Wet processing apparatus and wet processing method

Abstract

The present invention proposes a wet processing apparatus that can shorten the transport distance, reduce the installation area, and simplify the transport process. [Solution] The system comprises a first holding means 11 for holding the workpiece W at a first position P1 in a first chamber 10, a second holding means 21 for holding the workpiece W at a second position P2 in a second chamber 20, a transport means 30 for transporting the workpiece W between the first position P1 and the second position P2, a communication part T for connecting the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20, and an opening / closing means 40 for opening and closing the communication part T, wherein the first position P1 is located above the second position P2 and the communication part T is located between the first position P1 and the second position P2, the transport means 30 has a function of raising and lowering the second holding means 21 relative to the first position P1, and the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 are capable of transferring the workpiece W to each other.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Wet processing equipment that processes substrates with processing liquids is widely used in the manufacture of substrates used in semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display panels, etc. Wet processing equipment performs processes such as cleaning, peeling, developing, and etching on semiconductor substrates, glass substrates, magnetic substrates, etc., and in recent years, single-wafer processing, which processes substrates one by one, has become mainstream.

[0003] In the case of single-wafer wet processing equipment, yield and throughput are important issues. For example, in the wet processing process, after polishing the substrate surface, a cleaning process is performed to remove abrasive particles and adhesives in the slurry. In the cleaning process, the remaining abrasive particles have a significant effect on reliability and yield, so multiple processes are combined to improve cleaning accuracy.

[0004] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a single-wafer wet cleaning apparatus equipped with multiple processing sections. In this cleaning apparatus, three cleaning processing sections are arranged horizontally along a transport path, and brush cleaning is first performed in a processing section at one end, then more powerful brush cleaning is performed in a processing section at the center, and finally rinsing and drying processes are performed in a processing section at the other end. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2007-44693 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the cleaning device of Patent Document 1, the processing sections that perform the cleaning process are arranged horizontally along the transport path. Therefore, the transport route of the wafer requires the wafer to be transported from the processing section to the transport path, moved along the transport path, and then transported from the transport path to the next processing section, resulting in a long transport distance. When the transport path is long, the wafer surface becomes prone to drying, which makes it easy for particles and water marks to remain, resulting in a decrease in yield.

[0007] In particular, since the cleaning process accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the semiconductor manufacturing process, improving throughput is an extremely important issue. However, the cleaning device in Patent Document 1 has multiple processing units and transport paths arranged horizontally, which requires a large installation area and is a factor that inhibits throughput.

[0008] Furthermore, in the cleaning apparatus of Patent Document 1, the wafer is transported by a transport robot, which makes the transport process complicated, further contributing to the remaining of particles and the like and the decrease in throughput.

[0009] The above problem is an important issue to be resolved not only in cleaning processes but also in other single-wafer wet processes such as stripping processes, developing processes, and etching processes.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to propose a wet processing apparatus that can shorten the transport distance and reduce the installation area in wet processing of thin plate-like workpieces, and further, can simplify the transport process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The wet treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a first chamber and a second chamber, and wet-treats an object to be treated at a first position in the first chamber and at a second position in the second chamber. Single-fed A wet treatment device, a first holding means for holding the workpiece at the first position in the first chamber; a second holding means for holding the workpiece at the second position in the second chamber; A transport means for transporting the workpiece between the first position and the second position; a communication portion that communicates the first chamber with the second chamber; an opening / closing means for opening and closing the communication portion, the first position is located above the second position, the communication portion is located between the first position and the second position, the conveying means has a function of lifting and lowering the second holding means relative to the first position, The first holding means and the second holding means are capable of transferring the object to each other, The first holding means holds the object to be processed from a side surface and rotates it horizontally, The second holding means rotates the object to be processed horizontally while the object is placed thereon. Characterized by

[0012] According to this invention, the first position is located above the second position, and the communication part is located therebetween, so that the transport path can be a vertically linear route, and the transport distance can be shortened. In addition, the first chamber and the second chamber can be arranged vertically, and the installation area can be reduced. Since the communication part can be opened and closed by the opening and closing means, the first chamber and the second chamber can prevent the erroneous flow of liquid or gas into each other. In transporting the workpiece, the transport means can raise and lower the second holding means relative to the first position, so that the second holding means can be arranged near the first position. And, since the first holding means and the second holding means arranged close to each other can transfer the workpiece to each other, the intermediary of a transport robot or the like is not required, and the transfer process is simplified.

[0013] The wet treatment apparatus of the present invention further comprises a ventilation means for supplying air from a supply port, The first chamber has a ventilation opening above the first position, It is preferable that the supply port of the ventilation means is movable up and down relative to the communication portion at least between the ventilation opening and the communication portion.

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

[0015] The wet treatment method of the present invention is a wet treatment method using the wet treatment device of the present invention, Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the object to be processed at the first position; a step 2 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object to be treated located at the first position while the opening / closing means is in a closed state; a step 3 in which the conveying means raises the second holding means relative to the first position while the opening / closing means is in an open state, and the second holding means is disposed opposite to the first holding means; The first holding means and the No. Step 4 in which the two holding means transfer the workpiece; a step 5 in which the opening / closing means is open, the transport means lowers the second holding means holding the object to be processed relative to the first position, and the object is positioned at the second position; a step 6 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object at the second position while the opening / closing means is in a closed state; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0016] The wet treatment method of the present invention is a wet treatment method using the wet treatment device of the present invention, Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the object to be processed at the first position; a step 2 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object to be treated located at the first position while the opening / closing means is in a closed state; a step 3 in which the conveying means raises the second holding means relative to the first position while the opening / closing means is in an open state, and the second holding means is disposed opposite to the first holding means; The first holding means and the No. Step 4 in which the two holding means transfer the workpiece; a step 5 in which the opening / closing means is open, the transport means lowers the second holding means holding the object to be processed relative to the first position, and the object is positioned at the second position; Step 7 in which the supply port of the ventilation means is lowered relative to the communication portion and positioned near the communication portion when the opening / closing means is open; a step 8 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object to be treated in the second position while the opening / closing means is open and the supply port of the ventilation means is located near the communication portion; The present invention is characterized by comprising: Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the wet treatment apparatus and wet treatment method of the present invention, particles and water marks are less likely to remain on the surface of the workpiece, the installation area can be reduced, and the transportation process of the workpiece can be simplified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a wet treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view in an xy plane for explaining the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view in a yz plane for explaining the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. [Figure 4]4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of the bottom surface to explain the first holding means of the above embodiment, where FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram explaining the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram explaining the state in which the semiconductor wafer W is released from the holding state. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held by the first holding means in the embodiment, taken along the line CC; FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is released from the holding state; [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams of the bottom surface to explain the first holding means of the above embodiment, where FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram explaining a state in which a small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is held, and FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram explaining a state in which the holding of the small-diameter semiconductor wafer W is released. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of the DD cross section for explaining the first holding means of the above embodiment, where FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram explaining a state in which a small diameter semiconductor wafer W is held, and FIG. 7B is a schematic diagram explaining a state in which the holding of the small diameter semiconductor wafer W is released. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a second holding means of the embodiment. [Figure 9] 5 is a schematic diagram of a cross section taken along an E-E line for explaining a second holding means of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an upper opening of the second chamber in the embodiment, taken along line BB. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the AA cross section for explaining an example of the opening / closing means of the embodiment, showing the opening / closing means in a closed state. [Figure 12] 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an enlarged cross section of an inner end portion of a pair of lids according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus of the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state before a semiconductor wafer W is carried in the wet processing apparatus of the embodiment. [Figure 15] 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer W is carried in the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 16] 4 is a schematic diagram in the yz plane illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer W is held by a first holding means in the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 17] 4 is a schematic diagram in the xy plane illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer W is held by a first holding means in the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 18] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a cleaning process in a first chamber in the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. [Figure 19] 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a communication part T is open in the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 20] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer is transferred between a first holding means and a second holding means in the wet processing apparatus of the embodiment. [Figure 21] 11 is a view for explaining a state in which the semiconductor wafer is transferred to a second holding means in the wet treatment apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 22] 10 is a view for explaining a state in which the transport means transports the semiconductor wafer and positions it at a second position in the wet processing apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 23] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer at a second position is wet-processed in the wet processing apparatus of the embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane for explaining a wet treatment apparatus S2 of the second embodiment. [Diagram 25] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a wet processing apparatus and a wet processing method to which the present invention is applied will be described taking as an example a single-wafer type wet processing apparatus that cleans a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer W.

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

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

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the yz plane. In the figure, the position of the semiconductor wafer W is indicated by a broken line. In the first chamber 10, the semiconductor wafer W located at the first position P1 is cleaned, and in the second chamber 20, the semiconductor wafer W located at the second position P2 is cleaned. The internal space of the first chamber 10 and the internal space of the second chamber 20 can be communicated with each other via a communication part T. In addition, in the figure, the transport path R of the semiconductor wafer W is indicated by a broken arrow. The transport path R is formed in the vertical direction in the central space passing through the communication part T, and the semiconductor wafer W is transported through the transport path R by the transport means 30. The communication part T can be opened and closed by the opening and closing means 40.

[0023] (First chamber) The first chamber 10 is provided with a first holding means 11. The first holding means 11 has a function of holding the semiconductor wafer W at the first position. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the bottom surface for explaining the first holding means 11, FIG. 4(a) is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and FIG. 4(b) is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the holding of the semiconductor wafer W is released. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a cross section CC in FIG. 4 for explaining the first holding means 11, FIG. 5(a) is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is held, and FIG. 5(b) is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the holding of the semiconductor wafer W is released. The first holding means 11 is an edge clamp that holds the semiconductor wafer W by sandwiching it from the side, and a pair of first holding means units 11R, 11L are disposed opposite to each other with the first position P1 in between. The first holding means units 11R, 11L move horizontally in a direction approaching and separating from each other, and are capable of detachably holding the semiconductor wafer W.

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

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

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

[0027] The first chamber 10 also includes a cleaning means 13 for performing a cleaning process on the semiconductor wafer W placed at the first position P1. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning means 13 has a function of sandwiching the semiconductor wafer W between brushes to clean both sides thereof, and includes an upper brush 13b and a lower brush 13c at the tip of a bifurcated arm 13a. The upper brush 13b and the lower brush 13c are movable in the horizontal direction (z-axis direction) and the up-down direction (y-axis direction). In the cleaning process, the bifurcated arm 13a moves in the horizontal direction (z-axis direction) while the upper brush 13b and the lower brush 13c are in contact with the rotating semiconductor wafer W, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the semiconductor wafer W are simultaneously cleaned. The moving path of the cleaning means 13 is located between the pair of first holding means units 11R and 11L, so that they do not interfere with each other (see FIGS. 4(a) and (b)). The cleaning means 13 is also located at a position that does not interfere with the loading / unloading means 100 described later. In this embodiment, a pair of first holding means 11R, 11L are arranged opposite each other in the x-axis direction across the first position P1, and the cleaning means 13 and the loading / unloading means 100's loading / unloading port 14 are arranged opposite each other in the z-axis direction across the first position P1.

[0028] A lower opening 12 is provided in the center of the bottom plate of the first chamber 10. The lower opening 12 is large enough to allow the semiconductor wafer W and a second holding means 22, which will be described later, to pass through, and is circular in this embodiment (see FIG. 11). A load / unload port 14 is provided in the side plate of the first chamber 10. The load / unload port 14 can be opened and closed by a load / unload port opening / closing means 14a. In this embodiment, the load / unload port opening / closing means 14a is a lid that opens and closes the load / unload port 14 by sliding vertically.

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

[0030] A ventilation opening 15 is provided on the top plate of the first chamber 10. The ventilation opening 15 is mainly for taking in air from a fan filter unit (not shown) into the first chamber 10, and the supplied air is discharged from an exhaust port (not shown). It is also possible to allow the air taken in from the ventilation opening 15 to reach the second chamber 20 by opening the opening / closing means 40 of the communication part T.

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

[0032] The mounting table 21a has a substantially inverted truncated cone shape and has a function of rotating in the horizontal direction about the center of the circular upper surface as the rotation axis. The lower surface side of the mounting table 21a is connected to the transport means 30 described later.

[0033] The fixing parts 21b and 21c are a plurality of protrusions. In order to accommodate semiconductor wafers W of different diameters, the fixing parts 21b and the fixing parts 21c are arranged on different concentric circles. The fixing parts 21b arranged on the outer concentric circle are for semiconductor wafers W of large diameters, and the fixing parts 21c arranged on the inner concentric circle are for semiconductor wafers W of small diameters. Each of the fixing parts 21b and 21c includes a lower part 21b1 and 21c1, and an upper part 21b2 and 21c2 protruding from the upper surface of the lower part 21b1 and 21c1. In this embodiment, the lower part 21b1 and 21c1 are cylindrical, and the upper parts 21b2 and 21c2 are cylindrical with a smaller diameter than the lower part 21b1 and 21c1. The step caused by the difference in diameter between the upper parts 21b2, 21c2 and the lower parts 21b1, 21c1 forms the upper end of each fixing part 21b, 21c into an L-shaped cross section. Also, the inner fixing part 21c is lower in height than the outer fixing part 21b, and is at a height that does not contact the semiconductor wafer W when a large-diameter semiconductor wafer W is held.

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

[0035] Here, the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 are configured to be able to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to each other. The clamp portion 11a of the first holding means 11 and the fixing portions 21b, 21c of the second holding means 21 are arranged at positions where they do not overlap with each other in the y-axis direction, and even if the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 are arranged close to each other, the clamp portion 11a and the fixing portions 21b, 21c do not come into contact with each other. Therefore, the semiconductor wafer W is held by the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21, and then the holding state of one of them is released, thereby completing the transfer of the semiconductor wafer W.

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

[0037] The second chamber 20 has an upper opening 22 at the center of the top plate. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of the cross section BB in Fig. 2 for explaining the upper opening 22. The upper opening 22 is large enough for the semiconductor wafer W and the second holding means 21 to pass through, and is a perfect circle in this embodiment. The second chamber 20 may be provided with a ventilation opening for taking in air from the fan filter unit and an exhaust port for exhausting the atmosphere inside the second chamber 20.

[0038] The second chamber 20 also includes a plurality of processing spaces 24, 24 arranged in the vertical direction, and a space for the transport path R provided along the arrangement of the processing spaces 24, 24. The space for the transport path R is located below the communication part T, and the second position P2 is set for each of the processing spaces 24, 24 on the transport path R. In detail, the second chamber 20 has a plurality of partition plates 23, 23 arranged in the vertical direction (y-axis direction) that divide the internal space. Each partition plate 23 has a ring shape with an opening in the center, and is provided at a predetermined interval on the side plate part of the second chamber 20. As a result, the second chamber 20 has a space that becomes the transport path R in the center, and multiple stages of processing spaces 24, 24 are formed outside the space for the transport path R. In this embodiment, three partition plates 23a, 23b, 23c in the lower stage, middle stage, and upper stage form three processing spaces 24a, 24b, 24c in the lower stage, middle stage, and upper stage. The cleaning process in the second chamber 20 is composed of a plurality of processing steps, and different processing spaces 24a, 24b, and 24c are used as necessary. Therefore, second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c are set for the processing spaces 24a, 24b, and 24c. Each partition plate 23 is inclined downward from the inside to the outside, and the processing liquid splashed in each processing space 24a, 24b, and 24c is collected by the partition plates 23a, 23b, and 23c and can be discharged from a discharge port (not shown).

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

[0040] (Communication Part and Opening / Closing Means) The internal spaces of the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 can communicate with each other through a communication part T, which can be opened and closed by an opening / closing means 40. In this embodiment, the communication part T is formed by overlapping the lower opening 12 of the first chamber 10 and the upper opening 22 of the second chamber 20.

[0041] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the AA cross section (see FIG. 2) for explaining an example of the opening / closing means 40, and shows a state in which the opening / closing means 40 is closed. The opening / closing means 40 is provided so as to cover the entire opening of the communication part T (i.e., the lower opening 12) on the first chamber 10 side. In detail, the opening / closing means 40 is a double-door type with the center opening upward, and includes a pair of lid parts 41, 41 that cover the communication part T, and an arm part 42 connected to each lid part 41. The lid part 41 is a substantially plate-shaped body, and is in a closed state when it comes into contact with the other lid part 41 near the center of the communication part T. The arm part 42 is a multi-joint arm in which a plurality of links are connected via joints, and is connected to the outer end part 41b of each lid part 41 via a joint. By the operation of the arm part 42, each lid part 41 is inclined so that the inner end part 41a is on the upper side and the outer end part 41b is on the lower side, and each lid part 41 is slid to be disposed outside the transport path R.

[0042] The inner ends 41a, 41a of the pair of lids 41, 41 may overlap each other. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the lids 41, 41 by enlarging a cross section of the inner ends 41a, 41a. The inner end 41a of one lid 41 has a substantially L-shaped cross section and is configured to overlap the upper surface of the inner end 41a of the other lid 41. This increases the degree of sealing of the lids 41, 41.

[0043] (Transport path) 2 and other drawings, the first position P1 is located above the second position P2 (P2a, P2b, P2c), and the communication part T is located between the first position P and the second position P (P2a, P2b, P2c). As a result, a transfer path R for the semiconductor wafer W between the first position P1 and the second position P2 is formed in the vertical direction (y-axis direction) via the communication part T.

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

[0045] (Operation description) The wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment operates as follows. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining a wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment with a flowchart. The semiconductor wafer W is subjected to a brush cleaning process in the first chamber 10, and then undergoes a multi-step cleaning process in the second chamber 20. Here, a large-diameter semiconductor wafer W is used as an example to be processed. All operations of the first holding means 11, cleaning means 13, loading / unloading opening / closing means 14, second holding means 21, transport means 30, opening / closing means 40 for the communication part T, ventilation means 50, etc. in the wet processing apparatus S1 are controlled by the control means 60 according to a program. This program can be modified as necessary. The separate loading / unloading means 100 can also be controlled by the control means 60.

[0046] 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and is a view for explaining the initial state before the semiconductor wafer W is carried in. The control means 60 slides each of the first holding means units 11R, 11L outward to keep the clamping portion 11a in an open state. The control means 60 also keeps the opening / closing means 40 in a closed state to keep the communication portion T closed.

[0047] 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the yz plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and is a view for explaining a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is carried in. The control means 60 slides the loading / unloading opening / closing means 14a to open the loading / unloading opening 14, and causes the separate loading / unloading means 100 to load the semiconductor wafer W through the loading / unloading opening 14 and position it at the first position P1. Next, the control means 60 slides the first holding means units 11R and 11L inward to bring the contact portions 11a2 into contact with the semiconductor wafer W. As a result, the semiconductor wafer W is held by the loading / unloading means 100 and also by the first holding means 11.

[0048] 16 and 17 are diagrams for explaining a state in which the first holding means 11 holds the semiconductor wafer W at the first position P1. FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the yz plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane. The control means 60 moves the loading / unloading means 100 from the loading / unloading port 14 toward the outside of the first chamber 10. This brings the first holding means 11 into a state in which it holds the semiconductor wafer W at the first position P1 <Step 1>. Then, the control means 60 slides the loading / unloading port opening / closing means 14a to close the loading / unloading port 14.

[0049] 18 is a schematic diagram of a cross section in the yz plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus S1 of this embodiment, and shows a state in which the semiconductor wafer W located at the first position P1 is wet-processed with the opening / closing means 40 closed. The control means 60 rotates the contact portions 11a2 of the first holding means 11 horizontally around the rotation axis 11a1 to horizontally rotate the semiconductor wafer W. The control means 60 also moves the cleaning means 13 in the horizontal direction (z-axis direction) so that the upper brush 13b and the lower brush 13c sandwich the semiconductor wafer W from both sides. Then, the control means 60 moves the upper brush 13b and the lower brush 13c on both sides of the semiconductor wafer W in the horizontal direction (z-axis direction) while horizontally rotating the semiconductor wafer W by the first holding means 11, thereby cleaning both sides of the semiconductor wafer W <Step 2>. The cleaning process is performed while supplying a processing liquid by a processing liquid supply means (not shown), but since the communication part T is blocked by the opening and closing means 40, the processing liquid and the atmosphere do not enter the second chamber 20. Note that the first chamber 10 is provided with an exhaust port (not shown), and the processing liquid and the atmosphere are exhausted from the exhaust port.

[0050] 19 to 22 are diagrams for explaining the transportation of the semiconductor wafer W. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a cross section in the xy plane, and is a diagram for explaining a state in which the opening / closing means 40 is open. When the cleaning process in the first chamber 10 is completed, the control means 60 slides the cleaning means 13 in the horizontal direction (z-axis direction) to position it outside the transport path R. Then, the control means 60 controls each arm portion 42 of the opening / closing means 40 to raise the center side end portion 41a of each lid portion 41, 41 and slide each lid portion 41 outward to open the communication portion T. As a result, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 communicate with each other, and the transport path R is formed.

[0051] 20 and 21 are schematic diagrams of a cross section in the xy plane, showing a state in which the first holding means 11 and the second holding means 21 transfer the semiconductor wafer W. As shown in FIG. 20, the control means 60 controls the lifting shaft 31 of the transport means 30 while maintaining the open state of the opening / closing means 40, and raises the second holding means 21 relatively to the first position P1, passing through the communication part T and disposing it opposite to the first holding means 11 <Step 3>. The second holding means 21 is located near the first holding means 11, and the semiconductor wafer W is fitted into the fixing part 21b. At this time, the fixing parts 21b of the second holding means 21 are located between the clamp parts 11b of the first holding means 11 and do not contact each other. As a result, the semiconductor wafer W is held by the first holding means 11 and also by the second holding means 21.

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

[0053] 22 is a schematic diagram of a cross section in the xy plane, illustrating a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is positioned at the second position P2. The control means 60 controls the lift shaft 31 of the transfer means 30 to lower the second holding means 21 relatively to the first position P1, thereby passing through the communication part T and positioning the semiconductor wafer W at the second position P2 <Step 5>.

[0054] FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram of a cross section in the yz plane, and is a diagram for explaining a state in which the semiconductor wafer W located at the second position P2 is wet-processed. In the cleaning process of the second chamber 20, the processing spaces P2a, P2b, and P2c are selectively used for each processing step. For this reason, the second position P2 is set to each of the processing spaces P2a, P2b, and P2c. The control means 60 stores a program in which the order of the second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c is described, and the control means 60 controls the transport means 30 according to the program to position the semiconductor wafer W at each of the second positions P2a, P2b, and P2c in sequence. Note that FIG. 23 shows a state in which the semiconductor wafer W is located at the bottom second position P2b. The control means 60 closes the opening / closing means 40 to block the communication part T. Then, the control means 60 performs processing according to each processing step while rotating the mounting table 21a of the second holding means 21 each time the semiconductor wafer W is positioned at the second position P2a, P2b, P2c <Step 6>.

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

[0056] When the cleaning process in the second chamber 20 is completed, the control means 60 opens the opening / closing means 40 to open the communication part T, and forms a transport path R between the first chamber and the second chamber. Then, the control means 60 controls the lifting shaft 31 of the transport means 30 to raise the second holding means 22 relatively to the first position P1, thereby passing the communication part T and positioning the semiconductor wafer W at the first position P1 (see FIG. 21). Next, the control means 60 horizontally moves the pair of first holding means units 11R, 11L in a direction in which they contact the semiconductor wafer W, and pinches the side surfaces of the semiconductor wafer W from both sides (see FIG. 20). When the semiconductor wafer W is held by the first holding means 11, the control means 60 controls the lifting shaft 31 to lower the second holding means 21, and after positioning it in the second chamber 20 (see FIG. 19), closes the opening / closing means 40.

[0057] When the semiconductor wafer W is to be transferred out of the first chamber 10, the control means 60 opens the loading / unloading opening / closing means 14a and causes the separate loading / unloading means 100 to enter through the loading / unloading port 14 (see FIG. 15). Then, the control means 60 positions the loading / unloading means 100 directly below the semiconductor wafer W and slides the first holding means units 11R, 11L outward. As a result, the semiconductor wafer W is transferred from the first holding means 11 to the loading / unloading means 100. Next, the control means 60 slides the loading / unloading means 100 outward from the first chamber 10 and closes the loading / unloading port 14 by the loading / unloading opening / closing means 14a. The loading / unloading means 100 may be of any type, for example, a type equipped with an edge clamp that holds the semiconductor wafer W from the side, such as the first holding means 11, a type that holds the semiconductor wafer W with a plurality of protruding fixing portions, such as the second holding means 21, or a type in which the semiconductor wafer W is placed on a flat mounting surface.

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

[0059] Second Embodiment 24 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the xy plane for explaining the wet processing apparatus S2 of this embodiment, and is a diagram for explaining a state in which the semiconductor wafer W at the second position P2 is wet-processed with the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 positioned near the communication part T. In the wet processing apparatus S2 of this embodiment, the second chamber 20 can be ventilated by the ventilation means 50. Note that in this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly explained. Others are substantially the same as the first embodiment, and explanations will be omitted.

[0060] The ventilation means 50 is a substantially cylindrical duct having elasticity, and is capable of expanding and contracting in the vertical direction, thereby allowing the supply port 51 to rise and fall.

[0061] In the wet processing apparatus S2, the first position P1, the second position P2 (P2a, P2b, P2c), the communication part T, and the ventilation opening 15 of the first chamber 10 are arranged in the vertical direction (y-axis direction), and a passage of the supply port 51 is formed in the vertical direction from the ventilation opening 15 to the communication part T. This allows the supply port 51 to move up and down at least between the ventilation opening 15 and the communication part T.

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

[0063] As shown in FIG. 24, the control means 60 extends the ventilation means 50, which is an expandable duct, while keeping the opening / closing means 40 open, to lower the supply port 51 and place it near the communication part T (Step 7). This makes it easier for the air of the filter fan unit to be supplied to the second chamber 20. With the opening / closing means 40 open and the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 located near the communication part T, the control means 60 performs a cleaning process on the semiconductor wafer W at each second position P2 (Step 8). When the cleaning process in the second chamber 20 is completed, the control means 60 shortens the ventilation means 50 to raise the supply port 51 to above the ventilation opening 15, thereby forming a transfer path R for the semiconductor wafer W, and raises the second holding means 21 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to the first holding means 11 (see FIG. 21).

[0064] According to the wet treatment apparatus S2, the supply port 51 of the ventilation means 50 can be raised and lowered at least between the ventilation opening 15 and the communication part T, so that it is possible to ventilate the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20. The passage of the supply port 51 is formed in the vertical direction between the ventilation opening 15 and the communication part T, so that the installation area is not increased.

[0065] Although the embodiment to which the present invention is applied has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the first chamber 10 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped shaped, and the second chamber 20 is substantially cylindrical shaped, but the shapes are arbitrary.

[0066] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the second holding means is raised and lowered as a transport means. However, the position of the second holding means may be fixed, and the first chamber and the second chamber integrated via a communicating portion may be raised and lowered to move the second holding means relative to the first position.

[0067] The first and second holding means are not limited to the above embodiment, and may be configured in accordance with the cleaning process in the first and second chambers. For example, when the cleaning means brush-cleans only one side of the workpiece, the first holding means may be configured to hold and rotate the workpiece from the other side.

[0068] The opening and closing means for opening and closing the communication part is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be any means such as sliding a single cover part that is one size larger than the diameter of the communication part. The opening and closing means for the communication part may be controlled to open and close depending on the wet processing of the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0069] Furthermore, the communication portion T may be any portion that communicates the first chamber and the second chamber. For example, the communication portion may be formed by providing a gap between the lower opening of the first chamber and the upper opening of the second chamber and connecting them with a cylindrical body.

[0070] Furthermore, the number of processing spaces 24a, 24b, 24c in the second chamber is not limited to three. If there is no need to distinguish between the processing spaces, there may be only one processing space, or the number of processing spaces may be reduced or increased as necessary.

[0071] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the ventilation opening 61 of the ventilation means 50 rises and falls. However, the position of the ventilation opening 51 may be fixed, and the first chamber and the second chamber integrated via the communication portion may be raised and lowered to move the ventilation opening 51 relative to the communication portion T.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the cleaning process is described as an example of the wet process, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various wet processes such as stripping, developing, and etching. In this case, the wet processing device may be provided with a means corresponding to each type of process instead of the cleaning means. Furthermore, the object to be processed is not limited to a semiconductor wafer, and may be a glass substrate, a magnetic substrate, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

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

Claims

1. a single-wafer wet processing apparatus including a first chamber and a second chamber, the single-wafer wet processing apparatus performing wet processing on a workpiece at a first position in the first chamber and a second position in the second chamber; a first holding means for holding the workpiece at the first position in the first chamber; a second holding means for holding the workpiece at the second position in the second chamber; a transport means for transporting the workpiece between the first position and the second position; a communication portion that communicates the first chamber with the second chamber; an opening / closing means for opening and closing the communication portion, the first position is located above the second position, the communication portion is located between the first position and the second position, the conveying means has a function of lifting and lowering the second holding means relative to the first position, The first holding means and the second holding means are capable of transferring the object to each other, The first holding means holds the object to be processed from a side surface and rotates it horizontally, The second holding means rotates the object to be processed horizontally while the object is placed thereon. A wet treatment apparatus comprising:

2. A ventilation means for supplying air from a supply port is provided, The first chamber has a ventilation opening above the first position, 2. The wet treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply port of the ventilation means is movable up and down relative to the communication portion at least between the ventilation opening and the communication portion.

3. A wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus according to claim 1, Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the object to be processed at the first position; a step 2 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object to be treated located at the first position while the opening / closing means is in a closed state; a step 3 in which the conveying means raises the second holding means relative to the first position while the opening / closing means is in an open state, and the second holding means is disposed opposite to the first holding means; Step 4: the first holding means and the second holding means arranged opposite to each other transfer the workpiece; Step 5: while the opening / closing means is open, the transport means lowers the second holding means holding the object to be processed relative to the first position, and positions the object to be processed at the second position; a step 6 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object at the second position while the opening / closing means is in a closed state; A wet processing method comprising:

4. A wet processing method using the wet processing apparatus according to claim 2, Step 1, in which the first holding means holds the object to be processed at the first position; a step 2 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object to be treated located at the first position while the opening / closing means is in a closed state; a step 3 in which the conveying means raises the second holding means relative to the first position while the opening / closing means is in an open state, and the second holding means is disposed opposite to the first holding means; Step 4: the first holding means and the second holding means arranged opposite to each other transfer the workpiece; Step 5: while the opening / closing means is open, the transport means lowers the second holding means holding the object to be processed relative to the first position, and positions the object to be processed at the second position; a step 7 in which the supply port of the ventilation means is lowered relative to the communication portion and positioned near the communication portion when the opening / closing means is open; a step 8 in which the wet treatment device wet-treats the object to be treated at the second position while the opening / closing means is open and the supply port of the ventilation means is located near the communication portion; A wet processing method comprising:

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