of the first mechanism and the second mechanism when holding the substrate.

11. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the transport step, the transport speed when transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism is controlled based on the first information and the second information.

12. In the transport process, the substrate is transported using one candidate path selected from among a plurality of candidate paths for transporting the substrate based on the first and second information as the transport path for the substrate. The substrate transport method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of candidate routes include candidate routes for transporting the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism, and candidate routes for transporting the substrate out of the substrate processing apparatus without transporting it to the first mechanism and the second mechanism.

13. A program for causing a control unit of a substrate transport apparatus to execute the substrate transport method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates, A first mechanism for holding the substrate in the first method, A second mechanism for holding the substrate in a second manner different from the first manner, The system includes a control unit for controlling the transport of the substrate, A substrate processing apparatus characterized in that the control unit transports the substrate to the first mechanism via the second mechanism based on first information indicating the shape of the substrate when the first method is used and second information indicating the shape of the substrate when the second method is used.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the substrate processing apparatus includes an apparatus for performing a process of forming a pattern on the substrate.

16. A processing step of processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus described in claim 14 or 15, A manufacturing process for producing an article from the substrate processed in the above processing step, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

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