Substrate Processing Equipment

Abstract

To provide a lift pin mechanism capable of switching substrate support without increasing the number of through holes provided in a substrate support member.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device includes: a plurality of first lift pins formed in a cylindrical shape with the vertical direction regarded as an axial direction; a plurality of second lift pins formed in a cylindrical or rod shape with the vertical direction regarded as an axial direction, and inserted through the first lift pins respectively; and a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the first lift pin and the second lift pin. The lifting mechanism switches a first state in which the upper end of the first lift pin rises to a first height and the upper end of the second lift pin is positioned below the upper end of the first lift pin, and a second state in which the upper end of the second lift pin rises to a second height and the upper end of the first lift pin is positioned below the upper end of the second lift pin.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus which processes a substrate while supporting it in a horizontal position on a flat substrate support member, and more particularly to a structure of lift pins which raise and lower the substrate relative to the substrate support member. [Background technology]

[0002] The processing of various substrates such as semiconductor substrates and glass substrates for display devices may include processing in which the substrate is accommodated in a processing chamber. In this case, the substrate is inevitably transferred between the chamber and the outside before and after processing. In order to smoothly transfer the substrate, there is an apparatus configured to carry the substrate into the processing chamber while it is placed on a flat substrate support member.

[0003] For example, the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is an apparatus for performing a drying process on a substrate using a supercritical fluid. In this apparatus, the substrate is loaded and unloaded through a slit-shaped opening provided on the side of the processing chamber, and the substrate is loaded and unloaded in a state in which it is placed on a flat support tray and carried into the chamber. The support tray is provided with a through hole, and when the support tray is pulled out of the processing chamber, lift pins rise from below through the through hole to push the substrate up from the support tray. In this state, the substrate is transferred to and from an external transport device.

[0004] Moreover, the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 2 is a substrate processing apparatus for heat-treating a substrate in a chamber. In this substrate processing apparatus, a substrate is supported by a number of support pins provided on a flat susceptor, and the support pins are "switched," that is, the supporting body is switched, in order to ensure uniformity in processing. Specifically, by lowering the susceptor, it is possible to support the substrate by causing other support pins to protrude through through holes provided in the susceptor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-009877 [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-175638 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] It would be convenient if such substrate support switching could be performed in an apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing fluid, as in the technology described in Patent Document 1. For example, when a high degree of cleanliness is required for the processed substrate, using different lift pins to support the substrate before and after processing is effective in preventing contamination of the processed substrate. However, providing through holes in the substrate support member for inserting the lift pins causes disturbances in the flow of the processing fluid in the chamber, so that it is preferable to have as few through holes as possible from the viewpoint of processing quality.

[0007] Increasing the number of lift pins to switch substrate support in this way would increase the number of through holes in the substrate support member, which would affect processing quality. Therefore, a technology to solve this problem is required.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a lift pin mechanism that can switch substrate support without increasing the number of through holes provided in a substrate support member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a substrate support member having a flat plate shape with a plurality of through holes in the vertical direction, and configured to support a substrate in a horizontal position within a chamber by placing the substrate on an upper surface of the substrate support member. A support tray and, a chamber that accommodates the support tray on which the substrate having a liquid film formed on an upper surface is placed and in which a treatment using a supercritical fluid is performed; a moving mechanism that moves the support tray and the chamber relatively in a horizontal direction to move the support tray toward and away from the chamber; and a moving mechanism that is disposed outside the chamber,a first lift pin formed in a cylindrical shape with an axial direction extending in the vertical direction, the first lift pin being provided in a plurality of positions corresponding to the through holes; and a plurality of second lift pins formed in a cylindrical or rod shape with an axial direction extending in the vertical direction, the second lift pins being inserted into the first lift pins; Outside the chamber and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the first lift pins and the second lift pins.

[0010] Here, the lifting mechanism switches between a first state in which the upper end of the first lift pin protrudes above the top surface through the through hole, while the upper end of the second lift pin is located below the upper end of the first lift pin, and a second state in which the upper end of the second lift pin protrudes above the top surface through the through hole, while the upper end of the first lift pin is located below the upper end of the second lift pin.

[0011] In the invention configured as described above, the second lift pins are provided inside the cylindrical first lift pins, and the main body of the substrate support can be switched between a state in which one of the second lift pins protrudes above the upper surface of the substrate support member and supports the substrate by separating the substrate from the substrate support member, and a state in which the other supports the substrate. The second lift pins are inserted inside the cylindrical first lift pins provided corresponding to the respective through holes provided in the substrate support member, and therefore rise and fall by passing through the same through holes in the substrate support member through which the first lift pins pass when rising and falling.

[0012] Therefore, support can be switched between the first lift pin and the second lift pin, while the first lift pin and the corresponding second lift pin are raised and lowered at substantially the same position, so that they can be raised and lowered through the same through hole. Therefore, the number of through holes in the substrate support member is not increased. In other words, according to the present invention, support can be switched without increasing the number of through holes provided in the substrate support member. Effect of the Invention

[0016] As described above, according to the present invention, the second lift pins are inserted into the cylindrical first lift pins, and they move up and down at substantially the same position. By switching between support by the first lift pins and support by the second lift pins, even when they move up and down through through holes in the substrate support member, there is no need to increase the number of through holes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer. [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram showing the shapes and positional relationships of the various parts involved in the transfer; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a lift pin. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 illustrates the operation of a lift pin. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a mechanism for raising and lowering lift pins. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the mechanism for raising and lowering the lift pins. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of one embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. This substrate processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for processing the surface of various substrates, such as semiconductor substrates, by using a supercritical fluid. In order to unify the directions in the following figures, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set as shown in Fig. 1. Here, the XY plane is a horizontal plane, and the Z direction represents the vertical direction. More specifically, the (-Z) direction represents the vertical downward direction.

[0019] Here, the "substrate" in this embodiment can be any of various substrates such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a plasma display, a substrate for an FED (Field Emission Display), a substrate for an optical disk, a substrate for a magnetic disk, a substrate for a magneto-optical disk, etc. In the following, a substrate processing apparatus used mainly for processing semiconductor wafers will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention can be similarly applied to the processing of the various substrates exemplified above.

[0020] The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a processing unit 10, a transfer unit 30, a supply unit 50, and a control unit 90. The processing unit 10 is the main body that executes the supercritical drying process, and the transfer unit 30 receives an unprocessed substrate transported by an external transport device (not shown) and transports it into the processing unit 10, and also transfers the processed substrate from the processing unit 10 to the external transport device. The supply unit 50 supplies the chemical substances and power required for the process to the processing unit 10 and the transfer mechanism 30.

[0021] The control unit 90 controls each part of these devices to realize predetermined processing. For this purpose, the control unit 90 is provided with a CPU 91 that executes various control programs, a memory 92 that temporarily stores processing data, a storage 93 that stores the control programs executed by the CPU 91, and an interface 94 for exchanging information with a user or an external device. The operation of the devices described below is realized by the CPU 91 executing the control programs written in advance in the storage 93 and causing each part of the devices to perform a predetermined operation.

[0022] The processing unit 10 has a structure in which a processing chamber 12 is mounted on a pedestal 11. The processing chamber 12 is formed by combining several metal blocks, and its interior is hollow to form a processing space SP. The substrate S to be processed is loaded into the processing space SP and processed. A slit-shaped opening 121 that is elongated in the X direction is formed on the (-Y) side surface of the processing chamber 12, and the processing space SP communicates with the outside space via the opening 121.

[0023] A lid member 13 is provided on the (-Y) side surface of processing chamber 12 so as to close opening 121. A flat support tray 15 is attached in a horizontal position to the (+Y) side surface of lid member 13, and the upper surface of support tray 15 serves as a support surface on which a substrate S can be placed. Lid member 13 is supported by a support mechanism (not shown) so as to be horizontally movable in the Y direction.

[0024] The lid member 13 can be moved forward and backward relative to the processing chamber 12 by an advance / retract mechanism 53 provided in the supply unit 50. Specifically, the advance / retract mechanism 53 has a linear motion mechanism such as a linear motor, a linear motion guide, a ball screw mechanism, a solenoid, an air cylinder, or the like, and this linear motion mechanism moves the lid member 13 in the Y direction. The advance / retract mechanism 53 operates in response to a control command from the control unit 90.

[0025] When the cover member 13 moves in the (-Y) direction, the support tray 15 is pulled out from the processing space SP to the outside through the opening 121, allowing access to the support tray 15. That is, the substrate S can be placed on the support tray 15, and the substrate S placed on the support tray 15 can be removed. On the other hand, when the cover member 13 moves in the (+Y) direction, the support tray 15 is accommodated in the processing space SP. When the substrate S is placed on the support tray 15, the substrate S is carried into the processing space SP together with the support tray 15.

[0026] The lid member 13 moves in the (+Y) direction to close the opening 121, thereby sealing the processing space SP. Although not shown, a seal member is provided between the (+Y) side surface of the lid member 13 and the (-Y) side surface of the processing chamber 12 to keep the processing space SP airtight. The lid member 13 is fixed to the processing chamber 12 by a locking mechanism (not shown). With the processing space SP kept airtight in this manner, processing of the substrate S is performed in the processing space SP.

[0027] In this embodiment, a fluid of a substance that can be used in supercritical processing, such as carbon dioxide, is supplied in a gaseous or liquid state to the processing unit 10 from a fluid supply section 57 provided in the supply unit 50. Carbon dioxide is a chemical substance suitable for supercritical drying processing because it reaches a supercritical state at a relatively low temperature and pressure and has the property of dissolving organic solvents that are often used in substrate processing well.

[0028] The fluid is filled in the processing space SP, and when the processing space SP reaches an appropriate temperature and pressure, the fluid becomes supercritical. In this manner, the substrate S is processed by the supercritical fluid in the processing chamber 12. The supply unit 50 is provided with a fluid recovery section 55, and the fluid after processing is recovered by the fluid recovery section 55. The fluid supply section 57 and the fluid recovery section 55 are controlled by a control unit 90.

[0029] The transfer unit 30 is responsible for transferring the substrate S between an external transport device and the support tray 15. For this purpose, the transfer unit 30 includes a main body 31, lifting members 33, 34, base members 35, 36, and two types of lift pins 37, 38, each of which is provided in multiples. The lifting members 33, 34 are each a columnar member extending in the Z direction, and are supported by the main body 31 so as to be freely movable in the Z direction.

[0030] A base member 35 having a substantially horizontal upper surface is attached to the upper portion of the lifting member 33, and a plurality of lift pins 37 are provided standing upward from the upper surface of the base member 35. As described below, each of the lift pins 37 supports the substrate S in a horizontal position from below by abutting its upper end against the lower surface of the substrate S. In order to stably support the substrate S, it is desirable to provide three or more lift pins 37 whose upper ends have the same height.

[0031] Further, a base member 36 having a substantially horizontal upper surface is attached to the upper portion of the lifting member 34, and a plurality of lift pins 38 are provided standing upward from the upper surface of the base member 36. Each of the lift pins 38 supports the substrate S in a horizontal position from below by abutting its upper end against the lower surface of the substrate S. In order to stably support the substrate S, it is desirable to provide three or more lift pins 38 whose upper ends have the same height.

[0032] The lift pins 37 and the lift pins 38 can be raised and lowered individually. Therefore, although described in detail below, in this embodiment, it is possible to switch between a support mode in which the lift pins 37 are raised above the support tray 15 to support the substrate S, and a support mode in which the lift pins 38 are raised above the support tray 15 to support the substrate S.

[0033] The lifting members 33, 34 are movable up and down under the control of a lifting control section 51 provided in the supply unit 50. Specifically, the main body 31 of the loading / unloading unit 30 is provided with a linear motion mechanism such as a linear motor, a linear motion guide, a ball screw mechanism, a solenoid, an air cylinder, etc., and such a linear motion mechanism is controlled by the lifting control section 51 to move the lifting members 33, 34 in the Z direction. The lifting control section 51 operates in response to a control command from the control unit 90.

[0034] The base member 35 moves up and down as the lifting member 33 moves up and down, and the multiple lift pins 37 move up and down integrally therewith. This allows the transfer of the substrate S between the transfer unit 30 and the support tray 15, as described next. A more detailed structure of the transfer unit 30 will be described later.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the transfer of the substrate. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the shape and positional relationship of each part involved in the transfer. More specifically, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration involved in the transfer of the substrate S. In FIG. 3, the distance in the Z direction between members is enlarged from the actual distance in order to clearly show the structure of each part. As shown in these figures, the transfer of the substrate S is performed in a state where the support tray 15 is pulled out from the processing chamber 12. For this purpose, the transfer unit 30 is disposed in a position below the support tray 15 in the pulled out state.

[0036] In this embodiment, it is possible to realize a supporting mode in which the substrate S is supported by the lift pins 37 and a supporting mode in which the substrate S is supported by the lift pins 38. Here, in order to make it easier to understand the operation, the mode in which the substrate S is supported by the lift pins 37 will be described as an example, but the support by the lift pins 38 is similar in principle. When it is necessary to distinguish between the two types of lift pins, the lift pins 37 may be referred to as the "first lift pins" and the lift pins 38 as the "second lift pins."

[0037] The operation of each part in transferring the substrate S will be described with reference to Figures 2(a) to 2(d). The initial state of the apparatus is shown in Figure 1. When receiving the substrate S brought in from the outside from this state, the cover member 13 moves to the (-Y) side and the support tray 15 is pulled out from the processing chamber 12, as shown in Figure 2(a). The position of the support tray 15 at this time is hereinafter referred to as the "pulled out position". In addition, the lifting member 33 is raised, so that the first lift pins 37 protrude from the upper surface (support surface) 151 of the support tray 15.

[0038] 3, the support tray 15 has through holes 152 extending vertically at positions corresponding to the horizontal positions of the first lift pins 37. When the base member 35 is raised by the rise of the lifting member 33, the first lift pins 37 protrude above the support surface 151 through the through holes 152.

[0039] 3, reference numeral 151a denotes a recess for accommodating the substrate S, which is provided on the upper surface 151 of the support tray 15. The planar size of the recess 151a is slightly larger than the outer shape of the substrate S, and its depth is equal to or slightly smaller than the thickness of the substrate S. The substrate S carried in from outside fits into the recess 151a, and is stably supported on the support tray 15. Note that it is not essential that the support tray 15 has the recess 151a.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the substrate S is transported while being held by a hand H provided on an external transport device. The first lift pins 37 rise through the through holes 152 and protrude above the upper surface of the hand H, whereby the substrate S is transferred from the hand H to the first lift pins 37. The shapes and positions of the hand H and the first lift pins 37 are determined so that they do not interfere with each other. In this state, the hand H can retreat to the side. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the lifting member 33 descends, causing the substrate S supported by the first lift pins 37 to descend.

[0041] 2(c), the lower surface of the substrate S comes into contact with the support surface 151, and the first lift pins 37 are lowered below the support surface 151, whereby the substrate S is transferred from the first lift pins 37 to the support tray 15. In this manner, the substrate S is transferred from the external transfer device to the support tray 15. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2(d), the cover member 13 moves in the (+Y) direction, whereby the substrate S is accommodated together with the support tray 15 in the processing space SP of the processing chamber 12.

[0042] The substrate S after processing is carried out in the reverse order to the above. At this time, the substrate S is supported by the second lift pins 38, not the first lift pins 37. Specifically, after the substrate S after processing is pulled out of the processing chamber 12 together with the support tray 15, the lifting member 34 rises, causing the second lift pins 38 to rise through the through holes 152 and lift the substrate S from the support tray 15. Then, the substrate S is handed over from the second lift pins 38 to the hand H entering from the outside, whereby the substrate S is held by the hand H. The substrate S is carried out to the outside by the hand H, and the substrate S is discharged from the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0043] The substrate S may be carried into the processing chamber 12 with its upper surface covered with a liquid or solid. For example, if a fine pattern is formed on the surface of the substrate S, the pattern may collapse due to the surface tension of the liquid remaining on the substrate S. In addition, watermarks may remain on the surface of the substrate S due to incomplete drying. Furthermore, the surface of the substrate S may be altered, such as by oxidation, when exposed to the outside air. In order to prevent such problems from occurring, the substrate S may be carried with its surface covered with a liquid or solid surface layer.

[0044] Therefore, among the above-mentioned processes for transferring the substrate S, the process in which the substrate S carried in from outside is accommodated in the processing chamber 12 via the transfer unit 30 may be performed in a state in which the upper surface of the substrate S is covered with a surface layer. For example, for a semiconductor substrate having a fine pattern formed on its surface, the substrate is transported in a state in which a liquid film is formed using a liquid that is less corrosive to the substrate and has a relatively low surface tension, such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol) or acetone. On the other hand, in the process in which the substrate S is carried out from the processing chamber 12, the substrate S is in a dry state.

[0045] In this way, the state of the substrate S changes before and after processing, and the substrate S after processing has a particularly high degree of cleanliness. Furthermore, if liquids, solids, particles, etc. that were attached to the substrate S when it was loaded adhere to the lift pins 37, these can become a source of contamination of the substrate S after processing. For this reason, it is desirable to distinguish between the lift pins that receive the unprocessed substrate S when it is loaded and the lift pins that push up the processed substrate S when it is unloaded. The structure of the lift pins of this embodiment that makes this possible will be described in more detail below.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the lift pins. More specifically, FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view showing the structure of the tip of the lift pins 37 and 38, and FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. The first lift pin 37 is a member having a tubular shape with the vertical direction (Z direction) as the axial direction, and although it is cylindrical in this example, the cross-sectional shape is arbitrary. On the other hand, the second lift pin 38 is a round bar-like member with the vertical direction as the axial direction, inserted into the inside of the first lift pin 37 with a small gap between it and the inner wall of the first lift pin 37. Note that the second lift pin 38 may be a tubular member like the first lift pin 37, and the cross-sectional shape may also be arbitrary.

[0047] The first lift pin 37 is supported by a base member 35, and the second lift pin 38 is supported by a base member 36. As shown by the dashed and dotted arrows in the figure, the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38 can be raised and lowered separately. As shown in FIG. 7(b), an exhaust unit 39 that generates negative pressure is connected to the gap space G between the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38. Therefore, as shown by the arrows A1 and A2, a downward airflow is formed in the gap space G. Particles that have entered the gap space G from the outside and contaminants such as fine powder generated by contact between the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38 are carried downward by this airflow, and are prevented from adhering to the substrate S.

[0048] 5 is a diagram showing the operation of the lift pins. In this embodiment, the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38 are raised and lowered individually to achieve the following three states: (1) First state: Figure 5(a) the upper ends of the first lift pins 37 protrude above the upper surface 151 through the through holes 152 of the support tray 15 and come into contact with the lower surface of the substrate S, thereby supporting the substrate S at a distance from the support tray 15, while the upper ends of the second lift pins 38 are located below the upper ends of the first lift pins 37 and are housed inside the first lift pins 37; (2) Second state: Figure 5(b) the upper ends of the second lift pins 38 pass through the through holes 152 of the support tray 15 and protrude above the upper surface 151 to come into contact with the lower surface of the substrate S, thereby supporting the substrate S at a distance from the support tray 15, while the upper ends of the first lift pins 37 are positioned below the upper ends of the second lift pins 38; (3) Third state: Figure 5(c) The upper ends of the first lift pins 37 and the second lift pins 38 are lower than the upper surface 151 of the support tray 15 and do not contact the substrate S. Therefore, the support tray 15 supports the substrate S. It is possible to realize the above states and to switch between these states appropriately.

[0049] 5(a), the first lift pins 37 protrude significantly above the support tray 15, forming a space S1 between the substrate S and the support tray 15 for the entrance of a substrate carry-in hand of an external transport device. Meanwhile, in the second state shown in FIG. 5(b), the second lift pins 38 protrude significantly above the support tray 15, forming a space S2 between the substrate S and the support tray 15 for the entrance of a substrate unloading hand of an external transport device.

[0050] In this way, the two types of paired lift pins 37, 38 move up and down through the same through holes 152. For this reason, the support tray 15 only needs to be provided with through holes 152 having an inner diameter through which the larger first lift pins 37 can be inserted, the number of which corresponds to the number of first lift pins 37.

[0051] In the substrate processing apparatus 1 in which the substrate S placed on the support tray 15 is accommodated in the processing chamber 12 and processed with a processing fluid in the chamber, the vertical flow of the processing fluid via the through-holes 152 may affect the processing quality. Specifically, for example, contaminants removed from the substrate S by the processing fluid may remain near the substrate S due to turbulent flow of the processing fluid generated around the substrate S and may be redeposited on the substrate S.

[0052] For this reason, it is preferable that the through holes 152 provided in the support tray 15 for passing the lift pins are as small in diameter as possible and are limited in number to the minimum necessary. The lift pins 37, 38 of this embodiment can meet such requirements. In particular, by adopting a coaxial structure in which the first lift pin 37 is cylindrical and the second lift pin 38 is columnar or cylindrical, it is possible to minimize the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the lift pins while ensuring their strength. This allows the opening size of the through holes 152 to be minimized.

[0053] Note that the highest position Z1 reached by the first lift pins 37 in the first state and the highest position Z2 reached by the second lift pins 38 in the second state may be the same or different, as long as a necessary and sufficient space is formed between the substrate S and the support tray 15. Furthermore, the position of the second lift pins 38 in the first state and the position of the first lift pins 37 in the second state are not limited to those shown in the figures.

[0054] For the same reason as the reason for using the lift pins differently, it is desirable to distinguish the hand of the external transport device used to transfer the substrate S between when it is loaded and when it is unloaded. Since it is possible that the transport path of the substrate S is different when it is received from the previous process and when it is unloaded to the next process, the transport device for loading and the unloading device for unloading may be different. By distinguishing the hand or transport device between when it is loaded and when it is unloaded in this way, not only can contamination of the substrate S after processing be prevented, but it is also possible to perform the operation for loading and the operation for unloading in parallel, which is expected to improve throughput when processing multiple substrates.

[0055] In the third state, if the upper ends of the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38 are lowered at least below the upper surface 151 of the support tray 15, they are prevented from coming into contact with the substrate S. However, as shown in FIG. 5(c), it is more preferable to set the upper end position Z3 below the lower surface of the support tray 15, in that this allows the support tray 15 to move horizontally. For example, as shown by the dotted arrow in the figure, the support tray 15 moves in the Y direction to accommodate the substrate S in the processing chamber 12. In this case as well, the lift pins 37, 38 are prevented from interfering with the support tray 15.

[0056] Next, a mechanism for raising and lowering the two types of lift pins 37, 38 individually to realize each of the above states will be described in more detail. As a mechanism capable of realizing such operations, for example, the following two aspects are applicable. In the following description, in order to clarify the correspondence of the structure with the above description of the principle, the same reference numerals are used for the configurations that are substantially the same as those described above.

[0057] 6 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the mechanism for raising and lowering the lift pins. A loading and unloading unit 30a of this embodiment corresponds to the loading and unloading unit 30 shown in FIG.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 6(a), in a first embodiment 30a of the loading / unloading unit 30, a flat base member 36 is disposed below a flat base member 35. A through hole is provided in the center of the base member 36, and a lifting member 33 supporting the base member 35 is inserted into this through hole. The lifting member 33 is driven to move up and down by a first linear motion mechanism 311 provided in the main body 31. Meanwhile, the lifting members 34, 34 supporting the base member 36 are driven to move up and down by second linear motion mechanisms 312, 312 provided in the main body 31. Therefore, the base members 35 and 36 can be lifted and lowered independently of each other.

[0059] A plurality of through holes are provided near the periphery of base member 35, and a first lift pin 37 is attached to each of these through holes. Therefore, the first lift pins 37 rise and fall together as base member 35 rises and falls. Since the upper ends of first lift pins 37 are set at the same height, they can support substrate S in a horizontal position by abutting against the lower surface of substrate S.

[0060] Meanwhile, a plurality of second lift pins 38 are fixed to the upper surface of the base member 36, and each of the second lift pins 38 is inserted into the corresponding first lift pin 37. Therefore, the plurality of second lift pins 38 rise and fall together as the base member 36 rises and falls. Since the upper ends of the second lift pins 38 are set at the same height, the second lift pins 38 can support the substrate S in a horizontal position by abutting against the lower surface of the substrate S.

[0061] With this configuration, the base members 35, 36 can be raised and lowered independently of each other, thereby switching between a state in which the first lift pin 37 protrudes above the second lift pin 38, as shown in FIG. 6(a), and a state in which the second lift pin 38 protrudes above the first lift pin 37, as shown in FIG. 6(b).

[0062] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the mechanism for lifting and lowering the lift pins. In this embodiment of the transfer unit 30b, the support structure of the base member 35 is partially different from that shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 7(a), in the second embodiment 30b of the transfer unit 30, a flat base member 36 is disposed below the flat base member 35. A lifting member 33 is attached to the lower part of the base member 35, and the lifting member 33 is attached to the base member 36 via a first linear motion mechanism 313.

[0063] A plurality of through holes are provided near the periphery of base member 35, and a first lift pin 37 is attached to each of these through holes. Therefore, the first lift pins 37 rise and fall together as base member 35 rises and falls. Since the upper ends of first lift pins 37 are set at the same height, they can support substrate S in a horizontal position by abutting against the lower surface of substrate S.

[0064] Meanwhile, a plurality of second lift pins 38 are fixed to the upper surface of the base member 36, and each of the second lift pins 38 is inserted into the corresponding first lift pin 37. Therefore, the plurality of second lift pins 38 rise and fall together as the base member 36 rises and falls. Since the upper ends of the second lift pins 38 are set at the same height, they can support the substrate S in a horizontal position by abutting against the lower surface of the substrate S. A lift member 34 is connected to the lower part of the base member 36, and the lift member 34 is driven to rise and fall by a second linear motion mechanism 314.

[0065] When the lifting member 34 is raised or lowered by the operation of the second linear motion mechanism 314, the base member 35 and the base member 36 are raised or lowered as one unit. Accordingly, the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38 are raised or lowered as one unit. On the other hand, when the lifting member 33 is raised or lowered by the operation of the first linear motion mechanism 313, the base member 35 is raised or lowered relative to the base member 36. Accordingly, the first lift pin 37 is raised or lowered relative to the second lift pin 38. This makes it possible to switch between a state in which the first lift pin 37 protrudes above the second lift pin 38 as shown in FIG. 7(a) and a state in which the second lift pin 38 protrudes above the first lift pin 37 as shown in FIG. 7(b).

[0066] Thus, possible mechanisms for performing the lift pin raising and lowering operation in this embodiment include a mechanism for raising and lowering the first lift pin 37 and the stage 2 lift pin 38 independently, or a combination of a mechanism for raising and lowering the first lift pin 37 and the second lift pin 38 relatively to each other and a mechanism for raising and lowering them together.

[0067] From the viewpoint of minimizing the number of through holes provided in the support tray, for example, it is possible to arrange two types of lift pins close to each other and provide through holes in the support tray through which both of them can be inserted. However, increasing the diameter of the through holes can also cause problems similar to those caused by increasing the number of through holes. The coaxial shape as in the above embodiment is also advantageous in that the hole diameter can be kept small.

[0068] It is also possible to arrange two lift pins, each having a semi-cylindrical shape, so that their flat surfaces face each other. However, in this case, the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​each lift pin becomes smaller, which may cause a problem of reduced rigidity. In contrast, the combination of a cylinder and a column, or the combination of cylinders, as in the above embodiment, makes it possible to maximize the rigidity of the lift pin with a small cross-sectional area.

[0069] Furthermore, the structure in which one lift pin is inserted inside the other cylindrical lift pin as described above is effective in that it creates a downward airflow in the gap space between the lift pins, thereby reliably removing particles and the like that could be a source of contamination.

[0070] As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the transfer unit 30 corresponds to the "substrate lifting device" of the present invention. In the transfer unit 30, the lifting member 33 and the base member 35 function as the "first support section" of the present invention, the lifting member 34 and the base member 36 function as the "second support section" of the present invention, the first linear motion mechanisms 311 and 313 function as the "first lifting section" of the present invention, and the second linear motion mechanisms 312 and 314 function as the "second lifting section" of the present invention, which together constitute the "lifting mechanism" of the present invention. Also, the exhaust section 39 functions as the "airflow generating section" of the present invention.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the support tray 15 functions as a "substrate support member" of the present invention. Furthermore, heights Z1, Z2, and Z3 shown in Figures 5(a) to 5(c) correspond to the "first height," "second height," and "third height" of the present invention, respectively.

[0072] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the processing chamber 12 in the above-mentioned embodiment performs supercritical drying processing in the internal processing space SP. However, the technical concept of the present invention can be applied to other substrate processing. In particular, the present invention is effective for all apparatuses in which a substrate to be processed is placed on a flat substrate support member such as a support tray, carried into a processing chamber, and processed.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the first lift pins 37 are used when the substrate S is loaded onto the support tray 15, and the second lift pins 38 are used when the substrate S is unloaded, but these may be reversed. In addition to using different lift pins for loading and unloading in this manner, it is also possible to directly switch between a state in which the substrate S is supported by the first lift pins 37 and a state in which the substrate S is supported by the second lift pins 38.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the second lift pin 38 is inserted into the internal cavity of the cylindrical first lift pin 37, and the two are not in contact with each other. However, one lift pin and the other lift pin may be partially and slidably engaged with each other. In this way, one lift pin can be supported by the other lift pin in an auxiliary manner, so that the lift pins can be made thinner. Therefore, the diameter of the through hole provided in the support tray can be made smaller.

[0075] In this case, in order to prevent fine powder generated by sliding from becoming a source of contamination, it is preferable that the two lift pins engage at a position below and away from the upper end portions that contact the substrate, and it is even more preferable to use a means for generating a downward air current between the two lift pins.

[0076] In addition, in the transfer of the substrate S in the above embodiment, an external transport device transports the substrate S in the Y direction. For this reason, the lift pins 37, 38 need to support the substrate S above the upper end of the cover member 13. Alternatively, for example, if the substrate is configured to be transported in the X direction, the substrate S does not need to pass above the cover member 13, and it is sufficient for the lift pins 37, 38 to support the substrate S at a lower position. For example, the approach direction of the hand of the transport device may be different when the substrate S is carried in and when it is carried out.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the support tray 15 is attached to the side of the lid member 13 and they move together, but this is not limiting. For example, the support tray may be configured to move independently of the lid member. In this case, the lid member may be a door-like member that is attached to the opening of the processing chamber so as to be freely opened and closed.

[0078] In addition, in the above embodiment, the substrate S is supported by the upper surface of the support tray 15, which is the substrate support member, directly abutting against the underside of the substrate S. However, the substrate support member may have a structure in which, for example, a protrusion is provided on the upper surface thereof, and the upper end of this protrusion abuts against the underside of the substrate to support the substrate.

[0079] In addition, the various chemical substances used in the treatment of the above-mentioned embodiments are only some examples, and various substances can be used instead as long as they are in accordance with the technical concept of the present invention described above.

[0080] As has been described above by way of example of specific embodiments, in the substrate processing apparatus and substrate lifting apparatus of the present invention, the lifting mechanism can include a first support portion that integrally supports a plurality of first lift pins, a first lifting portion that raises and lowers the first support portion, a second support portion that integrally supports a plurality of second lift pins, and a second lifting portion that raises and lowers the second support portion independently of the first support portion.

[0081] For example, the lifting mechanism may be configured to include a first support portion that integrally supports a plurality of first lift pins, a second support portion that integrally supports a plurality of second lift pins, a first lifting portion that raises and lowers the first support portion and the second support portion relative to one another, and a second lifting portion that raises and lowers the first support portion and the second support portion integrally.

[0082] In any of these configurations, the first lift pin and the second lift pin can be raised and lowered separately to realize the first to third states of the present invention.

[0083] Also, for example, an airflow generating unit may be provided to generate a downward airflow in the gap space between the first lift pin and the second lift pin. With this configuration, fine powder that may be generated when the first lift pin and the second lift pin move relative to each other while in contact with each other can be discharged downward, and the fine powder can be prevented from becoming a source of contamination of the substrate.

[0084] The lift mechanism may be configured to realize a third state in which the upper ends of the first lift pin and the second lift pin are both located below the upper surface in addition to the first and second states. In the third state, the lift mechanism switches between the first and second lift pins. In the third state, the upper ends of the first lift pin and the second lift pin may both be located below the lower surface of the substrate support member. With this configuration, the substrate support member can be moved horizontally to transport the substrate without interference between the first lift pin and the second lift pin.

[0085] For example, by adopting the above configuration in an apparatus having a forward / backward mechanism that moves the substrate support member toward and away from the chamber by moving the substrate support member relative to the chamber in a horizontal direction, interference with the lift pins can be avoided when the substrate supported by the substrate support member is loaded into and unloaded from the chamber.

[0086] In this case, the first lift pin and the second lift pin can be positioned corresponding to the position of the through hole of the substrate support member pulled out of the chamber. That is, the first lift pin and the second lift pin can be positioned to access the substrate pulled out of the chamber together with the substrate support member. With this configuration, the substrate can be smoothly transferred between the substrate support member and an external transport device.

[0087] For example, the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention may process a substrate with a processing fluid in a chamber. In such a processing apparatus, the processing fluid flows through through holes provided in the substrate support member to allow the lift pins to pass through, which may cause turbulence and affect the processing quality. By minimizing the number and diameter of the through holes, it is possible to reduce the effect on the processing quality. [Industrial Applicability]

[0088] The present invention is applicable to any technology in which a substrate is supported in a horizontal position by a flat support member, placed in a chamber, and processed, and is particularly suitable for substrate processing using a processing fluid in a chamber, such as supercritical drying processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1. Substrate Processing Equipment 15 Support tray (substrate support member) 30 Transfer unit (substrate lifting device) 33 Lifting member (first support part, lifting mechanism) 34 Lifting member (second support part, lifting mechanism) 35 Base member (first support part, lifting mechanism) 36 Base member (second support part, lifting mechanism) 37 First lift pin 38 No. 2 lift pin 39 Exhaust section (airflow generating section) 53 Advancement / retraction mechanism 311, 313 First linear motion mechanism (first lifting section, lifting mechanism) 312, 314 Second linear motion mechanism (second lifting section, lifting mechanism) S-substrate Z1 1st height Z2 2nd height Z3 3rd Height

Claims

1. a support tray, which is a flat substrate support member having a plurality of through holes in the vertical direction and supports the substrate in a horizontal position within the chamber by placing the substrate on an upper surface of the support tray; a chamber that accommodates the support tray on which the substrate having a liquid film formed on an upper surface is placed and in which a treatment using a supercritical fluid is performed; a reciprocating mechanism that moves the support tray and the chamber relatively in a horizontal direction to reciprocate the support tray with respect to the chamber; a first lift pin disposed outside the chamber, formed in a cylindrical shape with an axial direction extending in the up-down direction, and provided in a plurality of first lift pins corresponding to each of the through holes; A plurality of second lift pins each having a cylindrical or rod-like shape with an axial direction extending in the vertical direction and inserted into each of the first lift pins; a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the first lift pins and the second lift pins outside the chamber; The lifting mechanism includes: a first state in which an upper end of the first lift pin protrudes above the upper surface through the through hole, while an upper end of the second lift pin is located below an upper end of the first lift pin; a second state in which an upper end of the second lift pin protrudes above the upper surface through the through hole, while an upper end of the first lift pin is located below an upper end of the second lift pin; Switch the substrate processing equipment.

2. The lifting mechanism includes: a first support portion that integrally supports the first lift pins; A first lifting unit that lifts and lowers the first support unit; a second support portion that integrally supports the second lift pins; a second lifting unit that lifts and lowers the second support unit independently of the first support unit; The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 .

3. The lifting mechanism includes: a first support portion that integrally supports the first lift pins; a second support portion that integrally supports the second lift pins; A first lifting unit that lifts and lowers the first support unit and the second support unit relatively; a second lifting unit that lifts and lowers the first support unit and the second support unit together; The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 .

4. 4 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an airflow generating unit that generates a downward airflow in a gap space between the first lift pins and the second lift pins.

5. 5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting mechanism switches between the first state, the second state, and a third state in which upper ends of the first lift pin and the second lift pin are both positioned below the upper surface.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein in the third state, upper ends of the first lift pins and the second lift pins are both located below a lower surface of the support tray.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first lift pins and the second lift pins are disposed in a position corresponding to the position of the through-hole of the support tray pulled out from the chamber.

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